Subaru Oil Consumption

[@MrSubaru1387]

Just so you know, not all new Subarus have excessive oil consumption. The consumption amounts vary car to car, engine to engine.

[@Supernova56487]

Just want you to know I have enormous respect for you ,and enjoy all your videos. If I lived near you ...I would happily pay only you to work on my vehicle . Keep up the great work.

[@LoveClassicMusic0205]

I have a 2018 WRX which uses 5W30 synthetic oil (I'm using Pennzoil Ultra Platinum) and so far I'm not seeing any oil consumption issues. I'm changing it every 6000 miles and don't need to add any between changes.

[@drahkas8526]

My 2015 WRX(103k miles) isn't burning oil either and I haven't really heard others WRXs having the problem, thankfully. I'm wondering how the FA20DIT engines are designed differently than the FB20 and FB25 that accounts for the oil consumption. 🤷‍♂️

[@tinker1148]

LoveClassicMusic0205 same. I have a 2017 Forester 2.5i with 40k and no consumption.

[@biz4twobiz463]

Agree. Which is the scary part. Probably better to use a 0w-40 weight oil and save the oil consumption. Nice informative video!!

[@dilaudid1]

Wow, I can't believe I'm finding a 17 minute talk on Subaru engine oil consumption so fascinating!

[@MrSubaru1387]

Glad you're enjoying it. 👍🏻

[@edgarnavarro7264]

I already watched this video 3 times in the last 2 days lol

[@ndeepowder]

Dude just Subscribe and you can get fascinating Subaru videos frequently

[@edgarnavarro7264]

@@ndeepowder Subscribed right after watching this video 👍🏼

[@AlanJWatkins]

laughed when i saw this, that was 17 minutes ago...

[@lovelakland]

I cannot say enough about the value of the information in this video. Thank God that you answered the call to create awareness about Subarus. Keep up the good work sir.

[@dreamrelaxation7239]

You didn't watch the video to the end. He mentioned that many car makes (brands) have similar issues. Just don't change your oil every 6,000 miles. Go back to 3,000 mi.

[@jhenry0688]

No need with fully synthetic oils, just more topping it off, which sucks arse!

[@peagee4518]

As a former GM at Subaru(20 yr ago), I applaud your honesty. Subaru has done great in the past in part due to their stubborness to change platforms and instead refining what they had. Long time Subaru owners tend to be somewhat fanatical and freely voice their displeasure. Still have 3 Subarus in my family....))

[@kralimarkobg]

God bless you, man. With this short video you answered so many questions that no mechanic could answer for me so far.

[@andreaadair2013]

I just took my 2019 Outback 43,000 miles to the dealer because it needed 2 quarts of oil in a 2700 mile road trip in the mountains of NC where engine knock also started. I am doing an oil consumption test but was told that if it uses a quart of oil in 1200 miles it passes Subaru's standards for oil consumption. A fellew Subi owner from NC sent me this video. Very informative. I see now why the dealerships are doing all the free oil changes now since they dropped to wanting them every 3000 miles. Thanks for this easy to understand explanation. Wish I had kept my old Outback now. I can see where this Subaru trade up program also helps hide the future engine problems by trading for new you might not see the oil issue, spend another 10k$ in 3 years and the person buying the used one with less than 50k miles doesn't get the 100k mile warranty. It was good to see all the car manufacturers are doing it.

[@hikingviking5069]

Customer: My new car ran out of oil. Subaru: It’s a feature.

[@loktom4068]

Manufacturer should innovation with an automatically oil replenish device. Since he says all manufacturer engines consums oil. A device the owner can add an extra additional (4 ltr. or quarts) reserve supply of oil into a separate clear view container and the computer sensor would automatically add additional oil into the engine oil pan as needed.

[@michelt4390]

Like government running deficit... Trust us, it's the way it should be...

[@efk3733]

@@loktom4068 ???? How about just checking the oil once a month or so. In years past we checked oil on almost every gas fill up. And changed it every 3000mi. Outside of all the engineering facts presented here, the actual act of adding oil is a non-issue. A five minute task. Not requiring an auxiliary oil tank by any means. I do know two people who have burned up their engines due to low oil. One actually driving around with oil light on. Simple checks of oil level and tire pressure seem to be all but completely forgotten today.

[@efk3733]

Forget oil. How many people run out of gas?

[@biomecaman3514]

at least it has that light that comes on... when it's literally EMPTY

[@MikeFox__FoxMan2099]

I love so much about my 2012 Forester. It handles better than any car I've ever had. Rides smooth. Great vision while driving. The type of car that is very enjoyable to just take a drive in. But I have to monitor the oil closely, and the consumption does affect the 02 sensors and other stuff. 87k miles. I hate to say it because, apart from the oil, the Forester is everything I want in an SUV.

[@susanf4713]

MrSubaru1387 thanks for explaining the oil consumption issues and the replacement of engine parts associated. I have a 2018 Outback 3.6R Touring with just over 8,000 miles. I received an email from Subaru to check my oil level. I did and it was very low. The car had 842 miles since last oil change. The vehicle needed 2 quarts of oil. I have an appointment with the dealer to run an oil consumption test.

[@jamesm.8392]

Totally Unacceptable

[@Hexsyn]

Glad to see that you as a subaru-based channel are more than willing to call them out rather than just being a yes-man :)

[@rogercoke6213]

Amen!

[@OutsideTheTargetDemographic]

Loving your channel, sir. Owner of a 2018 Forester 2.5i manual, as my father toted us all around his USAF career in a 1985 Subaru GL station wagon. Over 300k miles, he cleaned the carbs and replaced the clutch plates 3 times, as we road through Louisiana, Germany, California, Italy, and finally Texas, where he sold the still-running wagon in 2002 to a college kid.

[@brwa5176]

Thank you for the video! 2014 Forrester that has burned oil from day one. I’ve learned to always carry a spare quart.

[@fliptophiphop1894]

Just get the big jug, saves money and you will always end up using it.

[@eddielee70]

first time owning a subaru, my 2013 Legacy burning one quart every 2k mile since mile 0. I was surprised when 2k miles came up and oil lights lit up. I check oil level and it was below low mark. not used to adding 1 quart of oil every 2k miles, sold the car with 45k miles. it was a great car, but just not used to filling motor oil every 2k miles. Oil change every 6k miles.

[@Sazqwatch15]

If you haven’t already, I would recommend taking it to Subaru and requesting an oil consumption test. I “passed/failed” mine and it resulted in Subaru replacing the engine block and a couple other parts at their expense. Hasn’t been burning oil since

[@DBrisky37]

Drain that water out of the engine they call 0w20 and put 10w30 in. You will burn a ton less oil and only lose 2 mpg or so....My 2014 drinks 0w20, but barley sips 10w30. Been doing this for 50K miles, so far so good. Just let it warm up an extra minute when really cold out so the oil can thin out a touch.

[@sonnie6]

Yes my 2014 Forester does the same too. I usually top it off at 2000 miles and then i change oil at 6000. I have 120,000 on it now and it still runs great. I change plugs at 60,000 and when i hit 95,000 i got all my fluids changed. The only other problem has been wheel bearings. I had to change 4 of them. 3 of them were on the right rear and the other one was on the left front. The first 3 were under my warranty and the last one i replaced it 3 weeks ago at 119,000. I complained to Subaru customer service about how could 3 wheel bearings go bad on the same side. They sent me a $500.00 maintenance coupon and i got it fixed with that. I am not sure if i am going to buy another Subaru when i am ready for a new one. I am going to check our the CRV Honda and see how many problems they have.

