Subaru Issues TSB for Excessive Oil Consumption

"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
07/05/2014 at 15:46 • Filed to: None

*Update (11/28/16)

The full class-action lawsuit settlement can be found and read !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (direct link)

The full list of vehicles covered ( which is larger than what was stated earlier in this post ) can be found on pages 10-11.

*Update (1/13/16)

The class-action lawsuit has been !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! as of this writing, with the following outcomes:

The length of the powertrain warranty has been increased from 5 years or 60,000 miles to 8 years or 100,000 miles .

Vehicle owners’ costs for repairs, parts and labor, rental cars, towing and the cost of up to six quarts of oil per vehicle will be covered 100%

Oil consumption tests and technical service bulletin repairs for owners or leasers of the defective vehicles will be free of charge .

Again, the vehicles covered under this class action lawsuit are:

2011-2014 Forester 2.5L Non-turbo (FB25)
2013 Legacy 2.5L (FB25)
2013 Outback 2.5L (FB25)
2012-2013 Impreza 2.0L (FB20)
2013 XV Crosstrek 2.0L (FB20)

*Update (11/27/15):

What started out as a little informative post over a year go has turned into a source of information for over 36,000 people. I feel humbled, as I am someone only affiliated with Subaru as an owner and a long time fan. I do apologize for not responding to comments in a timely fashion. As I said, I’m not affiliated with Subaru, nor do I have all of the answers.

It appears that Subaru is not the only manufacturer suffering from oil consumption issues. Multiple articles earlier this year listed several vehicles from other manufacturers that are exhibiting these same issues. Of course, this is no excuse for exhibiting oil consumption issues, no matter how much most companies will try to argue that “some” oil consumption is normal with these newer, more efficient engines.

It should be noted that as of the 2015 model year, Subaru has reduced the recommended oil change interval for all models on synthetic oil to 6,000 miles/6 months. The previous recommended oil change interval for the FB20 and FB25 engines was 7,500 miles/7.5 months. As far as I know, this new oil change schedule should be followed retroactively for all FB20 and FB25 engines going forward (though, check with your dealer for their input). Remember that the 6,000 mile/6 month interval is the minimum requirement. If your driving falls under any of the severe driving conditions listed in your Owner’s Manual or Warranty and Maintenance Booklet, then your oil should be changed more frequently.

In addition, it has been brought to my attention that there is are related TSBs related to the Oil Level Monitor giving a false or premature reading. The affected models will require new ECM software, and some may require a new oil level sensor. The included models are:

11-145-14R for 2013-2014MY Legacy and Outback models
11-148-14R for 2014MY Forester models
11-149-14R for 2013-14MY Impreza 2.0L and XV Crosstrek models
11-150-14R for 2012MY Impreza models

These TSBs are listed on page 24 of TSB 02-157-14R (linked below), but I am listing them separately now to increase their visibility.

(The TSB numbers are correct to the best of my knowledge, but should be confirmed with your preferred dealer.)

*Update: Subaru has issued an updated TSB for the excessive oil consumption issue. This new TSB, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (direct link), indicates the new course of action for correcting the oil consumption issue is to replace the entire short block (the middle section of the engine), rather than replacing just the piston rings. This new TSB replaces all of the TSBs mentioned in the post below. Anyone who has already had one of the old TSBs performed, and still has oil consumption issues, qualifies for the updated TSB.

The information below is not current, but may prove relevant for reference:

There have been complaints regarding excessive oil consumption in some 2011-2014 Subaru models with the FB2o and FB25 engine. Subaru has linked this issue to premature wear of the Oil Control Piston Rings . The fix is to replace these piston rings on affected models. However, the vehicle must be within the 5 Year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty to qualify, and must be exhibiting an excessive oil consumption issue.

If you know someone with a 2011-2014 Subaru with an FB20 or FB25 engine, please, inform them of this TSB. Have them go to their dealer to get a consumption test performed if an oil consumption problem is suspected. The way to achieve the best outcome is to identify and document this potential issue before the powertrain warranty has ended.

