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Problems with oil consumption: symptoms, cost and affected models

We have documented 47 faults with oil consumption in 45 engines, affecting 271 models of car in our database. The most important by severity and frequency: warped cylinder head gasket and oil consumption on the 2.2 D-4D (2.0/2.2 D-4D), piston breakage and oil consumption in the 1.4 TSI twincharger (1.2 and 1.4 TSI) and excessive oil consumption and engine failure (1.2 TCe). At an independent garage, the repair costs from €900 to €4,000 depending on the engine or car.[1][2]

Documented faults
47
12 of high or critical severity
Engines
45
with at least one fault on this part
Affected models
271
car generations in our database
Garage repair
€900–€4,000
Depending on engine and car, including VAT

6 sourcesHow we work

How it works and why it fails

Oil consumption

All engines use some oil, but some consume too much because of piston rings stuck with carbon, worn pistons or valve guides, or a faulty breather separator. If the level drops unchecked, the engine can run out of lubrication and fail; on turbo engines, the turbo suffers as well.

What to do

Check the level with the dipstick every few fill-ups, always on level ground and with the engine cold. If you have to top up often or see bluish smoke, record the consumption (kilometres and litres) before going to the workshop: manufacturers usually ask for it before applying a warranty or a campaign.

General explanation by MotorFiable. The specific faults of each engine and car, with their sources, are on the linked pages.

Common symptoms

The symptoms that come up most often in the documented faults with oil consumption. Open each one to see what other faults cause it.

Problems with oil consumption by engine

From most to least important (severity × frequency). Each page details the affected versions and years, symptoms, cost and how to check for it.