[@GrumpyF0X]

I've been running Quaker State Full Synthetic on my 2.5i 2010 OB. No consumption or leaks at all. I'm the second owner, got it at 108k miles. I drive approx. 2080 miles a month, and am now at 153k. I've been having very early signs of the transmission acting funky. No work besides basic maintenance has been done on it, but this has lead me to consider a newer OB, 2017 or up, especially if the transmission does actually go. You literally just convinced me to keep my 2010 for as long as possible and maybe even repair/replace the transmission, rather than getting a new car.

[@JB-kx9me]

2012 Subaru Impreza - 91,000 miles - Just got my new engine from the dealership for free installed. Make them do the test and watch every step.....they overfilled my oil first time and I had to do another oil change after 120 miles to get the test "started"!

[@rickjacobson50]

This is how the government will force people away from oil consuming engines into electric cars. Of course there is no plan for where all the additional electricity is going to come from or what will happen to all the used batteries one day. My wife's '11 Forester still looks and drives new with 85K miles on it. Oil consumption is light, but daughter's 16 Forester is problematic. Thanks for great video.

[@dawnsessa3327]

I did an oil change on wife's 2015 forester and not too long later she has a notification on the dash about oil. I thought I blew it and short changed the oil fill and was a quart low. Now I am hearing this for the first time. Thx for the heads up

[@haqitman]

'07 Forester, 186K miles, 5 speed, goes through a quart every 500 or so miles of in town driving. On long trips which we occasionally take, it uses much less, like a quart every 2K miles, which seems great in comparison but really isn't. It's my wife's car she got before we met and she said it never used oil until about 140K miles. 10K miles after that the head gaskets went and one of the heads cracked and had to be replaced, and the clutch throw out bearing went requiring a whole new clutch. It's also hard to get a good oil level reading on this car. It has to basically sit overnight on perfectly level ground to get a true reading, which may contribute to some folks thinking theirs uses more than it does. Except for the excellent 4wd, I'm not really that impressed with it but she loves it.

[@leeh0795]

I am the original owner of a 2018 Outback 3.6R and i notice oil consumption at about 1/2 QT of oil lost every 3,000 miles from the very beginning. So between oil changes (5,000 miles) I can expect to lose up to 1 QT total. Also I have been using the Mobile 1 Extended Performance Filter but not sure that's a factor. I'll continue to log my losses but would like to keep this for the long run and I thank you for sharing all your subaru knowledge with everyone!

[@ltwig476]

07 Tribeca 3.0 h6 with 140,000 Half a quart every 5,000. Perfect oil changes and even changed out the entire timing set at 120,000 before the guide wear caused problems. The entire set plus new OEM water pump was $1800 in factory parts. Took me a day and a half to get it perfect with no leaks. 50 bolts on that front pan torqued in order to specks. One thing to watch for is those flat braided exposed ground straps. They corrode in two really early. I replaced mine with rubber insulated. Improper grounds can create havoc with the CPU and others systems. Hopefully they quit using them on yours.

[@mamalovesthebeach437]

I'm the original owner of a 2018 OB 3.6 Touring and am seeing about 1/4-1/3 qt consumed at every other fill up. I have 40K on the engine. I run full synthetic 5w-30w oil and change it every 5K miles. I had several system failure codes come up at my mechanic's shop where I had it towed last week after hearing a loud "BANG!" when I started the car. The car was towed to the dealer and they act as if there is nothing wrong. Oil consumption is at the bottom of the list. I have 5 weeks left on my warranty. This is my first new car and now I'm starting to regret my stated goal of only buying used. I love my OB but this is all so discouraging to hear.

[@mikewest8836]

Thank you for calling them out on this, I had 3 Toyota 4 Runners (10,000 oil change interval) and they didn’t burn a drop (drove all 3 to 30,000 miles) before I traded them in. So I am glad you call them out on this level of oil consumption.

[@JoMamasHouse]

I’m literally experiencing this right now. 70k miles, oil light came on with another 1k miles to go for service. We love this car. It’s great in all weather conditions, safe, but still for the amount of money we are paying for these vehicles it is inexcusable.

[@keangfamily]

I have this problem with my 2012 Subaru Forester too after 73,000 miles. I switched to Castro’s full synthetic 5W30. I hope it will help and I will check my oil every 500 miles or before each long trip. Switching from 0W20 to 5W30 you will lose about 1.8 miles per gallon.

[@JoMamasHouse]

@@keangfamily checking in, have you had any luck with switching oil types? My light literally just came on again today.

[@mrmortgage]

Subaru is the worst car I've ever owned. I will never buy again. 2018 Crosstrek

[@petset77]

If your Subaru has the boxer flat four, don't drive it any distance if the oil light comes on. It's one of those engines where it's immediate critical time if it's not pumping oil. We keep a quart or two in the back of my wife's Crosstrek, and I check oil level every two weeks regardless. Good luck with yours.

[@mrmortgage]

@Steve W I keep oil in mine as well. My Crosstrek has 86k on it . Fuel injector went bad. Apparently there is a tech service bulletin about this. Thankfully dealership is going to fix it free of charge since I'm out of warranty. Going to take 2 weeks to fix. Once fixed I'm selling the car and never buying Subaru again. Total lemon. Just bought a 2023 Toyota Venza Hybrid AWD. Totally didn't want this car but I'm very happy with up to this point.

[@allenfsnyder8149]

I have a 2015 Outback Ltd, purchased new and at 95k miles I had a great service rep and a conversation with SOA. They replaced the short block and at 228k I haven't seen that light in a long time. Thx for the education!

[@robertlee7775]

I have a 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited EJ253 71K miles (mostly city miles) now no oil consumption issues at all. I used Pennzoil 5W30 conventional + any filter until 60k and switched to Pennzoil synthetic with a Purolator filter recently, oil change every 5-6k. I get about 20mpg city/25 highway. At 60K I replaced brakes/rotors, tires, spark plugs, differential fluid, CVT fluid, and cleaned the mass air flow sensor and intake myself. Also changed the battery twice, now I just use a group 34 instead of a 25 or 24 it was. I do everything myself unless I absolutely have to take it to Subaru. At around 30k my car started stalling and Subaru replaced the torque converter under warranty. At around 50k I went in to replace the wiper motor and airbag recall. When they finished the recall, there was a thud sound every time I turned on/off the air circulator button. Turns out they didnt tuck in a wiring harness when doing the airbag recall so I had to fix that myself. My car also makes sounds when the AC is turned on, sounds like water through pipes or something its hard to pinpoint, I forget when that started but I always use the AC. Subaru also has the worst speakers I have experienced so far. I have changed the factory stereo and routed 1/0 wire to the back for my future stereo upgrade I have been procrastinating about. It is about a 10 hour job and I am doing it slowly when I have the time. I like my Subaru and plan to keep it forever, its the most reliable car Ive had yet and the easiest to work on.

