Our son’s 2012 Subaru WRX STi with 68,000 km on it burns up to 1.5 litres of oil a month. Is this normal? – John
Subaru states that one litre of oil used per 6,000 kilometres is normal consumption for its products, and that topping up between oil changes may be required.
Presuming your son is not travelling 6,000 kilometres a month, we assume his vehicle is consuming significantly more oil than normal. Subaru has put in place a “Warranty Enhancement Program” to deal with many of their motors that are experiencing excessive oil consumption.
Unfortunately, your son’s STi is turbocharged, which disqualifies it from this program. However, considering its relatively low kilometres, I would still recommend venturing into your local dealer and having it diagnosed, hoping for some sort of subsequent goodwill repair.
They will likely start with a relatively simple, controlled oil consumption test. A technician will top up the car’s oil as precisely as possible and record the vehicle’s current mileage on a data-collection worksheet.
The owner will have to return several times at 1,000-kilometre intervals for the technician to refill and record the amount of oil required to return it to its full mark. The goal is to establish a litres used/1,000 kilometre ratio. Corrective repairs are based upon this ratio, but usually include at least a partial engine rebuild. Good luck.
Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. Have a question about maintenance and repair? E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing “Lou’s Garage” in the subject line.
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