Consumption
Car using oil: when it is normal and what to do
Every engine uses some oil, and the manufacturer states how much is acceptable. If you have to top up more and more, it is either losing oil through a leak or burning it through the turbo, the valve stem seals or the piston rings; burning usually gives bluish smoke.
See a garage soonConsumption
Reviewed by Daniel Morales, founder of Reprorace SL, on
Is it serious? Can I keep driving?
Carefully, and only as far as the garage. You can drive as long as you keep the level right, checking it often. Do not leave it: a low level can light the oil pressure warning and damage the engine, and burnt oil fouls the catalytic converter or particulate filter.
A careful, general answer: only someone who inspects the car can say whether it is safe to drive. When in doubt, stop somewhere safe and call for assistance.
Most likely causes
- External leaks: valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket or seals; they leave stains on the ground.
- Turbo: worn seals letting oil into the intake or the exhaust.
- Valve stem seals: blue smoke on start-up or after coasting downhill.
- Piston rings: high, constant consumption, often with low compression.
- Crankcase ventilation: a blocked valve increases the flow of oil vapor.
Listed from more to less common in general; on your car they may be different. A fault-code reading and a check at the garage confirm which one it is.
To understand it better: How does a turbocharger work and what does P0299 mean? What is a catalytic converter and why does it fail?
Car system: Engine and lubrication
What you can check yourself
Always check the level the same way: on level ground, with the engine cold or after waiting a few minutes.
Write down how much you add and how often: it is what the garage will ask for.
Look for stains under the car after a night parked and for oil on the engine.
Notice whether the exhaust puffs bluish smoke on start-up or when accelerating.
Safe checks only: with the engine off and cold whenever you look under the hood, without taking anything apart and without touching hot or moving parts.
How the ECO-LITE helps diagnose it
Plugged into the OBD socket, the ECO-LITE reads the fault codes of the control units that answer, with the freeze-frame data captured when the fault happened, and shows live data on your phone or computer. With your permission, your garage can see them remotely before you bring the car in.
What to look at here: misfires, boost pressure and catalytic converter efficiency, which suffer when the engine burns oil.
Frequently asked questions
How much oil is it normal for a car to use?
The handbook or the manufacturer gives the acceptable consumption for your engine. Beyond that, or if it keeps increasing, the cause has to be found.
Can I top up with a different oil?
Use one that meets the specification in the handbook. Mixing brands with the same specification is fine for topping up.
Do high-mileage cars use more oil?
It tends to rise with wear, but a sudden change is not normal and needs checking.
Keep reading
- Engine and lubrication: how they work and what fails
- Blue smoke from the exhaust: the engine is burning oil
- Oil warning light on: what it means and what to do
- Knocking or pinking from the engine: what it means and what to do
- Car symptoms: what they mean and what to do
- Check engine light on: what to do
- How to read and clear your car's fault codes
- OBD fault codes: what each one means