An article titled "Oil Crisis" in the August 2015 issue of ConsumerReports (CR) magazine details the problem of excessive oil consumption in a number of late-model and new automobiles. Several auto manufacturers are building engines, available in a number of widely sold models, that require frequent topping off of the oil level between recommended oil changes causing worry and expense for some new car owners.
From a previously adopted standard of 3,000 mile oil changes, automakers have stretched that to 7,500 (Mazda, for example) or even 10,000 miles because of refinements in engine manufacturing and oil technology in recent years. However, CR found that for certain models significant numbers of owners have to add a quart of oil to their engines as frequently as every month. As many new car manufacturers require synthetic oil, this can become a burgeoning expense given the cost of such products.
Several engines emerged as the main culprits: Audi's 2.0 L turbocharged 4-cyl and 3.0 L V6, BMW's 4.8 L V8 and twin-turbocharged 4.4 L V8, and to a lesser extent Subaru's 3.6 L 6-cyl and 2.0 and 2.5 L 4-cyls. These engines are in models such as the Audi A3, A4, A5, A6 and Q5; BMW 5, 6, and 7 Series, and X5; and Subaru, Forester, Impreza, Legacy, and Outback. The worst case showed that, overall, owners of BMW 5 series vehicles with V8 engines were 27 times as likely to experience excessive oil consumption as owners of an average vehicle. BMW outlines such consumption as part of its manufacturers specifications and even sells a traveling case for oil to keep in the trunk. "Oil-consumption is normal on all engines," says BMW spokesman Hector Arellano-Belloc. "BMW vehicles have long intervals between oil changes (10,000 miles). BMW engines (excluding BMW M) may consume up to one quart of engine oil per 750 miles under certain driving conditions." He added that BMW's M performance models may consume even more oil than that.
Other vehicles from 2010 to 2014 model years that have much higher rates of oil consumption than the average for their model years are: Porsche Boxster and Panamera, Mercedes-Benz E-class V8 and Volvo XC60 and XC70.
Audi, BMW and Subaru firmly maintain that oil consumption is a normal part of a car's operation. Subaru considers a quart burned every 1,000 to 1,200 miles to be acceptable while certain Audi and BMW cars' standards state that a quart burned every 600 to 700 miles is reasonable. CR data does not indicate a correlation between increased oil consumption and other engine problems but their survey data concerning 10 model years shows that if a car burns oil early in its life, it will burn even more as it ages.
Not all engines suffer from this problem. CR data indicates that owners of 98% of 2010 to 2014 cars did not have to add oil between changes. However, the cars that do burn oil do so furiously.
Some auto manufacturers are either taking corrective action on their own or are being forced to by the courts. For owners who complain, Subaru has authorized its dealers to perform oil consumption tests to determine whether the vehicle is performing outside of manufacturer's specifications. Subaru began modifying its engines on certain models starting in 2010 but took until 2014 to modify others. Honda recently issued a warranty extension to 8-years or 125,000 miles for 2008 to 2011 Accord and 2010 to 2011 CR-V 4-cyl engines. Honda said that it had found that sticking piston rings could lead to higher oil consumption if the engine is revved hard when cold, when combined with prolonged usage of low-quality gasoline. A class-action lawsuit in California regarding its 4-cyl 2AZ-FE engines sold in some 2007 to 2011 models resulted in Toyota amending its powertrain warranty on those engines to 10 years or 150,000 miles. A settlement in a class-action lawsuit against Audi caused them to extend the powertrain warranty on its 2009 to 2011 MY CAEB 2.0 L turbo engines to 8-years or 80,000 miles.
A recent CR national survey of drivers of 2000 to 2016 MY vehicles showed that 39% either never checked their oil or only have it checked when taken in for service.
On a personal note, I change the oil in my 2002 Protégé every 5,000 miles which is really much too frequently given that I use Red Line 5W-30 synthetic and have done so since I've had 15,000 miles on the odometer. In between oil changes their is no visible oil consumption as indicated on the dipstick. I change the oil in my wife's 2013 SkyActiv 2.0 L 3 and my son's 2011 2.5 L 3 using Mazda synthetic 0W-20 every 5,000 miles with again no visible oil consumption between changes.
I'm tempted to say that excessive oil consumption in some modern cars may be due to the tendency to use lower viscosity lubricant as a fuel-saving device but the fact remains that Mazda does so without any apparent ill-effects.