  1. 1Critical severityFrequency: Very frequent2.0/2.2 D-4DWarped cylinder head gasket and oil consumption on the 2.2 D-4DYes: the 2.2-litre block (2AD-FTV and 2AD-FHV D-CAT) has numerous documented cases of warped cylinder head gaskets and oil consumption or dilution in the Avensis, RAV4, Auris, Corolla Verso and Verso, with repairs that sometimes require replacing the engine.Appears at around 40,000 km
  2. 2Critical severityFrequency: Common1.2 and 1.4 TSIPiston breakage and oil consumption in the 1.4 TSI twinchargerThe 1.4 TSI twincharger (turbo and supercharger) built up to 2012 can crack the pistons between the rings, with oil consumption, misfires and loss of compression. Volkswagen strengthened the pistons and rings on the 2012 CTHD engines.
  3. 3Critical severityFrequency: Common1.2 TCeExcessive oil consumption and engine failure1.2 TCe and 1.2 DIG-T engines built from 2012 to mid-2016 can burn more than 1 litre of oil per 1,000 km because the piston rings do not seal properly; carbon damages the valves and the engine can fail. There was no recall: the dealer network reprograms and replaces rings or the engine.Repair: €5,000–€10,000
  4. 4Critical severityFrequency: Common1.33 Dual VVT-iExcessive oil consumption from piston wearYes: 1.33 Dual VVT-i (1NR-FE) units built before 2013 can use far more oil than normal because of a factory defect in the pistons, acknowledged by Toyota in a technical bulletin. In the most serious cases it ends in engine replacement. Toyota corrected it with revised parts from 2013.Appears at around 130,000 km
  5. 5High severityFrequency: Very frequent1.2 PureTechExcessive oil consumption from carbon on the piston rings or oil separator failureThe 2014 to 2023 1.2 PureTech turbos can use too much oil: those from 2014-2018 through carbon blocking the piston rings and those from 2018-2023 through a defective oil separator. Stellantis considers more than 0.3 l per 1,000 km abnormal and includes it in its cover.
  6. 6High severityFrequency: Very frequent1.0 PureTechExcessive oil consumption through the piston ringsYes. Stellantis acknowledges that naturally aspirated 1.0 and 1.2 EB engines built between June 2012 and November 2016 can use excessive oil because of fouling of the piston rings; depending on consumption and mileage, its network replaces the water outlet housing or the whole engine.
  7. 7High severityFrequency: Common2.0 TSI / TFSIHigh oil consumptionIt is the most repeated complaint on first-batch EA888s (2008-2012) and still appears, to a lesser extent, in later generations. The engine needs topping up between services with no visible leak or obvious smoke at first.Repair (garage): €1,500–€4,000
  8. 8High severityFrequency: CommonBMW N62 / N63N63 oil consumption from worn valve stem sealsYes: the original N63 is known for using oil and the German press attributes it to worn valve stem seals. Gebrauchtwagenberater gives €3,000-4,500 as a repair reference in Germany.
  9. 9High severityFrequency: CommonD4/D5High oil consumption from 90,000-150,000 km that harms the turbo (VEA)On the 190 hp VEA D4, several owners document oil consumption that soars from 90,000-150,000 km (up to 1 litre per 1,000 km in one case), and Fiches-auto.fr warns that this lack of lubrication can end up damaging the turbo. It describes it as "the most sensitive engine" on the Volvo V60 page.
  10. 10High severityFrequency: CommonDrive-E gasolinaHigh oil consumption that can damage the turboYes: on the more powerful versions (T5, T6, B5), a German used-car analysis documents oil consumption of up to 1 litre per 1,000 km, and on one Volvo XC60 that lack of lubrication ended up damaging the turbo at 150,000 km. Volvo does not acknowledge it with a campaign of its own.
  11. 11High severityFrequency: Occasional2.0 and 2.2 CRDiHigh oil consumption from worn piston rings and valve guides (2.2 CRDi)On the Hyundai Santa Fe (DM) with the 2.2 CRDi D4HB, wear in the piston rings and exhaust valve guides can cause oil consumption well above normal on units with more than 100,000 km, with no external leak visible.Repair (garage): €900–€1,600
  12. 12High severityFrequency: Occasional1.8 T 20vTurbo wear and oil consumptionThe 1.8T turbo can fail over time -cases documented on an Audi TT at 60,000 and 155,000 km- and several sources link it to growing oil consumption in the engine itself. It is not the most cited fault, but it is one of the most expensive when it appears.
  13. 13Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW M54Cracked crankcase ventilation valve (CCV) and oil consumptionThe M54's CCV valve (oil separator) is made of plastic and cracks with age: oil then gets into the intake, consumption rises and a rough idle and smoke appear. It is the engine's most frequently cited weak point.Appears at around 96,000 km
  14. 14Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW N13High oil consumptionYes: like the rest of the Prince family (EP6/THP), the N13 can use oil between changes; the German publication Gebrauchtwagenberater.de documents extreme cases of up to 1 litre per 1,000 km and expressly cites the 114i, 116i and 316i among the affected models.
  15. 15Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW N43/N46Oil leaks and consumption (rocker cover, vacuum pump and valve stem seals)Over the years, the rocker cover gasket and the brake servo vacuum pump gasket start to seep oil on the N43 and N46; on the N46 there are also the valve stem seals, which can cause more noticeable oil consumption than on the N43.
