How To Tell If Your New Car is Burning Too Much Oil
Lisa Steuer McArdle
· 3 min read
Consumer Reports
previously reported on issues with cars burning too much oil, and now they are doing more to expose the problem. They surveyed auto manufacturers about oil consumption in their vehicles and offered suggestions to consumers for how to help with the problem.
Problems with oil-burning engines on new cars
Issues with oil consumption in cars had mostly been taken care of by the year 2000. However, problems later began to resurface once again and are common now. This happened when manufacturers attempted to increase fuel efficiency.
Subaru
was example of a car that can have an oil-burning engine, according Consumer Reports. In this vehicle, oil reportedly slips past pistons into the car's combustion chambers where it is then burned. Manufacturers are aware of issues with oil burning in their vehicles. GM and Subaru, for example, have responded to complaints regarding their vehicles and oil burning.
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Despite problems, there are no recalls
Consumer Reports notes that despite the problems with cars burning oil, recall notices have not been issued.
Recalls
require manufacturers to fix defects found in vehicles. While burning oil is a defect, it is not considered a safety concern and therefore does not earn recalls.Another thing that keeps this from being a recall-worthy issue is that there is no regulatory standard in place for oil burning. It is known that it should not occur, but there are no regulations to prevent it.
If your car is affected by potential oil burning issues, you may be able to utulize an extended warranty, though. Manufacturers including Subaru and Honda have implemented these extended warranties following lawsuits over oil burning.
Tips to help detect problems with oil consumption
If you drive a newer car, oil burning could be a problem, and it could be hard to detect. Thankfully, there are ways that you can spot the issues and preventative measures you can take.
Frequently checking your oil can help detect oil consumption. Experts recommend that this be done every thousand miles to keep track of changes in oil. If you see the check oil light come on, you should also address it as soon as possible.
Another way to be proactive is to research issues with your model of car. As discussed above, recalls are rare with issues of oil burning, but there could be warranties for the issue. Before purchasing a car, you could also check which models have had reported oil consumption problems.
While new cars drive smoothly and give drivers access to convenient new technologies, mechanical issues can still be common. Oil consumption is an issue that new cars continue to have, and it can be difficult to detect. Even though it is unlikely that your vehicle will be recalled for the issue, it is still something to monitor.
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