Oil worries on Fabia VRS

[Kermit82]

Again I post this question because yet again the oil light came on again today. Three weeks ago I posted about this went and bought correct oil topped up half a litre and brought the oil level back up followed to Skodas guidelines. Today light came on again so I have topped up and will check level again in a bit. My question is this does this sound normal? Car has only done 2800 miles am I stressing or should I go to the stealers tomorrow? Cheers

[adam1985]

Again I post this question because yet again the oil light came on again today. Three weeks ago I posted about this went and bought correct oil topped up half a litre and brought the oil level back up followed to Skodas guidelines. Today light came on again so I have topped up and will check level again in a bit. My question is this does this sound normal? Car has only done 2800 miles am I stressing or should I go to the stealers tomorrow? Cheers

Mine does not seem to have used any oil although I have only done 1300 miles. a litre in 3k sounds a bit high to me

[Tech1e]

1 litre per 600 miles is permissible before Skoda would consider is excessive.

1.4 TSI oil consumption is normally fairly high until about 15k providing it's been bedded in properly.

[ChrisRs]

Ours has had about 1/4litre since new

Its worth getting it checked out

It doesnt appear to be normal.

How much in total have you put in?

[Tech1e]

It is normal, by all means get it checked out but have a look over on SCN, loads of threads on there. For us that have done a few miles now everything beds in nicely.

Edited 13 February, 2011 by Tech1e

[Doubleglazing]

Mine used about 1 1/2 litres of oil in the 1st 1700 miles, it was absolutely drinking it. Now done around 3500 miles and it appears to have settled down, but it's still needing the odd top up.

[Kermit82]

Last time about half a litre and I checked again today was low but have put another half in so 1 litre in 2800 miles.

[JerryT]

How much oil are you having to add each time? some engines do consume a fair proportion (the ****el in the mazda RX was very thirsty if i remember at about 1 litre per 1000 miles). oil consumption should settle down with time but i believe you are right to be concerned if your oil additions are excessive. check with your dealer (probably the service department), it may even be worth calling VW as the engine type has seen longer use in these vehicles (is this right?) and from other peoples experinces as you are trying to obtain here. sorry if this is not a great deal of help but i am extemly interested in what others will have to say on this subject.

[Tech1e]

You will probably find it wasn't on the maximum when delivered, most of them come from factory .2 or .3L short of full anyhow and it depends if the dealer tops it up on PDI or not.

I can't speak for Skoda but normally they won't to a lot until the engine has had a chance to bed in which they say is 20k and then look at it, but we work on 1 litre per 600 miles so your well under that.

[Kermit82]

Thanks for the advice guys will buy some more oil tomorrow and keep an eye on it. Will also have a word with VW dealer as it's 2 mins from my work.

[SJFISHER67]

Mine has done two litres of oil in since new and now has 3.5k on it. I check it weekly WITHOUT FAIL! But then I check all fluids and tyres that frequently, I call it keeping an eye on the car, my girlfriend thinks I have a problem and being excessive!

[Kermit82]

Mine has done two litres of oil in since new and now has 3.5k on it. I check it weekly WITHOUT FAIL! But then I check all fluids and tyres that frequently, I call it keeping an eye on the car, my girlfriend thinks I have a problem and being excessive!

I don't think it's excessive our lass is like that too she looks at me a bit funny. I think it's just cause I've never had to do it since my vauxhall nova about ten years ago.

Anyway lights off now oil up halfway will get some more tomorrow and put a little bit more in.

[tonyfvrs]

My vRS needed a full litre at 1000 miles.

Now done 2000 and level has hardly moved.

Regards

Tony

[Guest]

Hi Kermit, I would not be worried by this level of oil consumption. But I am concerned you are not checking it enough particularly as you've already had a wake up call. You cannot afford for the oil light to come on too many times. As the blokes are saying, it is completely normal for a small high performance engine to use oil in the early days and for some time afterwards. However, it does vary according to my colleagues in the trade, from VRs to VRs and this could be due to how the owners are treating their engines during the crucial early days. Unfortunately, some owners (not saying this is you) are definitely not giving the engine enough work to do and this is hampering the running in process. The pistons and rings are simply not bedding in properly during the initial running in period. The initial smoothing and loosening, conforming, and hardening of bearing surfaces (pistons and rings, even crank bearings etc) takes place in the first 1000 miles and if you miss this chance to get it right, your engine won't be as good as it should and could use oil all it's life. So don't go too easy with it, but don't keep flooring it too early in it's life either. Just follow the book instructions.

One of my colleagues (another tech) who now has a new VRs has used very little oil from new. He has 2k on the clock and has used less than one half of a litre. He puts this down to giving the engine the right amount of work to do. Not too much not too little in the first 1,000 miles. Kermit, you engine will settle I feel sure, just as everyone else's has. But keep checking your oil religiously...you must!

[Bullyboy]

Try owning an RX8 and then your see oil usage !