[@MrSubaru1387]

If you're hearing running water in the dash, it could be air in the heater core. That, or water is trapped in the evaporator box due to a clogged drain.

[@robertlee7775]

@@MrSubaru1387 Thanks, I will look into it when I have the time, probably at around 80k when I change the timing belt (Thanks for the video). It started happening around 40k if i could guess that was 3-4 years ago. The sound goes away when I accelerate but once my foot is off the gas it comes back. I told Subaru about it and got the "its normal" I forgot to add above I did a coolant flush, bleeded brakes/master cylinder fluid at 60k. Also did the "Big 3 Upgrade" about 4 years ago, 1/0 gauge runs of battery to ground, alternator positive to battery, engine block to ground and havent had a battery die since. Alternator charges at 14.4-14.5Volts before it was 14.2 I believe. The stock wires are pretty skimpy.

[@chrisbaggesi72]

@@robertlee7775 our 2010 legacy had the same running water sound, it was a plugged evap drain like stated above

[@dawnguerriere6603]

I cannot thank you enough for explaining the real Truth about these SUV’s. My 2017 Subaru Forester has about 73,000 miles and is now starting to burn a quart of oil every 2,000 miles-this is a new problem. I changed the oil in June and needed another oil change in September and today (12-30-21) my oil light came on again. Sounds like it’s time yo get rid of my Subaru that I just paid off!!

[@kaptnkarl01]

Great video. We have a '13 Outback which we bought new which we love dearly. We change the oil about every 5-6000 miles. It uses about one quart of oil per oil change. Actually, when we add the oil, we usually say, "well, it's about time to change the oil." As an old VW driver, I just chalked it up to the fact that boxer engines use oil. It's nice to see that there is a reason for it.

[@oddities-whatnot]

And yet by design, boxer engines should use LESS oil because of the flat layout, the components are already sitting in oil when cold start up.

[@jamesm.8392]

Yeah but you have to understand the destruction that is taking place to your car, the environment and Your Wallet. This is pre-meditated FRAUD & OutRight SABOTAGE with bad intent. Was anyone warned about this before they bought the car . . . No. This should be a class action suit and all of the Car Makers are going this. My 2013 Elantra is a oil-blow-by. So is my F150.

[@scooterp7009]

@@jamesm.8392 Amen. 😠

[@gregorymark6014]

I've commented before below. We have a 2015 Forester. Daughter now uses it for college. Her drive to and from college is 270 miles each way. I now have to add 1/2 quart of oil one way. Recently at the dealership, no oil leaks. Now about 110,000 miles and it needs a water pump too. Recommend a 2019 Forester to my mom and she bought it. I pray that she won't have the same oil consumption problem. We also have a 2015 Odyssey at 200,000 miles. Odyssey dipstick still reads full when I go to change the oil. Wouldn't buy another Subaru. Would buy another Honda in a heartbeat. Our daughter loves the Forester, except for the checking and adding the oil part, its a shame that we won't be buying another. If it was only the water pump at the current mileage, I'd have no problem because other than that it has been a completely reliable vehicle , but to stop it from burning oil, that's a repair that will cost more than the car is worth and at only 110,000 that is completely unacceptable.

[@inner-passage5450]

Excellent! Insightful. I was going to buy a 2012 Outback when I heard about the ring issue - only to find out from this video, the problem is more pervasive. It's the whole engine! To reduce emissions, auto manufacturers are creating as much or more emission - burning oil. Thank you!!!

[@WRXSTiROX]

Omg thank you for the knowledge!! 06 Impreza with 2.5 engine. This was tremendously helpful. I add a quart about every two weeks. No seriously. Just had everything changed from the head gaskets up (out). Mechanic said, “It’s going to burn oil so keep an eye on it.” He was right but he didn’t tell me all the extra expenses that are going to come along. So, no. Whatever “improvements” they’ve made are not worth it. A quart of oil every two weeks adds up and then multiplies in the form of spark plug changes and catalytic converters 😤. Anyway, thanks for the info!!

[@sergeybobyk7483]

They did not rebuild the engine correctly. I have the same ej251 engine in Forester 2004 with 120k on it. Zero oil consumption. The engine has never been open.

[@jacobtuttle3224]

Try and do an oil additive to reseat your rings. Also go to a slightly thicker oil.

[@anonymousdogooder1845]

Sure wish I had known this before I just bought a 2022 Subaru. Sigh. Guess I'll have to deal with it and watch it closely. Thank you very much for the information.

[@KarstRats]

Yeah its about like the 2006 and after 350z burning oil and getting called normal.

[@anthonye3680]

Use thicker oil and synthetic like 5w40 or 15w40.. if you don't have winter then use the thicker oil..

[@fabe202]

My 12 outback had a leaking oil pan and valve cover gaskets. Dealer told me engine had to come out - I jacked up engine and changed valve cover gaskets, oil pan and push on seals /with spark plugs. My oil consumption has seemed to stop. I had oil leaking into spark plug. Great video!!!!

[@marshalldillon4490]

I been using the Penzoil ultra platinum 0w20 in my 2020 subaru forester, no burning of oil , and I use a Purolator boss filter , thanks for making video 👍

[@GixxerRider1991]

All engines will start to use some oil as they age, but low tension piston rings, direct injection, and turbocharging accelerate the whole process. In old school pushrod engines such as the Buick 3800 found in my 2008 Grand Prix, you can simply run a heavier oil weight to limp it along, but in newer motors the VVT actuators run off of oil pressure, and if you use a different weight it won't work right and could damage the engine further. Things have gotten to a point technologically where ICE engines have to be so complex to meet CAFE standards that electric cars begin to look more and more attractive as they become affordable for everyday people. It pisses me off. The government is hurting poor people the most.

[@joecoffee968]

This is exactly what I really suspect. At this point government could not care any less than they do how many miles you are getting to the gallon with your car. They just want to make it inconvenient for all of us to drive gas burning cars so that we will be encouraged to drive their ridiculous electric cars. when Hell freezes over will I buy one of their stupid electric cars.

[@dr.a.w]

That's like carburetors in the 1980s. They got so complicated for the very reasons you mentioned, CAFE and emissions, that fuel injection became necessary. That time around, it was an improvement IMHO. To this day, I consider the mere presence of a carburetor on any kind of ICE to be a symptom. I have never had problems with a fuel injection system except for one that had some leaks which were easily and cheaply fixed by replacing o-rings.

[@maksimhaiduk13]

So true about electrical cars

[@janchilson9431]

Have a 2014 Outback with 83,000 miles. Zero problems with oil consumption problems. In fact, I drove it out West last year for a 7,000+ mile trip, no oil consumption at all.

[@otisspunkmeyer2010]

at120,000 it starts to eat oil im at 200000 now and its a quart a month

[@ricyjo]

Are you using only Subaru synthetic oil or a different brand?

[@vyger6336]

Jan Chilson ....Zero oil consumption...Is that the 6 cyl or the boxer 4 cyl. I have a 2014 outback with the boxer 4cyl 50,000 mi. and am noticing excessive oil consumption. Same thing with my wife's 2013 Outback with he boxer engine which has around 75000 on it...

[@janchilson9431]

Cyrus Johnson I have only used the Subaru oil.

[@ricyjo]

@@janchilson9431 That's why.

