Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (2024)

by Admin | Japanese Vehicles | 21 comments

Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (1)

The Toyota brand is known for reliability and dependability. However, reports have shown that some selected Toyota models manufactured from 2006 to 2011 were plagued with excessive engine oil consumption, consuming a quart of oil every 1,000 to 1,500 miles on average. In extreme cases, the engine runs out of oil before the recommended service interval, leading to catastrophic engine damage. Unfortunately, this seems to be a common problem, taking most vehicle owners by surprise and making them realize too little too late.

The Problem

Toyota finally took note of the problem in 2011, and a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) was issued to acknowledge the oil consumption concerns in the following vehicles equipped with the affected 4-cylinder 2AZ-FE engine:

  • 2007 – 2011 Toyota Camry
  • 2007 – 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  • 2009 Toyota Matrix
  • 2009 Toyota Corolla
  • 2006 – 2008 Toyota Solara
  • 2007 – 2008 Toyota Camry
  • 2007-2009 Scion TC

The 2AZ-FE engine had defective pistons and piston oil control rings installed, which carbonized easily as early as 60,000 miles. The TSB recommended a repair procedure that required an oil consumption test at local dealerships. Failure meant a teardown of the engine and replacement of the pistons and piston ring set, as long as the vehicle was within the 60 months or 60,000 miles warranty period. Unfortunately, the problem manifested for most owners after the warranty expired, and Toyota had a class-action lawsuit in 2014. This action caused Toyota to extend the warranty period to October 31, 2016.

What You Can Do If Still Affected

If you are past the warranty period and still drive any of these vehicles, you need to be vigilant and monitor your oil level at intervals (and top up if necessary). This inspection should be every 500 miles after your oil change. It will help you keep track of the concern until the means to repair is available.

However, if fixing this problem is expensive, you can use thicker oil, like 10W-40. Using heavier-weight oil will not fix the problem but will considerably slow oil consumption.
Considering repairing your Toyota? You can never get it wrong by bringing it to Reliant Auto Repair. Give us a call today, as we shall ensure that your car is being diagnosed and repaired by our experts.

  1. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (2)

    JANICE JACKSONon November 19, 2022 at 2:13 am

    I have a 2009 Camry and I have a burning oil problem

    Reply

    • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (3)

      Richardon February 26, 2023 at 1:17 pm

      How many miles are on the engine, and how much oil does it burn?

      Reply

      • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (4)

        Susan wachholzon September 17, 2023 at 9:50 pm

        I have a 2010 Camery and it burned a quart and a half since August 28 th 2023. Today is September 17 th. I just had a ton of work done on it and the car skid light is on and the check engine light is on. I have always added oil to it and done maintenance on it. I’m done with Toyota

        Reply

      • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (6)

        mikeon September 29, 2023 at 3:12 pm

        keeping an eye on the oil level is not your only concern. The consumed oil is not good for the catalytic converter. It is a good idea to use a catalytic converter cleaner on any car. But is especially important on an oil burner. Mr Gasket Cataclean has helped me pass inspection when I had a check-engine-light-code causing the engine light to be on. So, I know it cleans. I recommend using it with almost no gas in the gas tank, for a high concentration.

        Reply

  2. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (7)

    Bobon November 20, 2022 at 4:33 pm

    My 2019 highlander is use 1.5 quarts oil every 3000 miles. It has less than 30.000miles on it.

    Reply

    • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (8)

      Richardon February 26, 2023 at 1:14 pm

      That is not too bad. Toyota defines excessive oil consumption as using 1 quart in 600 miles or less. In this case, the car needs engine work.

      Reply

  3. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (9)

    ddon November 29, 2022 at 6:00 pm

    It also affected the Rav4s. My engine oil light has never come on, but after about 400 miles it needs a quart. It started at about 40,000 miles when I went in for an oil change and they said I had basically no oil in there. That damaged my engine and nearly every time I stop at a light or slow down it sounds and feels like my car’s engine will stop. I had to baby it to get where it is and it has cost me a lot of extra money for oil and car rentals when I have to take my car on longer trip out of my area. I can’t trust it.