More details can be found here, courtesy of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Subaru will replace the piston rings on some 2011-2014 Outback, Forester, and XV Crosstrek crossovers, and Impreza and Legacy sedans, due to a problem with excessive oil consumption.On some of these vehicles, Subaru has found unanticipated wear of the oil control piston rings. In affected engines, oil consumption will be higher than normal and consistent, and the condition remains until repair is made.

The fix

Subaru has come up with a fix for this problem in the form of a change in the surface treatment of the oil control piston rings. On affected vehicles, Subaru will replace the piston rings at no charge under the provisions of the cars’ warranty. On vehicles out of warranty, customers will have to pay for their vehicle’s repairs—a major out-of-pocket expense, since the engine has to be disassembled, piston rings installed and the engine reassembled, plus any other parts that were damaged as a result of oil loss, gaskets and fluids.Owners should closely monitor their oil levels, and to report consistent drops in oil levels to their dealer, along with the relevant Subaru TSB number, depending on which vehicle they own:

2013 Legacy & Outback w/ 2.5 FB engine: # 02-143-13R. Title: “Engine - Excessive Oil Consumption, Piston Ring Wear”

2012 - 2014 Forester w/ 2.5 FB engine: # 02-144-13R. Title: “Engine - Excessive Oil Consumption, Piston Ring Wear”

2011 - 2012 Forester w/ 2.5 FB engine: # 02-147-13R. Title: “Engine - Excessive Oil Consumption, Piston Ring Wear”

2012 - 2013 Impreza w/ 2.0 FB engine; 2013 XV Crosstrek: # 02-145-13R. “Engine - Excessive Oil Consumption, Piston Ring Wear”

This Service Campaign is being managed by VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and on a case-by-case basis. Owners of a vehicle that may be consuming too much oil should have a dealer inspect the vehicle.For more info or answers to questions, call Subaru Customer Service at 800-782-2783.

DISCUSSION (39)

JGrabowMSt > Boxer_4
07/05/2014 at 12:05

I'll have to let my dad know, he picked up a 2013 XV Crosstrek last year.

Arben72 > Boxer_4
07/05/2014 at 12:19

If only subaru built cars with an emissions be damned mentality. They had to move the piston rings so far down it causes so many issues, I'd rather have a blown head gasket.

DipodomysDeserti > Boxer_4
07/05/2014 at 13:21

People have been complaining about oil consumption on these engines since they first came out with them. It's good Subaru finally did right by the owners. Kinda BS you have to be within warranty to get new rings.

dinobot666 > Arben72
07/08/2014 at 15:56

I've had plenty enough bad headgaskets thanks. My next Subaru will have an FB engine and I'll be happy to dump lots of oil into it. I'm so sick of blown headgaskets.

Sue > dinobot666
10/10/2014 at 08:02

I have a 2013 Impreza 2.0i. How do I know if I have an FB engine in my car. So far I have had no problems.

dinobot666 > Sue
10/10/2014 at 08:59

You have an FB20 in your car. If you haven't experienced any significant oil consumption yet, then I wouldn't worry about it. Just be sure to check it at least once a month and take it to your Subaru dealer if it does start using a lot of oil.

Sue > dinobot666
10/11/2014 at 08:24

Thanks Dinobot66. I am just about at the 15K mile mark. Keeping an eye on the oil. No oil problems yet but the car did act like it wanted stall out at a red light today. Goes to dealer 10/13 for the maint. I just went through the oil consumption problem with a late model Corolla I bought as a commuter. The engine went on it.

asevins > Arben72
11/16/2014 at 18:30

You think pollution is morally fine, eh? GOP?

Onyx & Lapis > Boxer_4
12/21/2014 at 19:57

update: According to many folks on NASIOC, the piston ring replacement doesn't really help, and Subaru has been replacing short blocks lately. And that does seem to work. So is it possibly that a small percentage of engine blocks were manufactured/machined imprecisely?

Boxer_4 > Onyx & Lapis
12/21/2014 at 22:00

That's interesting. I'm finding the same on SubaruForester.org. I'll make some updates to this post.

It seems like the original blocks weren't honed for the new rings. In a lot of cases, the rings were wearing prematurely, so maybe they were wearing the cylinder walls as well?

Onyx & Lapis > Boxer_4
12/22/2014 at 06:33

hmm . . . hmm . . . LoL. We'll probably never know for sure. I'm just glad they finally seem to have a lid on it.

