bought 2013 Subaru in 2014 had 22,000 plus miles at 53,00 plus I noticed it would take a quart of oil once awhile now I have 67,000 miles and I'am putting a quart in every 2,000 miles. The car has never given me any kind of warning i.e. heat on gauge,dash lights nothing. I always follow my maintenance program in everything even have my oil changes at 6,500. Use a certified mechanic (same one for all my vehicles for years). Last time took to Subaru told of the problem on a multi point inspection. Said diagnostic oil leak (visual) would need to diagnose farther estimate $2,841.00 (just to look at it) I call BS. Need your opinion fight them, fix it,sell the car only 67,000 miles. Very frustrated could use your opinion.
2 Answers
Is the motor actually leaking oil? Does it leave drips and puddles on the ground?
If it isn't leaking or burning oil (caused by worn rings and/or valve guides, and there'd be blue/white smoke from the tailpipe), I'll observe that while one quart used every 2K miles is more than no consumption, it is far far from excessive.
If that's all the car is doing, I wouldn't even address it, and would just continue to drive it while keeping an eye on the dipstick.
From Consumer Reports: "Audi, BMW, and Subaru stick firmly to the statement that oil consumption is a normal part of a car’s operation. Subaru considers a quart burned every 1,000 to 1,200 miles to be acceptable. Certain Audi and BMW cars’ standards state that a quart burned every 600 to 700 miles is reasonable."
You're using a quart every 2,000 miles, so Subaru won't be interested. Nearly $3K for a diagnostic is excessive - take it to a non-dealer Subaru specialist for a second opinion. Some slight leaks from the valve covers might not leave much of a puddle, but over time it can add up. There are only a few places a Subaru generally leaks oil, and most specialists can check them out in less than an hour.