The oil consumption may be "normal" for now. There is no reason to think the oil consumption will not get worse as the miles add up.

Assume this is a non-USA car. If so find out if the TSB applies.

Is the dealer physically checking the oil every 600 miles?

 

it was built in the states but purchased in Canada. i will contact toyota headquarters here to find out.

yeah. im over with that now since they checked the oil until my next scheduled maintenance (every 8000km) was due. they had to top it up twice in that period but they still said it was normal.

 

Who is checking the oil level on the dipstick, you or the dealer?

The dealer is calling you every 600 miles (US) for a report?

How often is the dealer personally checking the oil level?

The dealer may have an incentive to have the oil consumption continue to be "normal" until the warranty is over. The dealer makes less money on warranty repairs, they may not be interested in doing the TSB, etc.

 

They are. I also checked the dipstick before coming there.

Yes. But they did that 5-6 times. Now since they came to a conclusion that its normal, they haven't called me for anything.

They were checking it every 600miles (1000kms). Right now I'm just driving, because like I said, they don't see a problem with the consumption they saw.

And this is why this will be my last Toyota. I had an 02 Altima before and that thing also burned oil like crazy. It was around 120,000kms when I first bought it. The damn Camry was brand new and it was burning oil just like the Altima.

 

We bought a used 2007 Camry this summer, I changed the oil soon after buying it. About 2500 miles later, my wife reports the oil light coming on when braking. I check and there's just the slightest bit on the dipstick, takes 3 quarts to get back to normal. About 1500 miles later, same thing, 3 quarts down. This is ridiculous.

When you all are getting these consumption tests done, are you being charged a service fee, or charged for the oil, or anything for labor? Please advise because to start the process of making some sort of claim, I need to go through this documentation phase.

Another thing, isn't the oil capacity 4.3 quarts or so? Who designs a car so that the oil warning light doesn't come on until like 75% of the oil is gone??? Aside from the oil consumption problem, the oil warning light design is also faulty and there should be a recall for that as well.

 

Is everyone who is having this problem filing a complaint with the NHTSA? It is easy to do online, here is the link:

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

It says that every complaint is investigated, and if you search the database, there are already a bunch, so PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT. Hopefully, eventually it will hit a level where Toyota will be forced to give everyone new engines.

 

Btw can anyone explain how much quarts are from the top dot and bottom dot on the dipstick (i4 2.4)?

 

For zkjr88.

Suggest you monitor the oil consumption yourself. Fill the oil to the full mark, then check every 1200 miles (US). If the consumption ever becomes more the 1 quart per 1200 miles the TSB applies to the engine.

Oil consumption will not get any better with mileage, only worse.

Typically for the dipstick the distance between the top and bottom marks (or top and bottom hash mark area) is 1 quart.

For headmotty.

The oil light is not a measure of oil quantity in the oil but oil pressure inside the engine. If the oil pressure drops below something like 5 psi, the light comes on. The light coming on is not good, advise you check the oil regularly to make sure the level is topped off.

If the engine freezes up due to lack of oil, even if the engine is an oil burner due to Toyota's poor engine design, Toyota will not fix it under warranty but state you failed to maintain the engine properly.

When the oil level is low and your wife brakes, any oil left in the pan may move forward. The result is the oil pick up intake inside the oil pan now has no oil to draw into the oil pump from the pan and is sucking air.

If oil quantity in the engine is higher and the car is braked there is still enough oil in the pan to allow the oil intake to draw it in.

Don't run the engine when low on oil.

 

For all those owners stuck with an oil burning engine suggest you write the president of Toyota USA and complain. The Toyota website has this info. Most likely upper Toyota management has been told the problem is under control by the companies yes people.

It was not too long ago that Toyota would not even acknowledge there was a problem with this engine. Now most likely due to owners complaining accompanying poor PR a TSB is out that applies to this situation.

Ditto for this engines head bolt problem. There is a long thread at this site about this.

Toyota is still ducking the issue in stating 1 quart per 1200 miles is "normal" on a low mileage engine. Perhaps if enough people complain to the folks at the top more will be done. At times in the past Toyota has gone the extra mile to aid their customers thus it is possible they can do more if motivated.

If people only complain to the dealer, odds are no one at the top will hear anything but that the situation is under control and all customers are happy campers.

If your going to stop buying Toyota's, it does no good in NOT telling the company your leaving them due to poor customer support as no one will know.

 

toyomoho,

Thanks for your reply. I know the oil warning is not a direct measure of quantity, but was under the impression that if the quantity of oil in the system was reduced, the pressure would fall as a result, and thought it should come on before it was basically empty. I guess I'm wrong on that though, so thanks for straightening me out.

I'm contacting Toyota about my vehicle tomorrow, should I expect to pay a "diagnostic fee" or be charged a half hour's labor or $10/quart of oil for each of these consumption test visits?