[@wrigman]

Thanks for the video. My 17 WRX GETS it’s oil changed every 4,000 miles with Enos 5-30 full synthetic. The car has close to 22,000 miles on it. If I get on the boost quite a bit( how can you not ), I consume about 1/4 of a quart towards the end of the life of the oil. I don’t consider this excessive at all. It all depends on how you have driven the car. At nearly 60 years old, I do spirited driving on twisty roads ( remember what Colin McCray said about twisty roads), but not so much around town and freeway driving. Most of the late teens and twenty something drivers drive the car like they stole it, then complain about oil consumption and reliability. All one has to do is drive the car like a grown up, it will do fine.....

[@grampymeyer6603]

Thanx for your videos!! The legacy continues, my Dad had a Subaru wagon in the early 70's, My daughter just got her 2nd one, (from an Outback to the new the family oriented Ascent), her mother in law just traded her 2015 outback for a Forester.. my wife continues w/ her 2014 Outback (we buy our cars new & keep 'em 20+ years) (If you followed my story telling all 3 had Outbacks for several years) My habit is to use full synthetic and do oil and filter changes every 5k miles. Of our fleet, the newest one w/ the lowest miles is the only one than 'consumes' a noticeable amount of oil between changes.---->>> (drum roll) My wife's (10YO) 2014 Outback, 2.5l H4, 110K miles.. Since new it has used about 1/2 a quart every 3K->3.5K miles.. I add the 1/2 quart then look ahead for 'good weather' to change the oil.

[@williamsmith8041]

So if you were gonna buy a used subaru what years would you buy and which years should I avoid???

[@Gumshoe950]

Fantastic job explaining the oil consumption issue! I just got rid of a 2019 Hyundai Kona SEL that we bought brand new in 2019. after the second year of ownership, our Kona started going through oil at a much higher rate...almost 1 full quart of oil every 1500 miles. We took it to the dealership because we were still under warranty and requested an oil consumption test. We quickly learned that the test is incredibly arduous, time consuming, and very inconvenient but we did it anyway. What we learned was that out Kona was actually burning about 1 full quart of oil every 1200 miles, but Hyundai told us that it was within their parameters and would not replace our engine. We decided to forgo any potential quickly approaching problems with that engine and decided to sell the Kona before it depreciated much more. We are now looking at a 2022 Subaru Crosstrek, but after watching this video I may reconsider.

[@xziang]

Did you go with a crosstrek? We purchased a 2021 cross trek and so far haven't had any issues. **knock on wood**

[@mrmortgage]

Stay away from Subaru. I have a 2018 crosstrek. Worst car I've ever owned.

[@danielmcconomy4563]

my 2019 outback six cly will be my last subaru

[@artgrijalva4243]

Thank you for confirming what I was seeing on my 2018 Crosstrek 6-spd. I am seeing a quart needed every 1500-2000 miles. No leakage or that my dashboard isn't alerting me to it. I will bring this up to the dealer next oil change. Great information, much appreciated.

[@theskyizblue2day431]

How'd it go? They tell you "they all do that?"

[@mrmortgage]

Subaru will do nothing about it. Trade the car in asap. I'm in the process of trading my 2018 Crosstrek in. Going for a new Toyota Highlander. I will never buy a Subaru again.

[@bobsharonlong75]

To me the most obvious work around on the oil consumption was to start using or blending in thicker oils in my wife's 2013 Outback which now has 117k on it. Depending on the season here in north Florida I MIGHT start with 1-2 quarts of 5-20 and finish with 10-30's, synthetics of course for about 6K intervals. Consumption is well less than 1/2 qt (or the remainder of the partial leftover bottle) for the entire interval. I feel Shell or Chevron gas is important to fight/minimize carbon deposits.

[@rashidtayidi8370]

Check the exterior of the spark plugs to see if they are soaked in oil, you may have to change the spark plug tube seals to eliminate that.

[@aussietaipan8700]

This is why in 2015 I was going to purchase a new WRX, almost signed on the dotten line. But I saw on a car sales website my old bugeye WRX I purchased new in 2003 for sale. I just had to have it back. The engine was professionally rebuild just 5000 Klms earlier so it was basically new. 40,000 Klm's later and it does not consume oil at all. I replace the oil every 5000Klm with full syn 10w60

[@Natedoc808]

Aussie Taipan I just rebuilt the EJ205 in my 02 bugeye wagon with only upgrades being ACL race bearing and ARP head studs and I’m looking forward to getting another 170K out of her. She got rebuild after an overheating event due to radiator drain plug failing on highway :-(

[@jeremytoms9698]

I have a 2014 CrossTrek Sport (manual transmission). No oil consumption issues at all. No rust either and I live in the GTA, Ontario. I change my oil every 10,000km as per Subaru. I was thinking of buying another Subaru as I've had no problems at all...

[@jsouthwell79]

My 2011 outback 2.5 burns about a quart every 3,000 miles. Dealership kept telling me normal and not excessive. The only fix they offered was replacing my small block, but said it will probably still burn that much. This has been my first Subaru out of 4 owned that burns oil.

[@buqwik525]

I bought my 2014 Outback with 37.6K in 2018, and now have 55.2K. I change the oil every 5K with 10W30 synthetic. It uses about 1 pint between oil changes. I don't tow with it nor do I drive the car hard. It's been a great car.

[@sidb9540]

Thank you for this info... This takes me back to the broke kid days where I used to own a Honda prelude with the H22A engine... used to put a quart in it a week!! No way I'm buying a $30K+ car and putting a quart of oil in it between oil changes... I went bankrupt, tyring to fix that prelude... cat gone, 2ndy O2 sensor gone, EGR valves plugged up time and again... I know what happens when car consume quarts of oil!

[@alidesrochers5640]

2015 crosstrek with 50,000 miles and no oil consumptions issues and cvt is still running great!

[@DavidHerrera-tj2pn]

How is it doing now?

[@974onigs]

Dude! Thanks so much for your very informative and thorough post! I just had my ‘17. 2.5, 6 speed manual engine block replaced on account of Oil Consumption (July 2020). It had been an ongoing issue from new. And now I’m still consuming 1 litre per 6,000 km! They are saying exactly what you’re reporting. That it is normal and acceptable! I don’t want to let this go. I will continue to monitor and keep notifying the dealership. It’s frustrating and disappointing.

[@danb7042]

I also have a 17 6 speed. oil light came on at 5300 miles. by the time I reached 57000 miles engine blew up. I have been using 5W30 Mobile 1 with a little less oil consumption. My son use to work for BMW parts and I used the BMW 5 W 30 which did help with the oil consumption.

