Car excessively burning oil?

[diablo2112]

7/20 build, 4000 miles currently, still reads Max Oil level on the original fill. My exhaust tips don't show excess carbon, and nothing oily at all. My prior BMWs that burned oil (especially the N54 variants) all showed oily exhaust residue and fairly prominent deposits on the exhaust tips.

FYI, I broke the Supra engine in using the procedure I've done for the last 40 years. Not too light/Not too heavy. Varied the RPM. If I did a highway drive, I would use manual mode and shift gears to insure the engine never spent more than 10-15 minutes at the same RPM. Very occasionally, I'd spin it up under power to help seat the rings.

One huge fail in my opinion is the lack of a dipstick. Totally boneheaded they don't include that on many modern cars. I don't trust these complex, software-based oil level measurements. I'm pretty sure they're detecting amperage or something related (torque? RPM?) in the oil pump and/or the oil pressure sensor and using a lookup-table to determine level. I'm not aware of a direct level sensor in the engine block at all.

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[dethred]

When you get a chance, can you try to measure it again a few times over the weekend? Saw a few guys on Facebook saying they had the low oil readings after a fun drive, then tested it again a few hours later in a few different locations (they wanted to be sure they were legitimately on flat ground) and it came back with different oil levels. I doubt it's software related (bug) but maybe worth a try.

I check the oil level in my garage after virtually every drive.

200 miles ago: MAX
~75 miles ago:. 20% below MAX
Now:. 20% above MIN

Crazy part is now it's barely smoking at all, but the exhaust has had the unmistakable smell of oil since about 1200 miles. Oil level didn't budge between 1200 and ~3400 miles but it would smoke like crazy under certain conditions. One small bit of smoke and it loses nearly a quart in 200 miles.

 

[Motorknut]

Those generous tolerances probably are for covering BMW's ass. Other brands probably do the same.

I wonder if in some cases, those tolerances are legit. But problem is, they can also mask genuine design shortcomings. The N52B25 engine is a great example (not introduced in the US). My car had low annual mileage, which only compounded the problem - every time i went to the dealer shop, they would tell me it's completely normal to have to top up oil even at my usage. But having owned other BMWs, it didn't seem quite right. But i trusted their advice.

That said, I didn't pay much attention to it for the first 5 years of ownership since I drove about 2k miles a year, once annual top ups. Then I started driving it daily and the top up frequency was more noticeable. Again, dealer shop said it's within tolerance and no concerns. By that time, the car was soon due for scrap so it didn't make financial sense to send it for closer inspection at an independent.

I suspect the B58 spec for the Z4 M40 and 2021 Supras may be a repeat situation of design issues. My N52 was also an O spec with uprated power, the lower power specs didn't see much of the problem.

 

[HookemNC]

I check the oil level in my garage after virtually every drive.

200 miles ago: MAX
~75 miles ago:. 20% below MAX
Now:. 20% above MIN

Crazy part is now it's barely smoking at all, but the exhaust has had the unmistakable smell of oil since about 1200 miles. Oil level didn't budge between 1200 and ~3400 miles but it would smoke like crazy under certain conditions. One small bit of smoke and it loses nearly a quart in 200 miles.

Damn. Yeah that sounds like a definite problem. Sorry to hear it, bud. Hopefully Toyota gets you sorted out.

 

[Mimosa]

I was able to pick my car back up today. So right now I'm at about 3575 with with my second oil change. They want me to drive the car for a 1000 additional miles and return it back back to them. If the issue continues they will reach out to corporate for further guidance. It might be a while before I hit that number. Especially with the car going in for work soon. I'm just glad I have this officially documented just in case something goes catastrophically wrong.

***EDIT: My first oil change I did was after the break in period. It was not because of the low oil issue.

 

[Axix23]

I am really wondering if the dealerships are adding the proper oil level back after they changed it..........

 

[Loco38SUP]

I am really wondering if the dealerships are adding the proper oil level back after they changed it..........

I had a friend with a Camry that burned oil. He was adding 1 quart every 750 miles. They changed his oil and had him drive 1000 miles for a consumption test.

When he went back in they said his level only dropped 1/2 quart and that it was fine. He was pissed because the bastards overfilled it so when it came back it was only 1/2 a quart low. And since it was documented as being fine then no warranty coverage.

-RJM

 

[BA9092]

I had a friend with a Camry that burned oil. He was adding 1 quart every 750 miles. They changed his oil and had him drive 1000 miles for a consumption test.

When he went back in they said his level only dropped 1/2 and that it was fine. He was pissed because the bastards overfilled it so when it came back it was only 1/2 a quart low. And since it was documented as being fine then no warranty coverage.

-RJM

Ugh. People can't be trusted. This is why we can't have nice things. Lol.

The day I can't do any more of my own oil changes is the day I go electric. ?

 

[Axix23]

I was more thinking they are under filling it and that’s why the oil level is dropping soo fast......

 

[freeform911]

So...my car now has 3040 miles on it...
Went for a ride today n when finished I checked the oil level...
3/4 low...

My first low oil message came on at 2530...
So in less then 1000 miles I've consumed almost 1qt of oil...

I do have 1 track day (5-15/20 minute sessions driven pretty hard)...
Does this explain the quart of oil lose?

Definitely gonna get Toyota involved..to me that's alot of oil!?

Steve

 

[freeform911]

Wonder if it's more an a91 edition problem? Seems like a few people with the a91 are having issues...
Or is it a 2021 problem?

 

[Axix23]

Wonder if it's more an a91 edition problem? Seems like a few people with the a91 are having issues...
Or is it a 2021 problem?

Who knows at this point lol

 

[Tripjammer]

Wonder if it's more an a91 edition problem? Seems like a few people with the a91 are having issues...
Or is it a 2021 problem?

All 2021 models might have this issue but we don’t know for sure yet. Most dealers don’t even know it’s a problem. 2020 models don’t have the excessive burning oil issue.

 

[Tsar]

Wonder if it's more an a91 edition problem? Seems like a few people with the a91 are having issues...
Or is it a 2021 problem?

Why would the issue be limited to a91 only? As far as I remember a91s got couple of stickers, special color and stitches, those things are hardly the cause of excessive oil burning allegedly being reported by some 2021 owners.

 

[freeform911]

Why would the issue be limited to a91 only? As far as I remember a91s got couple of stickers, special color and stitches, those things are hardly the cause of excessive oil burning allegedly being reported by some 2021 owners.

Considering the a91 edition were some of the first 21 models I would think it's plausible...
N yes I know stickers n mirror caps wouldn't cause the issue so no need to be a DICK!

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