Eating Oil

Not real happy...my 15 Legacy is about to hit 25K miles and up until the last 5000-7500 miles it has started eating oil. I typically go 5000 miles between oil changes and I lost exactly one quart at my last oil change and I am a bit more than half way through my next and just added a tad less than a half a quart. I never had any oil burn issues until recently and no other issues with the car. When I said something to my dealer at my last oil change, I was told that burning a quart every 5-6K miles is considered "normal" but seems like a lot to me. Son has a 13 Impreza that has never burned a drop of oil and that's the car I would have expected to do so. Wife's 17 Forester has 10K on it and not a drop there either. Just confused as to why, all of a sudden, it has started to burn oil. I plan on keeping the car for the next few years and entertained the idea of giving it to one of my sons this fall but with this issue I don't feel comfortable handing it down to him. Any thoughts or feedback on the topic?

Unless your oil burn exceeds 1 qt in 1200 miles it would be considered normal per Subaru. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't burn more than usual. You can take it to a different dealership for a second opinion and see what they say.

Thanks Leo...I'm just going to keep a QT of oil in the trunk and get used to filling it a half a QT at a time every 2500 miles. Very disappointed that I have to do this...first car I've ever owned where I have to "worry" about the oil level...period.

What oil type, brand and weight are you using? My car used to eat Mobil 1 and the I switched to Castrol edge and the consumption slowed down. If you still live in Florida, you can probably switch to a thicker oil 5w-20 or 5w-30 or 10w-30. There is a page in the owners manual that explains which oil weights you can use at which temp ranges.

I average about 1 qt every 3000 miles or so. I don't think much of it, since that kind of oil consumption is hard to track down easily.

 

Like Leo said, unless it's over 1 qt every 1,200 miles, I wouldn't worry.

Same here, 1 quart every 3500 miles. Disappointing. I was expecting to keep the car for a long time, but I wonder if I should get rid of it after a few years to avoid problems with the catalytic converters, O2 sensors or the engine.

 

Your car started to burn oil at 25k, mine does since brand new.

Here is my post from an oil consumption thread in the 5th gen forum.....

 

It's what makes a Subaru a Subaru....

 

My 2010 uses at minimum 1 qt every 800-1000 miles. When I had 55K on it, the dealer told me and put in writing that 1qt/1K miles was acceptable per SOA. This was back in 2012, but I still have the paperwork. Well over 160K miles now and the issue never got better or worse. I always keep 3-4 quarts under the trunk liner in the Styrofoam organizer. I absolutely love the old beater none the less, but its frustrating at times. That's the only issue it has, and I found no problem linked to the oil loss for over 100K more miles and counting.....

 

Hopefully the 2017 I just bought doesn't waste more oil than BP spilled in the Gulf, but time will tell

Here is my post from an oil consumption thread in the 5th gen forum.....

 

It's what makes a Subaru a Subaru....

 

All right, at least, he had no other problems.

But let me tell you something. When my car went "Low engine oil level" on a Tuesday night with 3400 miles on the odometer, and that I rushed in a Canadian Tire store to buy a quart of oil, I was seriously upset.

 

Instead of making a Youtube video where they crushing a brand new STI in a bobsled track (which is obviously not a good idea), why don't you design you engines better?

 

But it there is nothing to worry about, that's cool. It's what makes a Subaru a Subaru I guess ahah!

start here

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/subaru-oil-consumption-lawsuit-letter-subaru-short-block-replacement-advice-252405.html?t=252405&highlight=oil+consumption

start here

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/subaru-oil-consumption-lawsuit-letter-subaru-short-block-replacement-advice-252405.html?t=252405&highlight=oil+consumption

 

Subaru isn't going to replace short block for 1 quart per 5000 mile of oil consumption. Cars these days are much more likely to burn oil due the pressure to improve fuel economy with low tension oil rings and lighter weight oils. All engines burn oil, it is just whether or not the oil level is measurable (contaminants from the combustion process are being adding to you oil as well)

When my car went "Low engine oil level" on a Tuesday night with 3400 miles on the odometer ...

 

Are you actually saying that you drove your new Legacy 3,400 miles without ever checking the oil level?

^^ Yes, I do believe that is what he is telling us.

 

Our motors are reliable as all hell but are notorious for losing oil due to the horizontal cylinders. This goes back for years and years. Monitor your oil weekly/monthly depending on how much you drive, and you'll get 200K+ miles out of it without serious problems.

 

I've had oil loss for more than 100K miles on my 2010, its annoying, but I top it off when I fill up and she keeps on running and running. No other issues.

why don't you design you engines better?

 

It actually has more to do with engine break in than engine design. If Subaru makes the rings more on the loose side to prevent ring land problems, and the rings aren't seated properly during engine break in, then that can lead to oil consumption.

 

When I rebuilt my 3SGTE, I gapped the rings a little too loose, and I could tell immediately, since I could smell oil behind me every time I came to a stop. And I was using less than 1qt every 1000 miles.

 

And just FYI, I have checked my oil level every time I fill up. It takes a little longer, but avoids surprises.

Well so far no noticeable oil use with my Legacy, but I checked my wife's 2017 Acura RDX and she was down a half-quart.