  16. 16Medium severityFrequency: Common1.4 T-JetHigh oil consumptionThe Fiat 500X, Fiat Tipo, Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta have accumulated reports of above-normal oil consumption, in some cases up to 1 litre per 1,000 km; keep an eye on the level between services and do not wait for the warning light.Appears at around 60,000 km
  17. 17Medium severityFrequency: Common1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTECOil consumption from piston ring wearThe 1.8 i-VTEC in the Civic IX (2012-2017) can burn more oil than normal, between 0.2 and 0.8 litres per 1,000 km according to the owners consulted, because of piston ring wear; Honda has replaced this part under warranty in at least one case from 45,000 km.
  18. 18Medium severityFrequency: CommonMZR gasolinaHigh oil consumption in the 2.3 MZR of the Mazda6 (GG)The naturally aspirated 2.3 MZR of the Mazda6 GG has relatively high oil consumption: gebrauchtwagenberater.de puts it at close to one litre every 2,000 km and two of the six testimonials for the 2.3 on fiches-auto.fr mention very high consumption.
  19. 19Medium severityFrequency: Common1.0/1.2/1.4 EcotecOil leaks and increased consumptionOn the Corsa C, D and E, the Astra H and the Meriva, oil leaks from the rocker cover, oil filter or pressure switch are common, along with somewhat higher than normal oil consumption between changes; there is no pattern of major engine damage if they are dealt with in time.Appears at around 80,000 km
  20. 20Medium severityFrequency: Common1.4/1.6 VTiOil consumption on the 1.4 and 1.6 VTi versionsYes: fiches-auto.fr documents frequent oil consumption in both the 1.4 VTi (93 of 245 reports) and the 1.6 VTi (173 of 533 reports). We have not found that PSA or BMW have acknowledged a specific campaign or extended warranty for this reason.
  21. 21Medium severityFrequency: Common1.6 THPOil consumption on the turbo versionsYes: oil consumption between changes is one of the defects that the French motoring press repeatedly associates with the turbo versions of the 1.6 THP, used by Peugeot, Citroën and MINI. We have not found that PSA or BMW acknowledged a specific campaign or extended warranty for this reason.
  22. 22Medium severityFrequency: Common1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-iHigh oil consumption due to piston ring wearYes: a proportion of 1.8 VVT-i (1ZZ-FE) and, to a lesser extent, 1.6 (3ZZ-FE) units use more oil than normal because of piston ring wear. Most of the documented cases are resolved by monitoring and topping up the level, but at least one case ended in an engine repair.
  23. 23Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW N62 / N63N62 blue smoke and oil consumption from hardened valve stem sealsOn the N62 V8, the valve stem seals can harden with age and cause oil consumption with blue smoke. It is not a widespread fault: several German guides describe the engine as solid.
  24. 24Medium severityFrequency: Occasional1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCTHigher-than-expected oil consumptionThere are documented testimonials of higher-than-expected oil consumption in the Ford Fiesta, both on the 1.25 (with oil reaching the air filter through the crankcase ventilation) and on the 1.4, where it is combined with coolant consumption.Appears at around 40,000 km
  25. 25Medium severityFrequency: Occasional2.3 MZR DISI TurboOil consumption and sludge in the 2.3 DISI Turbo engineThe 2.3 DISI Turbo can burn oil and build up sludge if service intervals are stretched; the sludge blocks the turbo's passages and speeds up wear on the turbo and the timing.
  26. 26Medium severityFrequency: Occasional1.6 DIG-TOil consumption from piston ring wearWith the years, the 1.6 DIG-T can use oil between changes through piston ring wear. The Spanish specialist press describes it as a known problem in the Qashqai's older petrol engines, which can end in engine wear if the level is not monitored.
  27. 27Medium severityFrequency: Occasional2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DEOil consumption from piston rings or crankcase ventilation on the 2.0 MR20DEA minority of Qashqai I models with the 2.0 use more oil than normal. The sources blame it mainly on the crankcase ventilation or the piston rings and, to a lesser extent, on the valve stem seals; they do not describe it as a plague, but it does mean keeping an eye on the level.
  28. 28Medium severityFrequency: Occasional2.0 and 2.4 VVT-iExcessive oil consumption from the 2AZ-FE pistons and piston ringsSome 2.4-litre 2AZ-FE engines burn too much oil: it is attributed to the piston rings and the piston design, and Toyota issued a technical bulletin in 2011. The sources place it mainly in US-market Camrys and RAV4s; we have been unable to confirm how widespread it is in Europe.
  29. 29Medium severityFrequency: Occasional1.2 12VHigher-than-normal oil consumptionThe 1.2 12V can consume more oil than normal in some cases, documented occasionally on the Volkswagen Polo IV and the Škoda Fabia I. It is not the engine's most cited fault, but it is worth watching the level between services.
  30. 30Medium severityFrequency: Occasional1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSIOil consumption, especially on the older 1.4 16vSome of the older 1.4 16v engines (pre-2008) use more oil between changes than you would expect. Volkswagen acknowledged a crankcase ventilation fault that froze up in cold weather and launched a service action in January 2003; we have not found the same pattern in the later BUD/CGGA codes.
  31. 31Medium severityFrequency: Rare1.6 16v HR16DE / H4MOil consumption in the first Dacia Duster II SCe 115 unitsThe first Dacia Duster II units with the 1.6 SCe 115 engine (H4M) record some cases of oil consumption linked to the pistons or the rocker cover, according to the owner accounts consulted. It is not a widespread pattern, but it is worth watching the level.
