Oil usage in newer cars

[Alex_V]

Not ideal but I don't consider that high. Zero or near-zero oil consumption is something you can get lucky with but can't be counted on from a new, run-of-the-mill consumer car. Especially if you only follow the recommended OCI's and, in some cases, oil spec.

I bought a Chevy Cruze new in 2013, changed the oil first at 2,000 mi., again at 6K (4K interval), then pretty darn consistently every 5K afterward for the rest of my 123K-mi. ownership. The car never burned a negligible amount of oil - it was always within <1/4 qt. of full when I'd drain it. Maybe I got lucky but I don't think it's coincidence I over-maintained it and never had issues with the turbo, PCV, or oil consumption that those engines got a reputation for. FYI, that car spec'd Dexos1 which was only a syn blend, and OLM wanted 7K-7,500 mi. intervals. From the 6K mark on I used almost exclusively Valvoline full syn 5/30 - which didn't even carry the Dexos1 approval for a while - but I think over that span of miles that's some pretty solid proof my decisions with the car from day 1 payed off.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Wondering what you all thought of what you think is normal oil usage for newer vehicles these days. I have a 2023 Chevy Equinox 1.5 liter turbo with 17,000 miles and it has used approx. 1 quart of oil per 5,000 miles since new. Do you think this is normal?

I have some thoughts on to why at such a low miles you are starting to see consumption and the first of that is most likely the low tension piston rings. After that I would look into how much oil can your vehicle hold as far as capacity. If you're driving no less than 10 mi in stop and go traffic I have a hunch that you're getting a fair amount of fuel dilution and that fuel dilution is thinning your oil and that thinning oil is easier to burn off. What I would tell you to do is maybe look into a oil that has a better burn off as well as maybe a slightly thicker viscosity either in the same grade or one Higher. I consume sometimes a court over 10,000 Mi sometimes 1.5 quarts depending on how many times I feel it prudent to get into the five and 6,000 RPM range Warren to a triple digit speed. Although the car has 17,000 miles on it I don't think that you have gotten all the wear material out yet and I would tell you to give it till probably about 25,000 miles. Try to keep info on your driving habits as well as the fuel you use and the maintenance that you perform. You may just have a plugged PCV valve, a EGR that's just slightly dirty enough to cause an issue or just a bit of carbon that is holding a ring on a piston and that's where your consumption issue is at. Highway driving should fix some of that and if not I would do a half of a can of BG EPR and following that to an oil change immediately. Some vehicles have been known to consume oil from roughly the first time they were driving off the showroom floor as many people have found that out with Volkswagens. The old motto has been back in the day that anything less than a quart for a thousand miles is normal average consumption. I don't think it's that normal but I do not have an engineering degree so I cannot debate it.

 

[02zx9r rev2]

My 17 Accord sport is around .5 to 1 quart every 5K miles. I change around that point anyway so…81K miles on car

Her 15 Altima uses 0 oil. 93K on hers

And I thought you would have to use a considerable amount of oil (like 1 quart every 500 miles or so) to poison the cat??

 

[svtrit]

depends on the vehicle some vehicles are known to be problems with oil consumption. my wife's 2020 Nissan Sentra around 36k no oil consumption same with my 16' rogue 61k no oil consumption.

My ‘19 Rogue surprised me once. After it sat for about a month due to me getting a new job with a company vehicle, I took it on a 3 hour drive. It used half a quart on that 6 hour combined trip. It’s never used a drop since.

Our Rogue with 150,000 miles never used a drop either, nor does my 14 Town and Country.

The last oil burner I drove was an 07 Silverado that used a quart every 2500 miles since new, as did almost every other new (07-10) Silverado in the company fleet. My ‘12 Silverado didn’t use a drop.

My son’s Equinox blew up from lack of oil due to the oil consuming engine it had. 100k miles on it when he bought it and he never checked the oil after buying it. I had checked it after his purchase and it was full, so I can verify that. Now he knows why dad trained him to do that.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

My ‘19 Rogue surprised me once. After it sat for about a month due to me getting a new job with a company vehicle, I took it on a 3 hour drive. It used half a quart on that 6 hour combined trip. It’s never used a drop since.

Our Rogue with 150,000 miles never used a drop either, nor does my 14 Town and Country.

The last oil burner I drove was an 07 Silverado that used a quart every 2500 miles since new, as did almost every other new (07-10) Silverado in the company fleet. My ‘12 Silverado didn’t use a drop.

My son’s Equinox blew up from lack of oil due to the oil consuming engine it had. 100k miles on it when he bought it and he never checked the oil after buying it. I had checked it after his purchase and it was full, so I can verify that. Now he knows why dad trained him to do that.

Is the 19’ rogue with the turbo 3, I’ve heard lots of hate rants on them and mostly from people that don’t even own. I love the body style of the new rogue and pathfinders and would love to test drive the turbo 3 from the ones that do own they say it’s quite a punchy little motor setup.

 

[Mackelroy]

Wait so he told you about the oil burning issue, you still bought the vehicle and gave them bad surveys? Kinda a **** move if I’m reading correctly.

Okay, my way of thinking

What manufacture would intentionally F up a New engine with Loose rings.

Nowadays I know better, but yeah back then, I didnt think too much of it, thought he was just pulling my leg.

 

[Malo83]

My 17 Regal GS with the 2.0T and my daughters 20 KIA Soul with the 1.6T use no oil between oil changes, keep them on a strict 5K routine, and yes her KIA is white.

 

[wemay]

Both our 2015 and 2017 burn around 1qt /5k miles. Bumping up to 5w30 did improve it a bit.

Equinox 1.5T as well?

I can't say i have ever owned a vehicle that used oil. But i also rarely go even 5k miles between changes. Being a new owner of a '24 Malibu 1.5T, i hope my luck remains the same.

 

[CarbonToast]

Equinox 1.5T as well?

I can't say i have ever owned a vehicle that used oil. But i also rarely go even 5k miles between changes. Being a new owner of a '24 Malibu 1.5T, i hope my luck remains the same.

No, ford truck and subaru

 

[road_rascal]

Equinox 1.5T as well?

I can't say i have ever owned a vehicle that used oil. But i also rarely go even 5k miles between changes. Being a new owner of a '24 Malibu 1.5T, i hope my luck remains the same.

I think the 1.5l turbo (LYX) was introduced to the Equinox starting in 2018, and I'm not sure what changes were made to the engine that was in previous generation models (LFV). I'm not a huge fan of buying 1st year models but my wife really liked the 'Nox so my opinion didn't matter. It does ride nice and it's quiet, plus it gets decent mileage for it's size- the best we've got on state highways (60mph) was over 35mpg. One turbo wastegate solenoid was replaced under warranty and we had to have the moonroof 'recalibrated' after the warranty since it didn't want to close all the way. I'm sure your Malibu will give years of good service.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Personally, I find any oil consumption unacceptable. The ICE has been around for over 100+ years, surely by now there is no need for an oil-burning as "acceptable". My 2021 Tucson has 70K on it and has never used a drop of oil since new.

They all have to burn oil. That is how certain parts are lubed. Be glad you don't own an old propliner, they burned many gallons per hour.

 

[Propflux01]

They all have to burn oil. That is how certain parts are lubed. Be glad you don't own an old propliner, they burned many gallons per hour.

I know all engines will use a minuscule amount. Usually not enough to show on the stick during the average OCI. I don’t consider that a consumption issue. As for the prop liner, the layout of the cylinders, despite being a dry sump system, lends itself to usage. Automovtive engines do not lend themselves to the piston positions a radial has.