 

Uses 0W-20 also, so I had it in the garage to top it off.

 

Just check it and keep it topped off. Since they don't consider it an issue, trade it in to them in the future for something else.

This has me worried. I have a 14' forester, which has oil consumption issues (was only 1 qt total each 7500 miles, but has not gone to around 1qt every 2k). There was a class action law suit about this, which got Subaru to increase the warranty to 100k miles to cover this, with free tests (just started mine since it got worse).

 

For me, this is not an issue, but my wife needs a new car, and I am trying to get her to go with an 18' legacy over a malibu, but if oil will be an issue, I might have to rethink. How prevalent is this (this is my first time to the forum doing research on the purchase). I know I will never hear the end if she starts getting oil warning lights. I can definitely check it, but even that might not be worth the headache.

it was rare when the class action suit was settled, at the time I was on NASIOC (owned a 2012 Impreza Sport 2.0 FA same engine in the class action lawsuit) arguing with one of the dudes who bought an oil burning car.

 

Best I could tell it affected 2% of the Subaru's sold with the FA2.0 engines. He thought it was all of them, but eventually traded his oil burner for a Crosstrek that has the same exact engine...so maybe I got to him...

 

You could buy an Acura RDX instead, but in my garage that is the only new car consuming oil.

Is there any stats to say the 3.6r is better or worse than the 2.5 for oil consumption? My wife would be the getting the 3.6 if she goes that route?

Is there any stats to say the 3.6r is better or worse than the 2.5 for oil consumption? My wife would be the getting the 3.6 if she goes that route?

 

No, but as the 3.6R uses mineral oil and the 2.5i uses synthetic, at least it's a lot cheaper to keep topping it up

What oil type, brand and weight are you using? My car used to eat Mobil 1 and the I switched to Castrol edge and the consumption slowed down. If you still live in Florida, you can probably switch to a thicker oil 5w-20 or 5w-30 or 10w-30. There is a page in the owners manual that explains which oil weights you can use at which temp ranges.

 

Using 0W20 Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic. Always had great success with this oil.

Is there any stats to say the 3.6r is better or worse than the 2.5 for oil consumption? My wife would be the getting the 3.6 if she goes that route?

 

 

Not that I know of, but anecdotal evidence suggests it's more likely the 2.5, possibly because there are many more sold than the 3.6.

 

My 3.6R is rock solid - 23,000 miles and I've never added any oil between changes every 6 thousand miles. FWIW, I'm using Schaeffer 5W-30 full synthetic; I've always had great results with their oils.

No, but as the 3.6R uses mineral oil and the 2.5i uses synthetic, at least it's a lot cheaper to keep topping it up [emoji38]

Actually the 3.6r uses synthetic oil where the 2.5 uses normal oil.. I've found that if I'm driving hard I might use oil, but if I drive normal between changes my 3.6r is good in oil. I think if we drive it hard in the upper RPM range is when they have the tendency to use oil..

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Actually the 3.6r uses synthetic oil where the 2.5 uses normal oil.. I've found that if I'm driving hard I might use oil, but if I drive normal between changes my 3.6r is good in oil. I think if we drive it hard in the upper RPM range is when they have the tendency to use oil..

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

Not according to the owner's manual.

Actually the 3.6r uses synthetic oil where the 2.5 uses normal oil.

 

You've got it backwards. I don't think that 0W-20 (specified for the 2.5) is even available as a conventional refined petroleum (i.e. non-synthetic) oil.

Same here, 1 quart every 3500 miles. Disappointing. I was expecting to keep the car for a long time, but I wonder if I should get rid of it after a few years to avoid problems with the catalytic converters, O2 sensors or the engine.

 

Your car started to burn oil at 25k, mine does since brand new.

 

For what little it might be worth...

 

I'm the original owner of my 2009 legacy, drove it off the lot with 3 miles, it currently has just under 215k. It has always burned between 1-2 quarts over a 4,500-5,000mi oci.

 

Like you, I was worried about the o2 sensors and cats. I put 140k on my oem cat before subaru issued a voluntary recall to replace it, and no issues with my replacement either.

 

I'm still running my oem oxygen sensors too after 214,xxx miles as well..

 

The only thing I have noticed is what looked like excessive carbon inside the cylinders when I ran a borescope down into them at 155k. I guess the good news is, red line si-1 works pretty well in my opinion at removing the carbon..

the engines that was the subject of the Class Action lawsuit:

 

The affected FB engines are the 2.5-liter engines in the 2011-2014 Forester, 2013 Legacy and 2013 Outback and the FA 2.0-liter engines in the 2012-2013 Impreza and 2013 XV Crosstrek.

 

The 3.6 was never included in that class action lawsuit.

 

Given that Subaru settled a Class Action lawsuit, I believe they are less likely to dismiss claims of excessive oil consumption (they won't deny it outright, they will do a consumption test) and if there is excessive use (per their guidelines) they will remediate it under warranty.

 

But, as noted previously, Subaru isn't alone in having a small percent of engines consuming oil, my wife's new 2017 Acura RDX consumed over half a liter in the last 4 months ~4,000 miles. My Legacy is at 6,500 miles, no noticeable consumption.