[@sunlightnsk]

Just amazing video. Thank you Mr. Subaru. Seems like many different brand manufacturers design cars for lower rpms, lower gas consumption which leads to some technical issues. For example, Toyota Camry - there is a beleif that its a super reliable car, but...I had my Camry 2015 with 2.5l and 6spd AT and that was a nightmare: 1. All 2.5l engines come with lighter pistons, with short skirt, lower viscosity oil requirements - result was a Piston slap! Played with oil viscosity, did not helped much. Went to the dealer, they heard that knocking when engine is warming up, but they could not SAY that its a piston slap (which is technical issue), the answer I got is its a sign of normal working :) 2. Because U760E tranny come with torque converter which locks on every gear (2nd +, car runs on low RPMs) and wears fast, overheating and becomes a bit curved, so the result is: torque converter slips and you feel shudder at the time of converter locking. I changed AT fluid twice, did not help much. I negotiated with the dealer and it took so much effort to get torque converter replaced by warranty, but, unfortunately, it was too late and products of the converter friction disc (glue and friction particles) where pushed through the valve body and plugged there. It could be fixed I guess with valve body fast replacement, but there is no such operation according to Toyota Canada, they replace T.Converter or whole Transmission. My hands were down to fight again with dealer and push trasmissiton to get replaced. Awful experience with newer Toyota. Toyota wanted lower gas consuptions - yes, you get it, but there is a back side of the medal. Same with F series Subaru engines.

[@pliedtka]

The lower fuel consumption is because of CAFE requirements. Since mid 2000s almost every engine switched from 5w-30 to lower viscosity oils to lower internal friction, as per CAFE requirements but in the process engines like ones in Honda CR-V, Accord suddenly started to consume oil as the oil rings were plugged by baked oil. 5w-20 synthetic and short oil change intervals or 5w-30 seems to work after upper engine rebuild (did a few). I know about Toyota's pistons disaster, I wonder how many other cars have similar issues.

[@sunlightnsk]

@@pliedtka many of them. I’ve seen a few Camry/RAV4 with the piston slap and torque converter shudder.

[@rustysruger]

I use 5 w 30 Pennzoil ultra Platinum in my 2018 Crosstrek.. bought it new a year-and-a-half ago.. it burns no oil..I changed my oil every three to five thousand miles. 🤗

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

William are you burning any oil yet? I like Pennzoil as well

[@kirkqmibrown6692]

Sad hearing this having owned a 2007 model.. had no oil consumption problem and now to own a 2013 model and hear this now!! I am in Jamaica.. and have to topping up with oil just too often!

[@freebirdcf1]

You make complex issues understandable 👍

[@Seeker3876]

Thanks for being honest and comprehensive in your explanations. We have had the head gasket problem. Subaru paid for half. Yes, oil consumption on our 2009 Forester. How new do we have to go to get out of this. From your video, it looks like a permanent problem.

[@doyle4170]

Subaru replaced two short blocks in my non-turbo 2014 Forester. Both engines within the in the first year of ownership. The first at 6,857 miles and the second at 10,471 miles. The original factory engine burned 1 quart every 1400 miles. The first replacement engine was actually worse, it burned 1 quart every 1200. The second replacement engine burned 1 quart every 1800 miles. I gave up at that point and switched from Subaru's recommended 0W20 to 10W30 oil. Since then the car consumes a little less than 1 quart every 5000 miles, just around the time when it's due for an oil change. I have 60,000 mile on the vehicle now without any sever oil consumption problems. Otherwise I love that car. It's one of the last AWDs that you could get with a manual transmission from any manufacturer. Thanks for posting the video!

[@artdent6899]

Did you switch to conventional 10w30? Can you provide an update on your 2014 Forester? My daughter just bought a 2014 Forester with 96k on it, and I am just learning about this problem now. Any new information you can provide would be great!

[@doyle4170]

I now have 86K miles on my Subaru. I'm still using 10W30 synthetic with no adverse effects. The engine still only burns about 1 quart every 5K miles. I neglected to mention my Forester has a manual transmission. At the time I was having the consumption problem I was told by a Subaru service manager that they see heavier consumption in car with manuals. He attributed it to down shifting to slow the car down.

[@artdent6899]

@@doyle4170 Thanks for the update! That's encouraging you can use the heavier oil. I think I will go to at least 5w30. I'm not sure if it matters whether it's conventional or synthetic. Any particular for using synthetic?

[@doyle4170]

@@artdent6899 In the case of the 2014 Forester the Subaru owners manual calls for synthetic oil. Typically synthetic oil has better high and low temperature performance. It also holds up over time better than conventional oil.

[@strat1969]

Great video. Thanks for outlining collateral damage that the average driver isn’t aware of when oil consumption (blow by) occurs. It isn’t something that can just be ignored. We had to replace plugs, Catalytic converter, and do a valve job on our ‘07 Grand Caravan with 95k miles for this very issue. I’ll begin tracking my ‘16 Legacy oil consumption much more closely now.

[@lowresrevolution8725]

Sadly 99% of people are ignorant and don't care about the drivetrain or well built engines, they just want good mileage and then trash the car at 100k miles.

[@svtirefire]

I'm pretty sure that all the of 100k+ mile cars in the world are not being driven by 1% of owners

[@clagccs]

@@svtirefire in south america at least 80 percent of circulating cars are >10 years old and with 200k km or even more

[@bryede]

It's not like we have a choice. The government is mandating insane measures to get efficiency up.

[@cajunaggie9815]

You scaring me away from the newer Subies dude. I've been real satisfied with my old EJ25s. 23-24 City, 29 Hwy but I live on flat ground. My highest mileage one has 235k miles and burns around half a quart between 5k mile or so oil change intervals. And I don't have much money into those old cars, but did have to do head gasket jobs on all of them. Plus I don't have any CVT issues to worry about........... HOORAH for EJ25s :-) !!

[@wolvesdengaming4844]

Cajun Aggie will keep ya update have a 2019 sport with just about 3k on it so far not a drop burned

[@Cesium67]

Stay away from fb25 it’s a crap shoot. No pun intended.

[@wolvesdengaming4844]

welch7619 mines been fantastic so far

[@Grooove_e]

EJ20 is where it's at tho ;)

[@sainone67]

My 2 stroke snowmobile etec uses less oil than my wife's Subaru. I'm about a quart every 2 fill ups now. I hate the car. Just glad the oil filter is in an easy spot because that's all I change now. We owned it since new and it just driven by my 43 yr old wife. Never driven hard.

[@originalkontrol]

Glad to have an explanation for this. My 14 Fozzy gobbles near a quart every 3-4k... Even driving like a sweetheart.

[@MIkegrimm2]

I viewed this video again, and I have to say, after using the idemetsu oil and changing the oil approximately every 5,000 miles on my 14 Outback and 18 Crosstrek the oil consumption has been negligible.

[@obloj]

Hello Mr Subaru. What a great topic for today. I can hear in your voice and see in your eyes that subaru disappointed you with this weird statements about oil consumption. Awsome content as always. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@DrEggmanRapid6]

I work at a Toyota dealer and can confirm the oil consumption issues. Honda has had oil consumption issues since the early 2000's

[@gtibruce]

Hi, are you familiar with the little Aygo model here in the UK Instead 10 30 which is in it now i was thinking of a 10.40 grade ?

[@mikey9030]

I have 206,000 miles on my 2013 frs. It hasn't burned any oil since I bought it. I have never had to add oil between changes. The oil looks like new and I change the oil between 5000 to 6000 miles.

[@OLMmedic]

You are by far the best mechanic on youtube

[@mjo4981]

My experience is only with my 2010 Forester. Even with religious oil changes- every 3000 miles with conventional oil, and every 5,000 mi with synthetic- it has always used a quart of oil about every 3500 miles. I normally add 3/4 of a quart every 2500 miles so it never gets down to the minimum. I now have a 109,000 miles on the Forester and oil consumption is still the same, not increased, just consistent. At 109,000 it is still reliable daily transportation and I expect to get many more miles out of it. Incidentally I stayed with conventional oil for 35,000 miles during break-in.