    Reply

    • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (10)

      Brian Joneson February 6, 2023 at 7:28 pm

      I am a mechanic and have the same vehicle as you. My engine burns no oil. You have a major issue. Take it to Toyota and push them until they fix or replace the engine.
      Your Drive Train warranty is good for 5 yr/60,000 miles.

      Reply

    • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (11)

      Chubaon September 9, 2023 at 4:54 pm

      “My engine oil light has never come on, but…”

      It’s worth mentioning that waiting for the oil light to come on before adding more oil is asking for trouble. The light’s purpose is to indicate low oil pressure, not low oil level.

      Reply

  4. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (12)

    Aceon December 2, 2022 at 11:03 pm

    I have a burning oil problem 2007 Toyota Camry, should I just get new car?

    Reply

    • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (13)

      Richardon February 26, 2023 at 1:09 pm

      I would just check the oil every week or so, and add oil as needed; although, eventually you need either a new engine or new car. The car should last a few more years.

      Reply

    • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (14)

      Rjakoon October 15, 2023 at 7:57 pm

      So, to recap. Any Toyota with specifically the 2.4 four cylinder engine made between 2006–2008 can and or probably will have an excessive oil burning issue. In 2009, I know the Rav4’s in North America went to the 2.5 engines that evidently do not have excessive oil burning issues. Basically, avoid any that have the 2.4 unless the top end was redone by Toyota with documentation of that 100% being done. Toyota will certainly have a scar from this problem but hopefully, they have permanently corrected the issue. That is a long road ahead when Toyota has this scar that potential Toyota buyers will contemplate and perhaps move on to a Honda or other Japanese manufacturer….ZOOM-ZOOM….

      Reply

  5. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (15)

    Awe Boluwadeon December 6, 2022 at 11:21 am

    please my toyota camry 2002 consumes 5litres of oil in one week and three days, please what can i do, the engine sounds perfectly okay and every other thing is fine

    Reply

  6. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (16)

    dirk diggleron January 13, 2023 at 5:10 pm

    I have a 2019 Camry and accidentally put the oil in the gas tank and the gas in the engine. Oopsy poopsy. Should I just wash it out with the garden hose and try again?

    Reply

    • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (17)

      Amelia Higginson July 23, 2023 at 10:21 pm

      This has to be a troll comment

      Reply

      • Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (18)

        Jeaux Bleauxon August 5, 2023 at 9:42 am

        Well, yeah! I mean the guy’s name is Dirk Diggler LOL

        Reply

  7. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (19)

    Bryanon February 20, 2023 at 12:31 am

    hi, I own a 2010 Scion tC
    it has the 2AR-FE as well. is there potential it has the same oil consumption problem or was the issue fixed for this year. Thanks

    Reply

  8. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (20)

    Ryan lynchon April 4, 2023 at 3:01 am

    I have a 2010 Corolla switch 133k miles and it burns oil iv diving it a little over 1k miles so far and iv had to add very little oil is that common on the 2010s

    Reply

  9. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (21)

    Johnon August 30, 2023 at 5:22 pm

    I have a 2009 Pontiac Vibe with the 2.4 litre engine and burn about 1 quart every 300 miles.

    Reply

  10. Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (22)

    MPrice88on September 3, 2023 at 1:37 am

    I drive a 2008 scion tc and my car will burn most of the oil within 600 miles. For example if I get an oil change today and go out of town and drive 500 miles round trip, it’s burns thru most of the oil in that single trip. I at least need to top off 2 or 3 times in between oil changes.

    Reply

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Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know (2024)

FAQs

Toyota Engine Oil Burning Problem: What You Need to Know? ›

A car's piston rings help seal engine oil out of the combustion chamber. If the piston rings are worn out from high mileage or poor maintenance, then small amounts of oil can be burnt during the combustion process. This will produce that blue smoke. Another internal issue could be a malfunctioning PCV system.

What needs to be fixed if my car is burning oil? ›

Lack of maintenance at any age can be the cause of burning oil. The minimum repair will be changing piston seal rings, also known as oil control rings, but it could even require a complete engine replacement. You can expect it to cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,700 for a gas engine.

What is the Toyota engine oil consumption recall? ›

As part of our continual efforts to ensure the best in customer satisfaction, Toyota is preparing a Warranty Enhancement Program to extend warranty coverage to address customer complaints of Excessive Engine Oil Consumption on Certain 2007-2009 Camry, Certain 2007-2011 Camry Hybrid, Certain 2007-2008 Camry Solara, ...

