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2011-2014 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza, Legacy
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By Denis Flierl Sep 14 2016 - 6:27am

Now That Subaru’s Oil Consumption Lawsuit is Settled, What Should You Do?

Subaru settles their oil consumption lawsuit. What should you do if your Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza or Legacy is burning excessive oil?
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Now that Subaru has settled their oil consumption lawsuit, what should you do if you own a Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza or Legacy that burns excessive oil? It could be covered under warranty. In some cases, Subaru will replace the short block assembly to rectify the problem.

What vehicles are effected?

Some Subaru owners are experiencing excessive oil consumption in certain vehicles. The vehicles that seem to be affected are the 2011-2014 Forester (2.5-liter engines), 2013-2014 Outback (2.5-liter engines), 2013 XV Crosstrek (2.0-liter engines), 2012-2013 Impreza (2.0-liter engines) and 2013-2014 Legacy (2.5-liter engines).

Subaru spokesman Michael McHale said, "more than 98 percent of the settlement class vehicles (Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza and Legacy models) have not experienced, and will not experience, any oil consumption concerns.” What if you are one of the 2 percent?

What should you do if your vehicle is using excessive oil?

Owners can contact their Subaru dealer and go in for an oil consumption test. If the dealer determines the oil consumption is found to exceed normal levels, dealers will replace the shortblock assembly.

Repairs will be made under the new vehicle warranty or powertrain warranty, whichever applies. If your vehicle is out of the new vehicle warranty coverage, and you have an extended warranty, the repairs may be covered, but the Subaru dealer will have to confirm this with the extended warranty company.

Owners should call their local dealer with their vehicle identification number (VIN) on their 2011-2014 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza or Legacy to determine vehicle eligibility for this repair. Owners can also call Subaru Support at 800-782-2783 and reference Technical Service Bulletin # 02-157-14R.