OilBurnerSubaruXV > Boxer_4
02/11/2015 at 14:07

My 2014 Crosstrek XV has had the low oil light come on twice now way before oil change is due. It does not qualify for the TSB and has the supposed fix. Had to argue with dealer and corporate to complete an oil consumption test as they wanted to charge me for it. Putting miles on it now and need to bring it back after 1200 miles. Apparently today its normal for your vehicle to burn up to a quart of oil every 1200 miles.... Mine did it in 1800 miles the last time. The TSB says more than a 1/3 of a quart in 1200 miles. But since there is no qualifying TSB for my 2014 I'm probably SOL since not up to that full quart every 1200. I'm still somewhat hopefull that they will repair it but not holding my breath and not happy with my first and probably last Subaru. Having to argue with the Subaru of America rep to even start a case and pay for the test was a huge turnoff. Dealer telling me they can't do anything unless Subaru pays them also a huge turnoff. They sold me the car. I know how the industry works but wish they would have done the legwork with corporate or stepped up to do the test.

Morris > Boxer_4
02/28/2015 at 11:46

I really want to know how to identify the excessive oil problem. For example, lost 1.2L (1.26 quart) in 3750 miles is excessive or not? Please comment.

Boxer_4 > Morris
03/02/2015 at 14:20

The official specification is 1 quart in 1,200 miles, which can be found in both your owner's manual and in the text of TSB 02-157-14R, which I have updated to include above.

However, if you do have a concern, you should contact your Subaru dealer's service department.

jlr999 > Boxer_4
03/20/2015 at 21:15

Well, Subaru may have sent out this new TSB, but they will do everything in their power to keep from repairing my 2013 Outback. I purchased my car new in 2013 and I have had to add a quart of oil every 1500-2000 miles. Yet when the dealer completes the oil consumption test at 1200 mile intervals they insist there is no loss of oil. Yet by 1500-2000 miles the oil light is on and the engine is almost a quart low. Took it back in today for 37500 oil change. Upon checking the oil this evening I see they overfilled it, well north of the top line on the dipstick. The dealer is in cahoots with Subaru, they insist there is nothing wrong with car when clearly it would seem otherwise. Had I known better I would have invoked the lemon law and been done with this. It's insulting to me as a customer, and it's dishonest. I certainly won't be keeping the car past the warranty, so disappointed.

TTercel > Boxer_4
09/27/2015 at 10:58

Subaru is really dropping the ball. I mean they have had piston ring issues with the turbo EJ engines now this?

On the flip side what I have noticed on the EJ engines is if they aren’t broken in correctly they end up burning oil. Currently mine burns one liter per 5000kms.

SubiForester11LoveHate > Boxer_4
11/12/2015 at 23:30

What else is being damaged by the leaking oil? It isn’t leaking to the ground and I haven’t seen black smoke but the dealership finally confirmed the oil issue.

Todd > DipodomysDeserti
11/18/2015 at 14:55

Subaru has NOT done the right thing by the owners and you still have to fight like hell with dealers, specifically Southern States Subaru in my case, who want me to pay for their expensive oil change and consumption testing. Why the hell should I have to come out of pocket 10 cents for Subaru’s design and machine errors?

DipodomysDeserti > Todd
11/18/2015 at 18:42

That sucks. My local Subaru dealer was always easy to deal with, mostly because the service advisers and mechanics were all Subaru enthusiasts.

TestDriver215 > Boxer_4
11/27/2015 at 12:23

2014 Legacy, had < 7K miles, low oil light came on one morning. NO WAY IN HELL should a freaking brand new car use a quart of oil like that. I was pissed. Subaru won’t do anything—”normal consumption.” Dude, I have a 25 year old BMW that leaks oil on the ground and it still does not use a whole quart between oil changes. 0w20 synthetic, emissions regs, and other bullshit are to blame, as well as Subaru not owning up to a design flaw. DO NOT BUY.

Boxer_4 > OilBurnerSubaruXV
11/27/2015 at 18:32

The fix was in place starting on production day 2/20/2013 on all Crosstreks produced after the VIN ending in D*855330.

I do realize that I’m quite late responding, but have you had any positive results in getting this issue resolved?

