Hi, I've had my 2011 Mk2 Octavia 1.8 for a few months and noticed that the oil consumption is quite excessive, I think I've put 9 litres of oil in it since I've had it and only done just over 1000 miles. Twice, 3 weeks apart, I had the oil light come on and found the oil level halfway along the low part of the dipstick. I took it into a garage who did a bunch of diagnostics and didn't find an issue, and contacted another who thinks it's the piston rings, however it's not chucking smoke out of the back, there's just a bit of black residue on the back of the car, when it drives it appears to drive clean and the engine itself is smooth (though it does have a slightly odd shudder sometimes in 4th at 40mph if you put the accelerator down). I've had people drive behind me and not see any smoke, nor have I see any in the rear view mirrors.

 

One thought could be that it's the turbo seal and oil is escaping that way, as I've not noticed a leak anywhere external, and the car has a plastic sheet under it which limits the ability to do a physical examination, though if any oil is leaking into it, it's not dripping out afterwards.

 

Any ideas? I'm going to try another garage but currently I'm having to put 2 litres in every 3-4 weeks, I've nearly changed the oil over twice. I used to drive a Toyota Carina which barely needed a litre top up here and there in-between oil changes, and while I knew these engines use oil up a bit more than the Toyota did, I didn't expect this much.

Is this a diesel or petrol?

Strongly suggest getting the cylinder compressions tested.

At an estimated oil use of 9 litres in 1000 miles, that engine should be smoking like an old T72 - or dropping oil like the Torrey Canyon!

Just now, Warrior193 said:

Is this a diesel or petrol?

Strongly suggest getting the cylinder compressions tested.

At an estimated oil use of 9 litres in 1000 miles, that engine should be smoking like an old T72 - or dropping oil like the Torrey Canyon!

Sorry petrol!

Yes by all accounts it should be, the back of the car should be coated, it should be billowing black smoke out of the back, but there's just a thin film of carbon on the back paintwork that comes off entirely with one piece of tissue, there's no black or white smoke at all, I can't feel a lack of pressure from the turbo and she shifts smoothly. Diagnostic only turned up a report of a misfire at one point but not a repeat issue. It's got me stumped.

With that oil use, I can't imagine that the catalyser is functioning now.

Even if it was blowing the oil out through the crankcase breather, that amount of smoke should be very noticeable. 

Just now, Warrior193 said:

With that oil use, I can't imagine that the catalyser is functioning now.

Even if it was blowing the oil out through the crankcase breather, that amount of smoke should be very noticeable. 

There's no smoke at all, which is probably the most baffling thing. When I got it, the oil level was low and I topped it up with 1 1/2, then we put another 2 in when I got her home as she still seemed on the low side. Got her up to full, drove her a bit with no issue, then suddenly in the space of 3 weeks, had to put 4l in, just put another 2 in recently as well. You'll park her up, do a check after doing some shopping and she'll be fine, then a week later the light comes on and she's suddenly needing another 2l. I've been trying to check regularly and she's not lost any yet so I'm left scratching my head. I'm going to try another local garage, but I'm braced for them trying to fix something other than the reason, I've had a blown turbo on a previous car involve the entire exhaust being replaced and the garage not thinking the noise it was still making was much of a problem.

You need to get a compression test done on the engine. Was this bought through a dealer?

1 minute ago, Warrior193 said:

You need to get a compression test done on the engine. Was this bought through a dealer?

It was, but through one that signed everything over to a warranty company who frankly are a bunch of absolute crooks. I had the rear wiper motor seize and they refused to accept the mechanic's diagnosis and argued with me on the phone claiming they were right and he was wrong. I don't think the warranty covers those specific engine issues either. Done like a kipper.

 

I'm trying to find a garage that will do something like that, because the last time I took it to one, they returned it to me having coded the steering wheel but not actually fixed the engine issue I took it in for...

Where are you located? - someone close to your area can probably make a recommendation. 

I'm on the Shropshire/Powys border, Shrewsbury way.

Don't forget that you have certain rights under UK consumer law.

When was it purchased - and did you advise dealer that there might be an issue, how long after purchase was that?

If you did make a complaint, what was their response?

Pretty unlikely that dealer was unaware of the problem at time of sale.

Edited 8 August, 20241 yr by Warrior193
added information

Hi, from what I can understand from the paperwork, all issues regarding the sale were passed onto the warranty company and the dealer basically says to take it up with them, effectively "sold with you knowing there were issues" etc. I'm not sure what else I'm able to do there. We checked the exhaust after taking it on a test drive, no carbon build-up, it got through the emissions on the MOT (though of course that could have been fudged a bit). When I got it, it was parked on a slope but I still felt the oil was too low and demanded that they put another 1 1/2 litres in, with them complaining and saying I'd damage it by putting more in and that the level was fine (it wasn't). When we got her back we topped her up to full and didn't have an issue for about a month. When I've tried talking to the dealer they basically push me onto the warranty company, and they are practically in the business of refusing anything they possibly can.