[@a.c.king-dk5yl1ep2m]

I have a 2014 Forester with 193K (mostly highway) miles. I had the oil consumption test at the dealership at around 45k miles. It scored just under the allowable limit. A mechanic at the dealership pulled me to the side and said "why don't you try full synthetic 5w-30", he said that he had some other customers reduce the consumption without any noticeable loss in fuel mileage and, that 5w-30 actually works better in our hotter southern climate. So I switched to it and, I currently lose about 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart in 5K miles, and the engine runs as tight and strong as it did when it was tested. I been using Walmart Super Tech 5w-30 full synthetic High Mileage (API SN Plus) at about $16 for a 5 quart bottle. So far no ill effects.

[@hikingviking5069]

a.c. king Yup! Subaru of Japan actually did their own study and confirmed that 0w-30 and 5w-30 offer better protection and less consumption than 0-20. At the time I read the study, Subaru of America had not confirmed making the switch, but I’ll take SOJ over SOA any day.

[@boodog4023]

I might give that a try too: also in the South.

[@a.c.king-dk5yl1ep2m]

UPDATE: Currently at 248K miles, still using Walmart Super Tech 5w-30 full synthetic, high mileage. The engine is still running strong and, quiet. The consumption has increased by only a fraction of a quart, mostly during the hottest parts of the year. I've never seen any smoke from the tail pipe. I'm considering lowering the change interval to 4500 because of the increased mileage. The oil is still priced low and, I change it myself so it's no big deal. I have only used Wix 57055 filters throughout. The mechanic told me that he felt the Wix was better than the Fram built Subaru "Blue" filters. I'm going to see how long it will last.

[@lazlostrutz]

@@a.c.king-dk5yl1ep2m 120,000 mile forester here, new to me. Recent oil change was done with the standard subaru oil recommendation. but it has smelled burny since it's first lengthy drive here. Going to try one round of 5w-30 for the next oil change, and if that works well, keep that as the oil type. Everything else is amazing on this 2011 forester but the fret and worry of some major oil issue is not a fun thing on the back of my mind. Glad to see you made it to 248K miles, that's amazing. Aiming for similar with taking sweet and fine care of this vehicle.

[@pliedtka]

The (0)5w-20 is mostly to meet CAFE requirements, everywhere else they use 0(5)w-30 grade.

[@Kavika-xh1qj]

Clear logical and factually compelling. Thank you.

[@thesilentobserver93]

I don't even own a Subaru. I just find these videos interesting to watch.

[@johndisheroon1407]

Just picked up a 2019 Crosstrek with 100K miles on it within the last 6 months. I previously owned a 2011 Honda Insight which never burn a drop of the Amsoil 0W-20 I put into it (and I used the car's maintenance minder for changes which would typical run the oil to about 12K miles!). Thus, I was a little surprised when I used an entire quart of it on my Crosstrek by 8000 miles (at that point, I didn't know I was supposed to be changing it every 6000 miles). When I asked the dealer about it, he said I'm doing "very well" to get 8K before adding a quart. After watching this, I 'm thinking I'm pretty lucky to be doing so well indeed! Of course, I'll be changing at least every 6K now and I'm also grateful for the heads up on changing the CVT in a previous video. I sure appreciate your vids, Mr. Subaru giving me a much needed real-world education on this brand!

[@jamessimonds4458]

We don’t have a oil consumption problem. I own 3 Subarus. We change oil every 6 thousand miles. Never have we been low on oil. We love our Subarus.

[@bkerestes1]

I have a 2014 Forester (second Forester) and had 3 oil consumption tests done. They always over-fill the oil by 1/2 quart to hedge the test in their favor. Mine isn't bad enough for a new short block yet at 55,000 miles. This combined with the CVT problems I've heard about I will probably get a new car in the next year before this one goes bad. No faith in extended lifetime. Too bad, I really like this car, but won't get a Subi again.

[@artdent6899]

Can you provide an update on your 2014 Forester? My daughter just bought one of these with 96k on it. I'm just learning about this now.

[@johnbanket7000]

Bought a 2013 subaru xv crosstrek new. Has 86K on it now and no oil consumption. Change oil every 5000 miles using valvoline0-20.

[@brentmiller3479]

Driving a 2017 Outback 4 cyl. using Mobile 1 0w20 and Mobil 1 Oil Filter changing at 5K miles no change on the dip stick level! I must have gotten LUCKY!

[@FatTailFishing]

Brent Miller So you change it at 5K instead of the recommend? I may have to go that route

[@krazeekane_audioz]

Hello.. Ive watched most of ur videos an ive learned so much, to the point where i work on my car my self.. My issue now is finding a stock audio head unit for my 2005 legacy... Can u assist me with such??

[@unclevroomvroom]

I'm adding a quart every 300 miles. Not smoking. Not leaking. Replaced front CC, because it was plugged. Changed oily plugs. 2007 2.5 Outback. 114,500 miles. Ridiculous!

[@Mrbauto123465789]

If you drop the cat back down and look up into cylinder heads, you'll notice one or more of your ehaust valve guides has dropped down and is allowing oil out if your engine and also ruining and clogging your cat. Chech each port for oil residue in your old cat, it will help you find the problem cylinder.

[@unclevroomvroom]

@@Mrbauto123465789 Thank you! Greatly appreciate it.

[@nuttietrendchannel4265]

low oil light came on while driving today, Forster 2014 with 118000 miles here, been changing oil every 5 months because I drive less than 5000 miles interval. So about 3600 miles, I added like 3 qrtz. More than anything, I was surprised to find out about the oil burning issue. Thank you for the information. Great video.

[@JP-up3ok]

Add in a thicker oil, 5-20 to 10-30. That will help with burning thin oil.

[@nuttietrendchannel4265]

@@JP-up3ok Now I changed my oil every three month. It still burns like less than 1 quart every 1000 miles. Would thicker oil affect the engine performance?

[@JP-up3ok]

@@nuttietrendchannel4265 going 1 step up will drop the consumption rate. Performance is the same or better power wise. Fuel economy is slightly less.

[@normandauphin1066]

Good job man, very informative. I have a 2012 Forester with the FB25 engine that I really love. That being said I have 220,418 miles on it and almost all of that mileage was done in the first 8 years. The engine itself runs great, but I am consuming a quart of oil about every 3 to 400 miles and now I can't get rid of the check engine light. Started pulling the engine yesterday to see how the cylinders look. Thanks for the video.

[@nmhazzard]

Hi Norman, Hope your engine overhaul is going okay, I am in the same boat. Plan to do the same thing. Are you replacing with a used engine, or doing a rebuild?

[@grandtheftauto1233]

Hi Norman - have you tried 5w30? I have a hunch that Subaru pushes 5w20 in the US due to EPA regulations - however rest of the world runs 5w30 in these cars. I wonder if this 5w20 has lead to oil consumption issues becoming more prevelant

[@regkarn1]

What I appreciate the most is you highlight that most of the companies known for good reliability are having this issue, mostly due to the pursuit of high MPG. Most recently, the 2017 Honda CR-V oil dilution mess. Not every CR-V exhibits the issue but enough do that it's a problem.