What year Toyota engines burn oil? ›

The Toyota brand is known for reliability and dependability. However, reports have shown that some selected Toyota models manufactured from 2006 to 2011 were plagued with excessive engine oil consumption, consuming a quart of oil every 1,000 to 1,500 miles on average.

What is the Toyota oil consumption defect lawsuit? ›

A group of plaintiffs from five different states have filed a Toyota oil defect class action lawsuit, alleging that a defect in the design of pistons in a four-cylinder engine used in many of the company's vehicles as well as its Scion subsidiary led to excessive oil consumption and the potential for serious accidents.

Why am I losing oil but no leaks? ›

When a car begins to lose oil but doesn't display any visible leaks, there could be several culprits at play. Common reasons include worn piston rings, a damaged head gasket, or an accumulation of oil in the engine's air-filtration system.

How do you diagnose why a car is burning oil? ›

This can be detected in a smog check. It will register as higher-than-normal concentrations of incompletely burned hydrocarbons. Blue smoke from the exhaust is another telltale sign that a vehicle is burning oil. This is almost always due to worn or broken internal engine parts such as piston rings or valve guides.

What years did Toyota have bad piston rings? ›

The problem: In certain Toyota cars and SUVs, the engine may consume excessive oil due to faulty pistons and piston rings. Vehicles affected by service bulletin: 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Which Toyota is being recalled? ›

Toyota Recalls Certain 2022-2024 Toyota Tundra, Sequoia and Lexus LX 600 Models - Toyota USA Newsroom.

Are there any lawsuits against Toyota? ›

Lawsuits by Toyota owners allege that the Japanese automaker engaged in fraud, negligently manufactured cars, and defectively designed the Electronic Throttle Control System ('ETCS-i' or 'ETCS') of some models.

How much does it cost to repair Toyota oil burning? ›

The cost of Toyota oil consumption

It has been found that vehicle owners spent anywhere between $2,000 and $7,000 for the repair, and many are seeking compensation for that. Worse, Toyota has neither issued a recall nor offered to repay consumers who paid to have fix the defects.

How can I slow down my oil consumption? ›

To slow oil consumption, a higher viscosity grade oil can be used, especially an oil with a higher operating temperature viscosity. Oil burns when at its hottest and therefore thinnest viscosity.

Why is my car losing oil but no leak or smoke? ›

If your engine is low on oil but there isn't a leak, that means it's probably being burned inside the engine. A bad PCV valve is a frequent culprit in the case of burning oil--but what is it, exactly? A PCV valve is designed to let air escape when the pressure in the crankcase is too high.

What is the class action suit against Toyota? ›

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Singleton Schreiber filed a class action lawsuit in California federal court alleging Toyota Motor Sales greatly misrepresented the cost savings of maintenance plans to consumers.

What is the scandal of Toyota? ›

Toyota faces a potential hit to its reputation from the safety certification lapses at Daihatsu, as well as separate governance issues at truck maker Hino Motors and affiliate Toyota Industries. The scandals at the three companies triggered a rare apology of Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda last month.

What was the main issue with Toyota brand automobiles? ›

Vehicles can slip forward while in neutral

Toyota is recalling about 280,000 SUVs and pickup trucks in the U.S. because a transmission problem can allow them to creep forward, the company announced. “Certain parts of the transmission may not immediately disengage when the vehicle is shifted to the neutral position.

Does engine restore stop oil burning? ›

If your engine is burning oil and smoking because of blow-by, RESTORE will solve that problem too. RESTORE also works to quiet start-up piston knock, piston slap, and noisy valve lifter ticking.

Can a car be fixed after running out of oil? ›

Depending on the extent of the damage, an engine might be repaired after running without oil. Although, it's essential to realize that such a repair process can be quite costly. If the damage is too severe, it might require a complete engine replacement – which may cost more than the car itself.

Can a bad catalytic converter cause oil consumption? ›

A “clogged” catalytic converter will not cause an oil leak by itself. The motor will run very poorly and most likely will not accelerate correctly or idle. So that could cause pressure inside the engine that might force oil past the rings/seals and then oil consumption might go up.

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