In any case, don't forget to check your oil (not that any of our Forum members would).
Happy Motoring!
From a previously adopted standard of 3,000 mile oil changes, automakers have stretched that to 7,500 (Mazda, for example) or even 10,000 miles because of refinements in engine manufacturing and oil technology in recent years. However, CR found that for certain models significant numbers of owners have to add a quart of oil to their engines as frequently as every month. As many new car manufacturers require synthetic oil, this can become a burgeoning expense given the cost of such products.
Several engines emerged as the main culprits: Audi's 2.0 L turbocharged 4-cyl and 3.0 L V6, BMW's 4.8 L V8 and twin-turbocharged 4.4 L V8, and to a lesser extent Subaru's 3.6 L 6-cyl and 2.0 and 2.5 L 4-cyls. These engines are in models such as the Audi A3, A4, A5, A6 and Q5; BMW 5, 6, and 7 Series, and X5; and Subaru, Forester, Impreza, Legacy, and Outback. The worst case showed that, overall, owners of BMW 5 series vehicles with V8 engines were 27 times as likely to experience excessive oil consumption as owners of an average vehicle. BMW outlines such consumption as part of its manufacturers specifications and even sells a traveling case for oil to keep in the trunk. "Oil-consumption is normal on all engines," says BMW spokesman Hector Arellano-Belloc. "BMW vehicles have long intervals between oil changes (10,000 miles). BMW engines (excluding BMW M) may consume up to one quart of engine oil per 750 miles under certain driving conditions." He added that BMW's M performance models may consume even more oil than that.
Other vehicles from 2010 to 2014 model years that have much higher rates of oil consumption than the average for their model years are: Porsche Boxster and Panamera, Mercedes-Benz E-class V8 and Volvo XC60 and XC70.
Audi, BMW and Subaru firmly maintain that oil consumption is a normal part of a car's operation. Subaru considers a quart burned every 1,000 to 1,200 miles to be acceptable while certain Audi and BMW cars' standards state that a quart burned every 600 to 700 miles is reasonable. CR data does not indicate a correlation between increased oil consumption and other engine problems but their survey data concerning 10 model years shows that if a car burns oil early in its life, it will burn even more as it ages.
Not all engines suffer from this problem. CR data indicates that owners of 98% of 2010 to 2014 cars did not have to add oil between changes. However, the cars that do burn oil do so furiously.
Some auto manufacturers are either taking corrective action on their own or are being forced to by the courts. For owners who complain, Subaru has authorized its dealers to perform oil consumption tests to determine whether the vehicle is performing outside of manufacturer's specifications. Subaru began modifying its engines on certain models starting in 2010 but took until 2014 to modify others. Honda recently issued a warranty extension to 8-years or 125,000 miles for 2008 to 2011 Accord and 2010 to 2011 CR-V 4-cyl engines. Honda said that it had found that sticking piston rings could lead to higher oil consumption if the engine is revved hard when cold, when combined with prolonged usage of low-quality gasoline. A class-action lawsuit in California regarding its 4-cyl 2AZ-FE engines sold in some 2007 to 2011 models resulted in Toyota amending its powertrain warranty on those engines to 10 years or 150,000 miles. A settlement in a class-action lawsuit against Audi caused them to extend the powertrain warranty on its 2009 to 2011 MY CAEB 2.0 L turbo engines to 8-years or 80,000 miles.
A recent CR national survey of drivers of 2000 to 2016 MY vehicles showed that 39% either never checked their oil or only have it checked when taken in for service.
On a personal note, I change the oil in my 2002 Protégé every 5,000 miles which is really much too frequently given that I use Red Line 5W-30 synthetic and have done so since I've had 15,000 miles on the odometer. In between oil changes their is no visible oil consumption as indicated on the dipstick. I change the oil in my wife's 2013 SkyActiv 2.0 L 3 and my son's 2011 2.5 L 3 using Mazda synthetic 0W-20 every 5,000 miles with again no visible oil consumption between changes.
I'm tempted to say that excessive oil consumption in some modern cars may be due to the tendency to use lower viscosity lubricant as a fuel-saving device but the fact remains that Mazda does so without any apparent ill-effects.
In any case, don't forget to check your oil (not that any of our Forum members would).
Happy Motoring!
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