Boxer_4 > jlr999
11/27/2015 at 18:34

I realize this is quite a late response, but do you have another dealer local to you? It sounds like that dealer is just giving you the run-around, unfortunately.

Boxer_4 > TestDriver215
11/27/2015 at 18:37

The chase for fuel economy caught several automakers in this mess. That’s still no excuse.

SubieNick > Boxer_4
12/09/2015 at 14:35

Huh, as a Canadian 2.5L 2013 Fozzy owner I wonder what this means for me. My first couple of changes I noticed a difference in what went in and what went out but my last couple were 6mo changes and barely any km (4,500-5000KM) since my commute is more of a walking thing based on where my current apt is. Hmmm... time to dig.

Boxer_4 > SubiForester11LoveHate
01/13/2016 at 19:05

This sounds like a classic case of bad piston rings. Usually, when losing a significant quantity of oil without external leaks or smoke, it’s piston rings.

Bad piston rings don’t usually produce smoke, since the oil will burn pretty completely in the combustion chamber. When you see blue* smoke, it usually means leaking stem seals at the valves. That often produce smoke because the oil burns during the exhaust stroke, and is not burned completely.

Overall, I imagine it would appear to the engine as if it’s running a bit rich. That probably isn’t the best for the catalytic converter, and carbon build-up on valves/throttle-body/etc. may be accelerated. It isn’t immediately detrimental to the car, but it could potentially shorten the life of some components if not taken car of.

*As a side note, smoke from burning oil typically has a blue tint to it. Black smoke is from fuel, and usually means your car is running too rich. White smoke is usually the result of coolant leaking (evaporating) in the engine, most likely from a bad headgasket (or water-cooled turbo).

Sooby > Boxer_4
02/18/2016 at 05:44

I live in Pensacola FL with my 2013 Legacy. I have 120000 miles on it and it is using oil. I have to put oil in it at least every 1300 miles. This is my first Subaru and my last. Never owned a car that did this. No smoke no oil on the ground. Taking it to the dealer next week. Will do an update. Any ideas email me at 190plus@gmail.com.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Boxer_4
03/01/2016 at 12:46

WOO HOO I’M Keeping my outback for 8 years now!!!

Lou K > Boxer_4
06/14/2016 at 15:57

I have had my 2016 Outback 3.6R Limited for 900 miles when the Check Oil light came on. I immediately brought it back to the deailer. What steps should I take to protect all my options? I really don’t know if I should trust them - I’m not a car guy so any suggestions as to specific requests and demands would be apprecaited.

Boxer_4 > Lou K
06/15/2016 at 11:35

No 2016 models, nor any 6 cylinders (3.6R) of any year is covered by this TSB. However, that doesn’t matter in this case. This would fall under the 5 year/60,000 mile Powertrain warranty.

It isn’t unheard of for a new engine to consume some oil during the break-in period, but a quart low (which is when the light comes on, I seem to recall) in 900 miles seems high.

My recommendation would be to check the oil level frequently (every time you get gas, for example), and keep track of how much oil you need to add and the odometer reading at the time (if you need to add oil). If it continues to consume oil as it is currently, you can (and should) request your dealer perform an oil consumption test, and go from there. The test consists of your dealer filling the oil to the proper level, recording the mileage, and having you return after either a specified mileage or the low oil level light turns on.

What did the dealer say when you brought it in?

Lou K > Boxer_4
06/15/2016 at 22:25

Thank you for the response.

The dealer couldn’t find anything wrong - called it a “one off” and said that the oil light was now off. They also said that the VIN revealed no “warranty extensions”. I showed them the picture I took of the oil light on at 904 miles, explained that I didn’t care about warranty extensions I only cared about not getting the shaft. I pulled my salesman into the conversation and stated that as long as they treated me fairly all is well. We discussed what was covered under the standard warranty as well as the extended warranty 100k mile warranty I purchased through Zurich (I may be paying for spark plugs but not O Rings). I also told them I was a crazy person when it came to documenting my issues and that I would be calling the Subaru home office. Not feeling warm and comfortable. We also chatted about using social media to broadcast how a consumer felt. They were clueless.

