Excessive Oil: *PLEASE* do report! Instructions from Toyota here

Our Toyota Prius Gen3 (2010) has the same issue.

We filed a case with Toyota corporate (tel:800-331-4331) not too long ago. They claimed they were unaware of the issue. We found that hard to believe.

We are scheduled to get an oil consumption test at the dealership. The dealership said they would go to bat for us if they consider the oil consumption excessive. They didn't define excessive. It's hard to believe Toyota's manual implies that burning 1.1qt of oil every 601 miles is somehow acceptable. Unlikely an arbitrator, judge, or jury would agree. That's over 18qts of oil burned between oil changes! Maybe the EPA needs to force the recall.

We are concerned that the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors will fail with this type of oil consumption. Those are expensive repairs on the Prius.

We also encourage people to report this to Toyota corporate (tel:800-331-4331) immediately.

 

how much are you burning? have either of you cleaned the egr circuit?

 

The TSB (first of the attached) set the consumption level at 1 quart in 1100~1300 miles. The car has to be under 60K miles though, to qualify for free replacement pistons/rings (model year 2015 style). They also do a full gasket replacement. Still, an interesting read, and maybe even if you're over 60K, you can get some compensation from Toyota?

 

Toyota Prius is burning 1qt of oil per 800 miles driven.

We haven't done anything with the EGR system.

 

how many miles on her?

 

Right around 145K miles.

 

seems too young to be burning that much oil

 

Exactly. We aren't too happy about it. We are both disabled and were depending on this vehicle to last a long time.

 

maybe you'd be better off trying to find a way to get it to more than a quart/600 miles

 

STOP please.

Taking wild guesses and using "snake oil" treatments at random might very well make matters WORSE instead of better.
Applying "fixes" for stuck rings will just be a waste of time if the problem really is worn valve guides or a leaking head gasket.

You need to do a compression and leak down test and a radiator pressure test to find out where the oil is REALLY going.

In the process of doing all that, they may find that oil is actually LEAKING out somewhere only when the engine is running.

If those friends really are "experts" this is what they should be telling you.

 

The OP sounds desperate. I would be too burning fourteen quarts every 10k. He's burning almost twice what Toyota deems as 'normal'.

It is not normal for a modern four-stroke engines to burn oil.

I'm sure the OP, as well as other gen three owners, would notice pools of oil accumulating on driveways and garage floors.

I commend the OP for being proactive; searching for a solution to this $eriou$ i$$ue. An issue that T0y0ta is reluctant to admit and remedy.

 

I have 101k on my 2010 but I live in the warmer South and only use Tier 1 gas. Synthetic oil only every 10k miles I use no oil.
There is an association of carbon clogging the oil control rings. One guy on this blog, used Techron fuel system cleaner 4 tanks in row and reduce his consumption. It is worth a shot and keep on using Tier 1 gas.

Toyota Prius Problems and Common Complaints | Toyota Parts Center Blog

 

The Internet "forums" tends to magnify EVERYTHING.

Of course it is a "well know issue" that engines with high miles tend to use more oil.
Some more than others, even with engines that should be identical.

It has been going on since about 24 months after the first Ford rolled off the assembly line about a hundred years ago.
By your definition, every car ever made has a "design defect".

I am sorry that you got a car that started using more oil a bit sooner than most but there are literally MILLIONS of them on the road that don't do that.

If you would put yours in the hands of a really competent mechanic, he might be able to solve or minimize the problem.
Just because you KNOW a few people who might qualify as "experts" doesn't make YOU one.

And your proposed trial of things that others claim to have done with success IS just shooting into the wind.
You don't really know if those stories are true or not.......or if you have the same situation or not.

But I do wish you luck. I think the odds are about 50/50 that what you are doing will make things WORSE instead of better.

 

This isn't about a couple of Toyota Prius vehicles using a little oil as they get older.

This is about a known defect with the Prius in which it uses up a massive amount of oil. So much oil, in fact, that owners can't even make it 1/2 way to their next oil change without completely running out of oil. So well know, in fact, that Toyota has issued an official Toyota Service Bulletin (T-SB) documenting the problem and the solution. The only step left is for Toyota to extend the warranty so people can actually get the problem fixed.

For the 2015 Prius, Toyota redesigned the pistons and piston rings in order to fix the problem with the Prius engine. Why? Because they knew they had a problem on their hands.

 

OK, fair enough.

If that is the case, why isn't that mentioned immediately when a thread like this is started ?
Along with a brief summary of what the "fix" in the bulletin actually IS ???
Instead of all of these questionable amateur solutions which might not have anything to do with the actual problem ??????

You have made a good start at being very helpful here.
How about finishing the job and supplying the TSB number for those folks who need it.......since the incompetent Toyota shops can't seem to find it on their own.