Source: Subaru

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Comments

passion wrote on September 20, 2016 - 2:49am
thank God i cancelled my booking for the new xv. i will stick with my VW for now.
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jb wrote on September 20, 2016 - 6:46pm
The new XV probably doesn't have the issue. My 2013 Subaru did not burn oil for the 60K miles I had it and my 2016 Legacy 3.6R is the same way too at 21K miles. Still full at oil change time. I have owned an oil burning car before and I tolerated it. I would rather add oil every 800-1200 miles then open up Pandora's Box with the engine removal/re-install.
Ric lamkin wrote on January 6, 2017 - 3:09am
I'll never own another sabaru. Burnt oil the first month. Dealer said needed break in. Now after 80K burns 1\2 qt every other fillup. Why take it back to dealer when I can't trust the lying SOB.
Michael Bishop wrote on June 19, 2020 - 1:24pm
I actually had to find out about the settlement and hound The Dealer in order to get Oil Consumption test , and after repairs were made my 2013 is leaking on my driveway and I have had it back 3 times for the leak that I did not have until they "fixed it" now it is going back in on Monday 6/22/20 . I have had three Subaru's , there will not be a fourth.
Pat wrote on February 25, 2018 - 5:48pm
Well then continues. I own a 2018 Forrester that burned a quart of oil every 1200 miles since brand new. 4000 miles and and 3 and a half quarts burned so far. Dealer says it's normal for break in. Most they have to do is a consumption test... Run around, gas mileage back and forth to the dealer, and extras oil to replace the oil this great if crap is burning... Is all on me the owner that was fun enough to buy a Subaru. DONT DO IT EVERYONE THAT SEE'S THIS. STAY AWAY FROM SUBARU JUNK. ALL MODELS ARE EFFECTED.
Lisa Hadley wrote on March 6, 2019 - 6:52pm
I totally agree with you JUNK!
Unhappy Subaru Owner wrote on April 18, 2018 - 11:00pm
The problem with having a dealer decide what is an "acceptable" amount of oil to lose is that ANY detectable amount of oil loss is UNACCEPTABLE. We owned a 2013 Forester which burned 1 quart of oil a month, plus/minus 8 ounces. When I called Subaru about this they said a quart of oil a month is an acceptable amount of oil to lose. I've owned cars and motorcycles for 40 years and can say that every other Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, and Chevrolet I've owned burned exactly ZERO oil every month (at least none that could be detected). Subaru may have thought they were hoodwinking another rube and saving themselves a few dollars in repairs but in fact they lost a lifelong customer. Their loss, Toyota's gain. Got rid of the Subaru, bought a Toyota, and never looked back.
Noah walsh wrote on September 12, 2019 - 4:08pm
Toyota Prius has similar issues in models 2010- 2014.
David W Young wrote on March 18, 2019 - 3:57pm
Not to defend Subaru, since I have owned a Forester for 16.5 years now (2003), but we can also thank Big Brother for pushing the car companies constantly with the CAFE requirements for gas mileage. Looser the tolerances around pistons and valve seals and VIOLA, better gas mileage and terrible oil consumption. But very short-sighted of Subaru to try to convince us Old Timers that 1 quart of crude per 1,000 miles is acceptable to anyone but a moron. Look for earlier model Subi's, stay clear of the new CVT trannie, and just rebuild what you have to one it. Or buy a Toyota.
BTS wrote on June 19, 2021 - 7:06pm
This simply could not be more untrue (looser fit = better mileage)
Doug Rorick wrote on May 9, 2019 - 9:16pm
Bought my 2013 Subaru Outback about 8 months ago with 95k miles and just found out about this at 101k. Called Subaru and they agreed to have me do the oil consumption test and it supposedly passed the test. But not real happy that I have to add about a quart after every 2k miles. Was super happy until I found out I bought a Japanese oil burner.
Karrie Coleman wrote on August 13, 2019 - 10:13am
My 2013 Outback is out of the warranty period. Is there an additive that I can use to help prevent some of this oil burn?
Marvin Henry wrote on August 13, 2019 - 9:37pm
I made the mistake of buying a 2013 crosstrek with 125000 miles on it. I heard so much talk of how Subaru was so dependable and economical. It turns out that neither is true about the crosstrek. About 20,000 miles later the check engine light and abs light came on which disables the abs, traction control and cruise control. It burns a quart of oil every 4 to 500 miles. Now on our way home from our last road trip the AT oil temp high light came on along with The ABS light, and the hill assist light came on. So we took it to the transmission shop to have the codes read, and they said that we need a new transmission now. So the cost of replacing the catalytic converter, and the transmission, which is what the codes say it needs Will total more money than what the car is worth. What a piece of shit. I will never own a Nother Subaru. This car was neither dependable nor economical. We got fucked Big time on this one
Elizabeth Wyer wrote on October 22, 2019 - 7:50pm
We have a 2013 Subaru Forester and had the oil consumption test done and they said nothing wrong. Now it has 134,000 miles and it need catalytic converter and a new engine. The engine light cane on and cost 7400.00 to fix it.