Dmv > Boxer_4
11/15/2016 at 00:19

I have a ‘13 Outback that now has 70k miles and have had this problem since early on. I’ve added several quarts of oil and have brought this up with my local Subaru dealer. They did an oil consumption check last month but found nothing out of the ordinary. Today, the engine oil light illuminated and I was near my dealer so I brought it in. They did another check and sure enough, the oil was excessively low. They are now replacing the block. I feel for those who have issues with their Subaru dealers. I spent 32 years in the Army and lived in many places and had experiences with many dishonest dealers. But, I can honestly say I’ve been treated right by our local dealer, Garcia in El Paso, TX. BTW, this is my 4th Subaru, though the other three were 80s models. My 87 Legacy SW was a real piece of junk that had many problems, most notably with the catalytic converter. I swore off Subaru’s after that. But, I’ve always followed the brand and they made fantastic improvements through the years, enough so that when it was time for something new, in this size range, The Outback quickly jumped to the top of the list and eventually won me over. I am disappointed in this issue, but, not in the commitment I’ve been shown resolving it.

Jack M > Boxer_4
02/03/2017 at 10:45

Hi im currently waiting on a motor fix for my 13 legacy...buning a quart every 700 miles.....dealership said they are not going to replace cat converter....shouldnt that be replaced seens how a lot of excess oil burn off is occurring? Also ive been waiting 3 months and guy told me there is still same number of cars ahead of me....sso probly anther few months...think this would ave to be fixed in a timely manner

ForesterG > OilBurnerSubaruXV
08/06/2017 at 18:54

Hi. I only found out about the history of this issue after being told by a dealer that the Forester has a solid engine. I have a 2017 Forester Premium and am concerned about if the engine which i think is the same engine has actually been fixed.

ForesterG > Boxer_4
08/06/2017 at 18:58

hello. I posted below by mistake. Does anybody know if by the current 2017 Model that the issue was fixed? I have a new (6000 miles) Forester Premium and am wondering if the fixes from the old TSBs were integrated into the new cars.

Boxer_4 > ForesterG
08/15/2017 at 21:05

The changes were rolled into the Forester starting with the 2015 model year.

casscass > Boxer_4
09/21/2017 at 11:44

Has anyone had issues with a catalytic converter failing? I have a 2011 Subaru forester, new engine replaced at 120,000 miles, now at 150,000 the catalytic converter needs to be replaced which is $2000. I keep up with regular maintenance and from what I’ve read it should last the life of the car. Burning excess oil (which would have been for 120,000 miles) looks like it is one a few main ways a catalytic converter fails. I’ve been trying to talk to subaru to see the connection between the 2 but all they say is its a machine and it already has 150miles.

thundrous > Boxer_4
10/31/2017 at 16:01

Hi thanks for this great thread. I bought my 2012 Impreza used early this year and it seems to have the same oil consumption issue many people are talking about here. I brought it in to the dealer (it has 86,000 miles) and they called and told me there is a leak in the front timing cover seal. Needs to be resealed which requires taking the engine out and costs $874.59 + tax, NOT covered by warrantee. The service rep told me that only the oil consumption fix is covered by the warrantee, and that if that turns out to be an issue AFTER fixing the leak, that will be covered, but they won’t do the consumption test until they fix the leak. Seems like a runaround, but my main question is: shouldn’t this be covered by the extended warrantee that Subaru owners won in the class action suit?

Thanks again

Rockie S > Boxer_4
11/07/2017 at 08:23

We picked up a used 2011 Forester last Jan (2017) with 115K (currently 125K). We had no idea there was a problem but after pouring endless amounts of oil into the engine. we investigated. We did the excessive oil consumption test (~64 ounces in 1200 miles) this month andSubaru of America has offered us a measly $1500 on the $5000 repair. Is there any recourse for this? We are aware of others who have received significant assistance with cars further out of the warranty and not well cared for.

elektrinis > Boxer_4
01/01/2018 at 08:40

I have a similar issue with Impreza 2008 (‘08-12) EJ20, 100k on odo. No leaks, no problems with PCV, equal compression in all cylinders. Bus consumes around 2 liters of oil in 10k km. I mean, The dipstick is completely dry after 10k.

Anyone knows if these older engines had the same issue with rings?