  32. 32Medium severityFrequency: RareVW 2.0 TFSI EA113PCV crankcase ventilation valve and oil consumptionA fault in the PCV crankcase ventilation valve can cause excessive oil consumption, blue smoke and rough idle on the 2.0 TFSI; it is a replacement part, although there is no reliable frequency data.
  33. 33Low severityFrequency: Occasional1.2 8v FireOil consumption or leak, in one case from the rocker cover gasketThe 1.2 8v Fire can start to use or lose oil after a certain mileage; the only case with an identified origin points to the rocker cover gasket. It is the issue that recurs most for this engine, always in a minority of cases and without damaging the block.
  34. 34Low severityFrequency: Occasional0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFlyOil consumption (0.9 TwinAir)The 0.9 TwinAir can use more oil than normal: several reports for the Fiat Panda III describe having to top up almost a litre a month. Fiches-auto.fr describes it as a problematic tendency of this engine in that model; no technical origin has been identified in the sources consulted.
  35. 35Low severityFrequency: OccasionalMZR gasolinaOil consumption in the 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 MZR at high mileageIn the smaller petrol MZR engines, oil use appears mainly at high mileage: gebrauchtwagenberater.de places it in the Mazda2 DE from around 150,000-200,000 km, and fiches-auto.fr records isolated cases in the 2.0 of the Mazda3 and Mazda6 and in the 1.3 of the Mazda2.Appears at around 150,000 km
  36. 36Low severityFrequency: OccasionalSkyactiv-GHigher-than-normal oil consumptionSome Mazda3 BM/BN with the Skyactiv-G engine use more oil than expected between changes; the manufacturer itself considers up to 0.8 litres per 1,000 km normal, but gebrauchtwagenberater.de recommends not ignoring higher figures and checking the level regularly.
  37. 37Low severityFrequency: Occasional1.0 SCe (B4D)Higher-than-normal oil consumption (especially on the Dacia Sandero II)The Dacia Sandero II with the 1.0 SCe can use more oil than normal, with one documented case of 750 ml every 5,000 km; on the Dacia Logan II and the Renault Twingo III with the same engine this problem is not described in a comparable proportion.
  38. 38Low severityFrequency: Occasional1.0 MPIHigher-than-normal oil consumption (most cited on the Seat Ibiza V)The 1.0 MPI can use more oil than normal, especially on the Seat Ibiza V (2 of 5 reviews analysed for the 75 hp version). On the Volkswagen up!, Seat Mii and Škoda Fabia III, with the earlier tune of the same engine, the same pattern is not documented in a comparable proportion.
  39. 39Low severityFrequency: Rare2.0 / 2.4 i-VTECExcessive oil consumption on the 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC engineIt is an occasional complaint, not a widespread fault: Fiches-auto.fr lists one case of 1 litre every 10,000 km on the CR-V IV 2.0 and several cases of consumption on the Accord 2.0/2.4. Honda has not published a campaign for it in the sources consulted.
  40. 40Low severityFrequency: RareMIVEC gasolinaHigh oil consumption and oil loss at the intake manifold on the 1.6 MIVECGebrauchtwagenberater records occasional cases of high oil consumption and oil loss around the intake manifold on the ASX's 1.6 MIVEC (4A92), although it considers the number of incidents to appear manageable.
  41. 41Low severityFrequency: Rare0.9 TCeOil consumption (uncommon on this engine)Unlike other engines in the same family, the 0.9 TCe does not show a widespread pattern of excessive oil consumption: the sources document only a minority of cases.
  42. 42Low severityFrequency: Rare1.0 TCe / SCeOil consumption (no documented pattern on this engine)Unlike some other small turbo engines, the sources consulted for the 1.0 TCe/SCe do not describe a pattern of excessive oil consumption on any of the cars or versions covered by this page.
  43. 43Low severityFrequency: Rare1.2 16vOil consumption (no documented pattern on this engine)Unlike other small direct-injection turbo engines, the reliability pages consulted for the 1.2 16v (Clio II and III, Kangoo I, Twingo II, Logan I and II, Sandero I and II) document no pattern of excessive oil consumption.
  44. 44Low severityFrequency: Rare1.4 and 1.6 16vOil consumption (no documented pattern on this engine)Unlike many modern turbo engines, the sources consulted for the K4J/K4M do not describe a pattern of excessive oil consumption in any of the cars or versions covered by this page.
  45. 45Low severityFrequency: Rare1.0 and 1.4 BoosterjetOil consumption: no documented patternNeither the German TÜV inspection reports nor most owner testimonies describe high oil consumption on the 1.0 or the 1.4 Boosterjet; we have only found one isolated case, with no further detail, on a review forum.
  46. 46Low severityFrequency: Rare1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVTOil consumption: no documented patternThe German specialist workshops and the Swift, Ignis and Splash owners we consulted do not describe high oil consumption on the 1.2 VVT or the 1.2 Dualjet; several explicitly describe it as reliable with normal maintenance.
  47. 47Low severityFrequency: Rare1.0 VVT-iOil consumption: no documented patternUnlike other small engines of its era, oil consumption does not appear as a widespread problem on the 1.0 VVT-i: it accounts for between 1% and 4% of the reviews recorded by fiches-auto.fr for the Aygo, C1 and 107/108.