No seriously that does not sound excessive I would expect it to use quite a bit of oil until about 3 or 4K in miles then it should settle down. Its a very highly tuned enigine with a super and turbo chargers on it so would expect some decent oil usage.

The RX8 consistantly uses about a litre every 1,000 miles irrespective of how many miles the engine has done and on that car you must check the oil every 2 or 3 fills ups of petrol.

I will be taking the same routine with the vRS when it arrives for the first few thousand miles...

[sharkrider]

Hi Kermit, I would not be worried by this level of oil consumption. But I am concerned you are not checking it enough particularly as you've already had a wake up call. You cannot afford for the oil light to come on too many times. As the blokes are saying, it is completely normal for a small high performance engine to use oil in the early days and for some time afterwards. However, it does vary according to my colleagues in the trade, from VRs to VRs and this could be due to how the owners are treating their engines during the crucial early days. Unfortunately, some owners (not saying this is you) are definitely not giving the engine enough work to do and this is hampering the running in process. The pistons and rings are simply not bedding in properly during the initial running in period. The initial smoothing and loosening, conforming, and hardening of bearing surfaces (pistons and rings, even crank bearings etc) takes place in the first 1000 miles and if you miss this chance to get it right, your engine won't be as good as it should and could use oil all it's life. So don't go too easy with it, but don't keep flooring it too early in it's life either. Just follow the book instructions.

One of my colleagues (another tech) who now has a new VRs has used very little oil from new. He has 2k on the clock and has used less than one half of a litre. He puts this down to giving the engine the right amount of work to do. Not too much not too little in the first 1,000 miles. Kermit, you engine will settle I feel sure, just as everyone else's has. But keep checking your oil religiously...you must!

I would tend to agree with this.... I never "baby" my new cars, and drive them "as normal" from the begining... for example, I cruise in 7th when in traffic ect, and use full throttle and full revs when needed, overtaking ect, went to a meet on sunday, and did some very "brisk" runs.. and have just finished a particulaly bad shift at work,had some frustration to work off.. and my vRS was bouncing off the red line all down the road home from cold.... 800 miles on the clock now, and I haven't had to top up the oil at all... just make sure you use the engine to let it all bed in

Edited 14 February, 2011 by sharkrider

[pipsyp]

As the posts above I would not be unduely concerned. Most VAG petrol engines use a fair bit of oil until they've got a few miles under their belt, because of the different tollerences of how each engine is bolted together some will use more than others.

With a car like the vRS, because of the performance on tap and that they are probably driven a bit harder than most petrol Fabia's (particularly given the high 7k red line) I'd say it using a bit of oil will be down to it being a reasonably stressed small engine.

If its still buring through it when its done 15/20k miles then I'd probably just get it checked for peace of mind. I guess the great thing with these cars is that it tells you when it needs a litre in it, i tend to wait until the light comes on (on my Golf) and just chuck a litre of Edge in it as and when required. It does them no harm to drop to this level, just dont neglect to fill up when the warning appears.

[pipsyp]

I would tend to agree with this.... I never "baby" my new cars, and drive them "as normal" from the begining... for example, I cruise in 7th when in traffic ect, and use full throttle and full revs when needed, overtaking ect, went to a meet on sunday, and did some very "brisk" runs.. and have just finished a particulaly bad shift at work,had some frustration to work off.. and my vRS was bouncing off the red line all down the road home from cold.... 800 miles on the clock now, and I haven't had to top up the oil at all... just make sure you use the engine to let it all bed in

I agree. I've never treated any of my new cars with kid-gloves and have never had engine related issues with any of them.

[daydotz]

im a bit concerned as well i

Edited 4 April, 2011 by daydotz

[Furbytom]

my vRS was bouncing off the red line all down the road home from cold....

Haha, love it!

[Kermit82]

Thanks again for the replies am checking this regularly and keeping on top of it now. Will also give it some more beans

[sharkrider]

I just had a couple of days away, did about 250 miles, (live russell howard show.. fantastic) had to rush back, as traffic jams made swmbo late for work... killed the car again (if you were the kind of person who thought using the whole potential on a new car would kill it...)I wont say what the average speed was up the M6 so not to get flamed....

BUT , I have to say... 1300 miles now, oil still on max ... i treat all my new cars as "normal" without ever being careful when new, and I have never had to top up oil between services ,ever

hhhmmm draw you own conclusions

[Bullyboy]

My first oil check today after 2nd fill up at 300 miles.

Negligible amount used so no top up yet.

Will keep you posted

[sharkrider]

My first oil check today after 2nd fill up at 300 miles.

Negligible amount used so no top up yet.

Will keep you posted

1600 miles now, still no top up, checked it today, as I'm off to the Edinburgh meet on sunday

[starskybell]

I didn't check mine for the first 1000miles.. silly me I know ! My old Astra 1.6turbo never used any so got out of the swing of things..I needed to put 1L in to get it to the top of the level.Up to 1400 now and it has only dropped slightly so maybe it was never full in the first place.