Audi Thinks Excessive Oil Consumption is Fine

It's normal for cars with six-figure odometer readings to burn a little oil. But recently a few automakers have been building specific engines that require a topping off of the oil reservoir in between changes. Audi tries to tell you this is normal. It's not.

If you grew up around the same time as me, then you probably remember being told that you change your oil every 3,000 miles. Recent advances in engines and oil technology have automakers telling you to stretch that to 5,000, 7,500 or even 10,000 miles. But should you?

we found that for certain models, significant numbers of consumers have to add a quart of oil to their engines as frequently as every month.^[1]

Audi Has Agreed to an Oil Consumption Lawsuit Before ∞

Audi has agreed to settle an oil consumption lawsuit before. The suit targeted 126,000 vehicles with 2.0L turbocharged engines. In reality, there are plenty more vehicles that guzzle through oil, but for the sake of this lawsuit it focused on the following with a CAEB engine code:

• 2009-2011 Audi A4
• 2009-2011 Audi A5
• 2011 Audi Q5

Ideally, Audi would have admitted there was a defect while settling. But this is not an ideal world. Audi settled just to make the case “go away” while bringing up the following arguments:

1. All cars use oil and any oil consumption issues are disclosed in the vehicle's owner's manual.
2. If there isn't enough oil, the engine warning light will come on.
3. Oil consumption is a maintenance issue, therefore the plaintiffs can't establish an actionable defect exists.

It's important to note that the judge in this case said he generally agreed with Audi.

What Did Settlement Owners Get? ∞

For current owners or lessees who have not already paid for engine repairs related to oil consumption, they were entitled to a replacement of “the crankcase pressure regulating valve, front crankshaft seal and front crankshaft bolt.”

For owners who had already If they had paid, they are eligible for reimbursement

• The warranty was extended from 4 years / 50,000 miles to 8 years / 80,000 miles.

Quick Tips If You're Concerned About This Problem ∞

If you suspect your engine has an oil consumption problem, it's time to push for an oil consumption test.

1. Call your local Audi dealership and set up an oil consumption test. You'll probably get some resistance.
2. Have your dealership check for any Oil Consumption TSBs related to your vehicle. Certain TSBs allow the dealership to replace the crankshaft seal and breather valve, and/or complete software updated.
3. After the test is complete, if the oil light comes back on take it back to dealership immediately. Ask for the 2nd part of the oil consumption test.
4. Your dealership will then measure your oil and report it to Audi technical assistance. Any abnormality could result in additional repairs.

For more detail about this process, checkout this post on AudiWorld.com