Engines with faults with oil consumption

Problems with oil consumption by make

Problems with oil consumption in your car

76 cars have several documented faults with oil consumption. Choose yours to see only the ones that affect them, by engine and by year.

Alfa Romeo 1
Audi 2
BMW 4
Citroën 4
Dacia 4
DS 2
Fiat 3
Lancia 1
Mazda 3
MINI 1
Nissan 4
Peugeot 7
Renault 8
Seat 3
Škoda 5
Suzuki 2
Toyota 4
Volkswagen 9
Volvo 9

How much it costs to repair a fault with oil consumption

Sorted from the most expensive repair to the cheapest. Prices in Spain including VAT (parts and labour); what each figure includes is on its page.

How we calculate costs · The most expensive repairs across all engines

OBD fault codes with oil consumption

The codes the ECU usually stores when this part fails: what they mean, causes and what to check.

Frequently asked questions

Which engines have the most faults with oil consumption?

By severity and frequency, the 2.0/2.2 D-4D (warped cylinder head gasket and oil consumption on the 2.2 D-4D, critical severity), the 1.2 and 1.4 TSI (piston breakage and oil consumption in the 1.4 TSI twincharger, critical severity), the 1.2 TCe (excessive oil consumption and engine failure, critical severity), the 1.33 Dual VVT-i (excessive oil consumption from piston wear, critical severity), the 1.2 PureTech (excessive oil consumption from carbon on the piston rings or oil separator failure, high severity) and the 1.0 PureTech (excessive oil consumption through the piston rings, high severity). In total we have documented 45 engines with faults with oil consumption.

How much does it cost to repair a fault with oil consumption?

It depends a lot on the engine or car. At an independent garage, from €900 to €4,000; at a dealer, from €5,000 to €10,000, including VAT, based on the 3 faults with a documented cost. The most expensive is excessive oil consumption and engine failure (1.2 TCe).

What symptoms does a fault with oil consumption cause?

The most frequently cited in the documented faults: excessive oil consumption, bluish smoke from the exhaust, oil pressure warning light on, visible oil leak, gradual loss of power and engine fault warning light (check engine).

Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Hyundai Santa Fe: fallos y averías más frecuentesTotalRenting · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  2. Tu coche quema aceite: 6 señales de alarma y la solución definitiva para salvar tu motorAutopista.es · Motoring press · published 19 June 2026 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  3. Posibles fallos en algunos motores de gasolina de Renault, Dacia y NissanOCU · Consumer association · published 4 June 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  4. Casse moteur Renault 1.2 TCe : 107 000 Renault concernéesL'argus · Motoring press · published 28 March 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
  5. Moteur 1.2 Renault - 400 000 voitures en dangerUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 24 May 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
  6. Problème moteur Renault-Dacia 1.2 TCe, Nissan 1.2 DIG-T et Mercedes - Vos questions, nos réponsesUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 24 May 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French