[@selwyn13]

Early 20teens (I think late teens as well-not completely sure) Toyota’s too Correct me if I’m wrong, oil dilution- where Unburned gas mixes w/ the engine oil- is mainly only an issue when people fall for this 10,000 mile bull shit? Right?

[@regkarn1]

@@selwyn13 It's an engine design issue. Excessive oil dilution for Honda has occurred with the latest iteration of the 1.5L turbo in the CRV and some Civics. China won't allow the CRV to sell in its borders because of the issue.

[@selwyn13]

@@regkarn1 oh so is it not soo much that it’s an issue that they put in an itty bitty engine into a mid-size SUV, it’s more cause they tossed in a turbo w/ it on top of that?

[@regkarn1]

@@selwyn13 dilution is unburnt fuel slipping past the piston rings and getting into the oil. Honda claims a software adjustment solved the problem. If the situation was reversed and oil was getting into the combustion chamber, you would have to take apart the engine and replace the piston rings. So a software fix to stop gas from getting past the rings and into the oil is not likely. Gas is a solvent so it reduces the oil's ability to lubricate the internal engine parts. Also, your engine lubrication system has limited capacity so adding gas to an oil system already full of oil does additional damage to the engine seals. And the addition of presure from of the turbo doesn't help either. One solution is if you have a car with that engine, change your oil more frequently to avoid engine damage. Don't wait on the car to tell you to change the oil.

[@regkarn1]

@@selwyn13 use whatever Honda says for your car, in the case of the 1.5L in the CRV, it's 0W-20. A thicker oil won't flow as easily and will cause problems.

[@davidtrask4099]

I have a 2015 Outback. I change the oil every 6000 miles as recommended. I have never had to add oil between changes. Almost 80,000 miles now.

[@MrSubaru1387]

Because that’s not how mass production works. Lol

[@petset77]

Great explanation. My wife's 2013 Crosstrek with 150,000 miles uses a quart between oil changes. No leaks. ....it has a P0420 code popping up recently, so it's likely a combination of carbon due to the direct injection and it's thirst for motor oil. Pour in gas tank cat cleaner hasn't made a difference in dissolving whatever has cooked onto them, using different brands three times now. I'm about to clean the MAF sensor, throttle body, and spray intake valve cleaner (or the Subaru product which requires the purchase of the proprietary tool) just to clean the front end of the system in hopes of that perhaps helping with carbon. I'm not giving Subaru over three grand just for the cat. Not gonna happen. I understand the cost difference between some cheap aftermarket cats and quantity of precious metals, but if I have to replace the cats, I'll go that route. This is the first vehicle with direct injection I've ever dealt with, and I'm just learning the drawbacks of the system.... besides the "expected" oil consumption. She loves the car, and it's pretty reliable with the five speed (although we just had to have that rebuilt for $4800). Thanks for your videos. I'm learning.

[@davecorbin6137]

Got a 2013 with excessive oil consumption at 75k - my 08 at 185k has about the same - not happy but it sounds like no matter what brand you buy you are screwed - we get 300 inches of snow here minimum - I put on Blizzaks and the Subies go through anything - but this oil consumption is not good - not sure what my next step is. Thanks for the video Mr. Subaru - you rock !

[@Sam-rf8yh]

Thanks very much for this information. Your channel has been invaluable to me as an owner of two Subies.

[@parkland4530]

Interesting and very well explained. I drive a 2018 Honda CRV with the 1.5l turbo. My problems have not been with oil consumption (0-20) but with oil dilution. The oil level actually rises in the crank case due to gas getting by the rings into the crank case. Obviously that is a problem. I found your video interesting partly because I am considering replacement of my CRV and a Forrester is a possible candidate. It seems like I might be trading one problem for another with the same root cause. Thanks

[@jayryan7473]

Ummm if gas is getting past the rings then I would think you have an ignition problem because gas burns up as long as the plugs are firing properly. Maybe check your plug gap because they're not always gapped properly right out of the box.

[@mteevie1609]

I traded my Subaru in when the Subaru service technician told me it was normal for it to lose 1/4-1/2qt of oil every 3,000 miles. Unacceptable when the vehicle is less than a year old.

[@fiveowaf454]

Also inconvenient for a new car, having to keep checking and topping up.

[@chachee15]

did you still have a loan on it? can we trade a car in that still has a loan balance? I think i might have to do that since im learning about all these problems

[@biz4twobiz463]

@@chachee15 ... YES!! You can trade a car that still has a loan balance. The process is something like this. They evaluate the car and give you a trade in amount. Then, if the trade in amount is higher (more than) the loan balance, then you get the difference towards a down payment. However, if the trade in amount is lower than the loan balance...they will add it to the new car loan in many cases. Good luck!

[@chachee15]

I have a 17 Subaru Legacy and have driven it 4k miles so far. I checked the oil this morning and it is still full.

[@paulsmallriver6066]

@@chachee15 My 17 Forester is usually a quart low when I change the oil. This never shows on the dipstick which pisses me off. I love this car otherwise.

[@theblueman3412]

Well- This video is bitter/sweet. I have been planning on ordering an Outback Wilderness maybe toward the end of the year and therefore doing my research. I ran across your channel and started watching as you are a mechanic who seems to know their way around Subaru. (Much like the Care Care Nut with Toyotas) With the information provided here, I cannot make the purchase. Honda is experiencing the same issue and I sold the Civic last year as the used market was in my favor. Thank you for your warning/information. Back to the drawing board...

[@GeorgeMatta-zm6uh]

Your very knowledgeable and have an ability to communicate clearly, it's greatly appreciated. Thank You

[@christopheromeara689]

Great Video. I’ve got a 2014 Crosstrek FB 20 with CVT. 94000 miles. No issues with the oil consumption or any problem with the CVT. Knock on wood..

[@Walterrinho]

Get you’re cvt checked before 100k, just to be safe.

[@frankm4120]

Seems to be a problem across board with all manufactures, I don't get their way of thinking!I own two Subi's with EJ251 and EJ252, both approx. 200K, the only oil they both use is the oil I wipe off dip stick when checking levels

[@elricevan]

Didn’t start getting noticeable oil consumption in 2013 2.5 outback until about 120,000 miles.

[@quinnjim]

This video just saved me from buying a 2013 Subaru Forrester. Thanks.

[@MrSubaru1387]

They aren't all bad. I have a 2013 Crosstrek with 210k miles on it. No oil consumption. No engine issues. No CVT issues. Still has the original engine and transmission in it. Likewise my brother's 2011 Outback 2.5i Limited has around 225k miles on it. Original engine and trans. No issues.

[@quinnjim]

@@MrSubaru1387 That's good to know! Thanks.

[@abrahkadabra9501]

So if I understood what you said, car manufacturers have found a cheap shortcut to improve fuel efficiency by lowering engine internal friction. This is where the engine oil consumption problem came from in newer cars and trucks. Ok, got it. I only know of three car manufacturers that made huge investments $$$ into new ICE designs to improve fuel economy : Honda, Mazda and Toyota. Everybody else is taking the cheap way out. As a Subaru fan I really appreciate your honesty! 👍

[@greasemonkeymechanic1]

Love my 2002 Impreza OBS with an imported ej201, 6k miles on synthetic oil and filter, no consumption. The car is starting to have some small issues though from having 260k miles on it.