Deborah Anthony wrote on August 11, 2021 - 6:07pm
My dad gave us his 2013 Outback. He had it in for the oil consumption test. Of course it was in “normal” range. After that, he complained multiple times about the oil consumption. He told them that it would burn a quart of oil, sometimes every 1000 miles. He was told that was normal. After we owned the vehicle, we complained about it. Every time, it’s normal that that happens. Now, 6-7 years after complaining (of which those complaints were NOT documented) my car now needs $11,000 worth of repairs. All because of the oil consumption. Of course, it is out of warranty (127,000 miles). We actually never even got anything about the extended oil consumption warranty, but it would have been within normal range, anyway, so they wouldn’t have done anything. The service manager at the dealership told us to call Subaru, that they were really good about helping out in situations like this. That was a bunch of bull. We were told that since it was out of warranty, and that because the oil consumption was within normal range, that they couldn’t help us out. And of course the warranty would run out before the oil consumption caused enough damage. I don’t even think our car is worth $11,000. Has anyone had any luck with Subaru helping them out when it’s obviously their fault, even though they won’t admit it?
Tami wrote on November 27, 2022 - 11:58pm
I thought I wrote this at first! We have the exact same problem! Subaru needs to make this right!
carla cicero wrote on January 31, 2023 - 2:42pm
I bought i new outback 3.6r in 2017 long story short I was not aware of a class action albeit supposedly my vin was not affected outright lie/ I had it into the dealer 4 times for the same problem - Subaru did pay for 1 repair and 1/2 of another - im out of warranty this has been going on for a couple of years I’m burning a quart of oil prior to hitting 3000 miles / I need a short block after 3 escalations Subaru is offering 2k for a new car or lease - where will that take me on a 52,000 price tag I paid /????? I bought because of their great reputation/ It’s all bs and they don’t hold up to their reputation I will never buy another Subaru I own 2 a cross trek as well
JB wrote on August 29, 2020 - 8:48pm
I switched to 5w30 weight oil. Went from a quart every 800 miles to a quart every 2000 miles.
Delores wrote on July 5, 2022 - 9:08pm
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Gregory Hanners wrote on September 2, 2019 - 2:27pm
My 2014 Forester at 195K now burns a quart every 1200 miles. It was not this bad at first, but it has gradually gotten worse. And of course, I had a CVT failure at 125k miles and had to replace the valve body. Oh, and I had to replace wheel bearing all around about the same time. It's a pile of crap. I am done with Subaru. Period. Paragraph. The end. I put 305k miles on my 2001 Camry and then sold it to my BIL. At each oil change on the Camry the dipstip level barely moved. Never changed a wheel bearing.
Tarel White wrote on September 3, 2019 - 9:40am
I have 2008 Toyota camry and it is notorious for eating one quart every one thousand miles.
Gregory wrote on October 24, 2020 - 7:55pm
They exstended the engine rebuid warranty to 10 years and 150k
Sarah wrote on December 1, 2021 - 11:30pm
Really? How do I find out if this is true? They told me the other day that it was 100,000 miles. I'm not happy at all being as I bought the vehicle at 130,000 it is now at 138,000 majority of the time I owned it the used dealership I bought it from has had it in their shop doing constant repairs. Was never told about the oil consumption problem and did not know upon purchase obviously. I would like to fight this being as mine is burning approximately 4 quarts in 1 week
LISA GREEN wrote on February 15, 2022 - 11:01am
Seriously, I have my 2013 in the shop right now trying to figure out what I will do about it needing and new engine and catalytic converter. It has almost 120k miles.
Dale wrote on September 13, 2019 - 10:56pm
That amount of oil consumption isnt even that bad. My 08 Forester goes thru a quart every 500 miles. And not a drop on the ground. Still runs great at 195k miles, so I'll let it get really tired before I trade in.
Ricardo Hernandez wrote on September 27, 2019 - 5:43pm
I just bouth almost 2 months ago a subaru outback 2009, with 95k miles and just realize that after my 1200 miles it burned 3 quarts of oil, and there is drop on the floor, nor smoke coming out, so maybe seller sold it because of that, now I am stuck with this oil burner. Is there anything I can do?
Tammara Williams wrote on July 31, 2021 - 2:25pm
Im having the same issue! Bought my Outback in 2018 its a 2016 and it burns a qt. To 2 qts of oil in between oil changes and I just heard about the recalls! I have 96,000 miles and I am going in for a oil consumption test asap
Jimmy wrote on November 4, 2019 - 6:43pm
What does this oil consumption do to the catalytic converters? The EGR valve? How about the rest of the emissions related equipment on the car?
Judi Bell wrote on November 6, 2019 - 2:57pm
I have a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6 that keeps using oil. When I look on websites for recalls my year is not there. How can I prove to the auto service department that it is truly happening. I reported to them and they deny it is happening.

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