2010 vs 2011 vs 2012 oil consumption

I don't recall any of our slew of honda's saying anything about acceptable oil consumption. This is from an '86 Accord Owner's Manual we forgot to pass on:

 

I bought my 2010 at 80,000 miles and just did my first oil change at 85,000 with no noticeable use so far. I do plan to change it every 5,000 instead of the 10,000 they now recommend and hope for the best.

 

Here it is. 1989 Acura Integra --

Page 55, Maintenance Schedule:
"NOTE: Failures which occur due to a lack of maintenance will not be covered under warranty."
Page 56, Maintenance Schedule (cont'd):
"Check the following items at each fuel stop:
1. Engine oil level. 2. ..."

Like Mendel's 1986 Honda manual (which I also had, but is now long gone), I find no specific mile figure for oil consumption. But with a fuel tank capacity of 13.2 gallons, fuel stops occur at intervals of 300 to 500 miles, which is less than the 600 miles listed for the Prius.

Q.E.D.

P.S. The 2010-12 Prii were the first 21st Century cars in my household. Our 1997 Subaru and its owners manual are now gone too. The 2014 Subaru's manual now suggests abnormal to be 1 quart in 1200 miles, but only after several thousand miles of break-in. More during break-in does not count as abnormal.

 

I take it back. Checked the other toyotas i own and the 1.1qt/600mile is not unique for Prius. I don't know when Toyota went to this number. It used to be 1/1000.

 

2012 with 40,000 miles, no noticeable consumption.

 

Nice. Come back and report after 100,000 miles.

 

will do. but it might be 2024.

 

One of the issues here is the very wide chasm between what we consumers consider normal, vs what the car makers consider to be a problem.

 

agreed. i don't know what normal is, but i'd say 100k with no noticeable consumption would be acceptable.

 

Yes, and getting wider than it used to be, with some consumers illogically expecting not to need to need to check the dipstick or add oil during a recommended oil change interval, despite increases in that interval. Meanwhile, manufacturers are ducking responsibility for their mistakes by redefining heavy consumption as "normal."

I still tend to think of "normal" consumption as anything between maybe 7000 and 2000 mpq.

 

For me normal is 2-3 cups drop by oil change time. It's a first for me, that our Prius has no consumption, so far.

 

i can remember when oil changes were 3,000 miles.

 

Guess I'm still doing that of late. My booklet says 6 months or 8000 km, whichever comes first. The two values used to be fairly close, but now we're lucky to do 5000 km in 6 mo's.

So far I'm adhering to schedule, changing every 6 mo's. DIY, it's an hour or two, and about $24. Keeps me off the streets, lol.

 

I can remember when Kendall bragged that its oil could go 2000 miles, instead of the usual 1000 for other oils. They kept their corresponding two-finger logo long after its original meaning was obsolete.

Assuming expecting not to add oil between 3000-mile changes was reasonable, that's still not a logical reason not to check oil or add between 10,000-mile changes. In other words, improvements in oil and engines that have made longer change intervals possible haven't necessarily reduced oil consumption proportionately.

 

i assume people who never check their oil, don't change it themselves. these low oil stories seem to come on suddenly. i wonder if anyone checks the level before changing it? if not, than means it never gets checked until the car goes wonky. and running with low oil over many thousands of miles would only exacerbate the situation.

 

According to current oil change shop advertising, it still is.

 

true enough, i think they put 3500 on my window sticker.

 

To solve these oil consumption issues, a few things needs to be done:
- Clean the EGR valve.
- Clean Throttle Body.
- Replace PCV valve.
- Replace Spark Plugs.
- Change Oil Every 5K miles (not that suggested 10K miles from Toyota)
- May need to change from 0w-20 to 5w-20.

My Prius Star Ship currently has 100K miles no oil consumption, and always have changed oil at 5K miles with Kendall with Liquid Titanium 0w-20 (that same brand is available in 5w-20).

 

Yikes, conventional versus Kendall synthetic. I wonder who will win?

 

No offence, but that won't solve an oil consumption problem. It's good, but the engine will continue to eat oil.