[@brandonw6622]

This is not just a Subaru issue, this is happening with many different manufacturers in their newer models. It's all due to regulations and trying to get better fuel economy so manufacturers are doing like you said and making tolerances bigger so the parts can move more freely and require less power to move them. If you do a quick Google search of the vehicles that last the longest, nearly all of them are big gas guzzling V8's. Fuel economy regulations aren't quite as strict for large vehicles so manufacturers can make tolerances tighter.

[@brianm5637]

I have a 2003 trailblazer in my garage with 280k mikes in it that never burns oil, my 2014 legacy OTOH has always used oil. The only think I don’t like about the trailblazer is the 18mpg on a good day.

[@LvLdGhost]

The vehicles that last the longest are Honda and Toyota. Both specialize in 4 bangers and Honda doesn’t even make a V8….

[@spaight711]

True story. I’ve seen a bunch of Powerstrokes with major oil consumption issues. Ya gotta built it awfully loose to make a forced induction diesel burn oil. And just like he said, it messes up everything down stream. The diesel emissions equipment gets absolutely destroyed by burnt oil…

[@shlav76]

I've owned 5 Subarus in my life. The only one that didn't use a noticeable amount of oil was the 2.2 engine which Subaru discontinued. I now drive a 2019 Mazda Cx-5 turbo and am very satisfied. Doesn't consume any oil between changes.

[@tatvafnu6604]

2015 Outback. F series engine. 105,000 miles. Never had any oil consumption issue. I have checked consistently every 5000 miles or so - the max it has ever consumed is about 1/4 of a quart.

[@colemanadamson5943]

One would think just use a heavier weight oil but that may be too much viscosity to make it through the small orifices providing lubrication to critical parts. That would be defeating your purpose AND there would be much more wear during start up. Excellent analysis. Well done.

[@kenmontague8603]

I totally agree with you. I would rather have tight tolerances in my engine and have it use a little more fuel and get the long jevity. If I'm sacrificing reliability for fuel economy what is the point? It ends up costing more in the long run than some gas mileage. The cost of a engine rebuilt far outweighs any savings at the pump. Not to mention all the other issues associated with a engine that uses oil that you have mentioned. As far as the use of a CVT I just don't think it's worth it. The dealer wants 7000 dollars for a new CVT which have shown to be less reliable than a conventional 4 speed automatic. I have 2010 Forester my wife drives with 100,000 miles on it with no issues. Shure it uses a little more fuel than a CVT but it makes up for it in reliability. The 2013 Legacy I had went out at 60,000 miles so I'm speaking from experience. The simple fact of the matter is all wheel drive cars use more fuel due to more friction in the drive train associated with having a all wheel drive system. I'm fine with that but not at the cost of reliability. I feel Subaru is trying to compete with front wheel and rear wheel drive cars in this regard.

[@richardwinegar8331]

Long jevity? Ha ha ha..

[@jimbo6612]

@@richardwinegar8331 my thoughts exactly...long jevity 😂🤣😂🤣

[@camyota]

Yall call it oil consumption, I call it upper cylinder lubrication.

[@lsswappedcessna]

PCVs are good for this, too.

[@ltwig476]

spark resister coat

[@redlywaxer]

Great video! We routinely run M1 10W-40 HM and M1 15W-50 year round in subies that are consuming oil. We combine that with a high capacity/efficiency oil filter and run both 10k miles or one year. Seems to be working very well here in upstate SC. My idea is to use the best synthetic oil you can from new that will prevent ring land deposits that later will increase oil consumption. Anything more than a qt of oil consumed in 3000 miles causes me to uptick the viscosity or move to high mileage oil formula enough until consumption is lowered to acceptable level such as 5000 miles per qt. BTW, we all love your channel here. Keep up the good work!

[@AndrewFord]

Doesn't that seem a little too easy?

[@253scott]

2019 Subaru Legacy 2.0 owner. I’ve used Valvoline 0W-20. I’ve changed the oil every 5000 since new. It started using a quart of oil every 4000 miles at around 90,000 miles. No other issues.

[@dadskrej5226]

I have a 2013 Outback. Was consuming a quart every 880 miles (Subaru oil consumption test). At 99k miles Subaru replaced the short block at no cost to me. No dealer problems in Spokane, Washington. I now have 208k on the car, with 109k on the new block with no problems. Consumes 1/4 quart in 5k miles. I'm a happy Subaru owner!

[@gregorymark6014]

Bottom line... Check your oil regularly no matter what vehicle you own. 2015 Forester didn't start consuming oil until about 80,000 miles, now at 100,000 miles takes about 1/2 a quart q 5,000 miles.

[@determineddad7935]

Agreed. Check when you are at the gas station ⛽.

[@uhandohyeah8882]

Thanks Gregory. Just inherited my late moms forester and learned of consumption issue today...thxs for yer post

[@Doobency]

I'm getting a 2015 Forester... Although going from a 2003 Legacy that consumes a ton of oil due to leak, I'm prepared. Hopefully it's not too bad if there is consumption.

[@samuelwolters9035]

Problem solved Use 5-30. Coming from a fa20 86 owner.

[@Ready72000]

I switched to 5W-30 synthetic and a 5000 mile oil change interval after coming up two quarts low on a 7500 mile interval with 0W-20 on my 2014 Subaru 2.5L with 77,500 miles. That was the worst oil change I have ever experienced on any car. The oil was black, fuel-soaked, and lumpy coming out. Both consumption and blow-by seem reduced since switching to 5W-30.

[@meathead1011980]

How is it doing with the 5w-30??

[@Ready72000]

@@meathead1011980 Just checked it recently. The oil level was low, but the condition of the oil was MUCH better. Not black, lumpy, and fuel soaked, the oil condition seemed very clean.

[@jamesdarcy3902]

@@meathead1011980 2015 Outback FB25 engine 108,000 miles, switched from Idemetsu 0-20 to Idemetsu 5-30 last oil change and it consumed a qt. in 2000 miles instead of 1700. I wonder if it will do better with the Quaker State next time? Also fuel consumption changed from 29 to 28 MPG overall gentle driving.

[@fromquake]

The dealers in my area kept moving the goalpost on the consumption tests as mine consumed more oil. It’s a joke. Subaru needs to use a 6 speed manual and ditch the 5 speed manual, 3500rpm @ 75 mph contributes heavily to the consumption. Thanks for breaking down the downstream effects of burning oil opposed to having slightly less fuel economy with tighter engine tolerances.

[@stw9662]

I was looking at a used 2013 Subaru Legacy 2.5 with 165,000 miles. Changed my mind about purchasing it.

[@MrSubaru1387]

Hope you aren't looking at a Honda or Toyota. They both drink oil. Subarus oil consumption issues don't affect every single one. It's a sporadic issue, but is present.

[@swhite1424]

@@MrSubaru1387 I like the Subaru and found a well maintained one at a decent price. I'm concerned with the AWD, not really needing it where I live. I usually do my own maintenance, but the cost of parts is a concern too.