 

Purchased 8th May, so had her 3 months today.

Just now, EHeath said:

Hi, from what I can understand from the paperwork, all issues regarding the sale were passed onto the warranty company and the dealer basically says to take it up with them, effectively "sold with you knowing there were issues" etc. I'm not sure what else I'm able to do there. We checked the exhaust after taking it on a test drive, no carbon build-up, it got through the emissions on the MOT (though of course that could have been fudged a bit). When I got it, it was parked on a slope but I still felt the oil was too low and demanded that they put another 1 1/2 litres in, with them complaining and saying I'd damage it by putting more in and that the level was fine (it wasn't). When we got her back we topped her up to full and didn't have an issue for about a month. When I've tried talking to the dealer they basically push me onto the warranty company, and they are practically in the business of refusing anything they possibly can.

 

Purchased 8th May, so had her 3 months today.

Warranty was for 6 months, but it's not worth the paper it was written on.

Were you advised of excessive oil use at time of sale?

My understanding is that original seller is still responsible regardless of 3rd party warranty.

If both warranty provider 😒 and dealer refuse to accept fault, my suggestion is to take it up with Consumer Advice.

44 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

Were you advised of excessive oil use at time of sale?

My understanding is that original seller is still responsible regardless of 3rd party warranty.

If both warranty provider 😒 and dealer refuse to accept fault, my suggestion is to take it up with Consumer Advice.

I wasn't advised of any issues. Thanks for that, I might just contact Consumer Advice. I noticed the oil was low and questioned why but they didn't think anything was wrong...

52 minutes ago, EHeath said:

Hi, from what I can understand from the paperwork, all issues regarding the sale were passed onto the warranty company and the dealer basically says to take it up with them, effectively "sold with you knowing there were issues" etc.

Unless you were explicitly informed of an oil consumption issue with this car then by my reading of the OP, the Sale of Goods Acts will apply, and the vendor must repair the fault or reimburse you in full. Don't take my word for it, talk to your local Citizens' Advice.

5 minutes ago, Paws4Thot said:

Unless you were explicitly informed of an oil consumption issue with this car then by my reading of the OP, the Sale of Goods Acts will apply, and the vendor must repair the fault or reimburse you in full. Don't take my word for it, talk to your local Citizens' Advice.

Doing that now. The terms and conditions of sale from the dealer say that everything then goes to the warranty provider and "cant (sic) be claimed back from the dealer" but nowhere in the terms does it state that the engine has been checked etc. or excuse issues with it, it just talks about the electrics. Funnily enough Citizen's Advice just hung up on me.

I don't think their terms and conditions stand up to scrutiny.

The "terms and conditions" state basically that I've inspected it and think it's all fine so it's nothing to do with them and has to be taken up with the warranty company. Waiting to see what CA say.

Really appreciate the advice, CA said I have a case and ran it through with me, I'll send the dealer a letter recorded delivery tomorrow after hopefully getting the issue diagnosed. Then I need to get a few quotes and wait for them to reply. If they don't engage I can take it through small claims court.

 

Felt quite knocked down by it all earlier but thanks to this and the CA, now a lot better because I know where I stand. Thanks again.

I was looking for the sticky but there is only one for engine failures with this engines, the OP should do a search for  excessive oil consumption,has happened to numerous members on here over the years. 

 

https://www.theaa.com/car-buying/legal-rights

 

19 hours ago, EHeath said:

The "terms and conditions" state basically that I've inspected it and think it's all fine so it's nothing to do with them and has to be taken up with the warranty company. Waiting to see what CA say.

Their stated 'Terms and Conditions' cannot override the provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Glad to see that you have contacted Citizens Advice.

Bad news I'm afraid, garage noticed it smoking starting cold (haven't seen that myself but hey), diagnosed oil getting into the cylinders and being burned along with the oil. Verdict - an economic write-off. Sending a letter via recorded delivery to the dealer on Monday detailing that the car was not of "sufficient quality" as per the CAB's instructions. Dealer is assumed to have known about any such issue at point of sale otherwise the duty is on them to prove otherwise (which they can't). Mechanic's opinion was that the MOT emissions test was fudged as there was no way it would have got through it legally.

 

Gutted because I very much liked the car and it's an invisible issue, the car still drives, the engine still picks up. But in reality it's a goner. If I get a full refund, it will include miles driven since purchase being taken off the final repayment, quite irritatingly somewhat greater than the 400 or so that I'd clocked up the first time I took it into a garage and they obsessed about the steering wheel coding and didn't look at the issue with the engine itself. But then again, you're supposed to live and learn. I just seem to learn!

 

Thank you for all your help on here, it's been incredibly helpful and I appreciate it massively. I'm just absolutely gutted.