High Oil Consumption

January 10, 2006

To All Avensis Owners with the dreaded High Oil Consumption problem. Let us come together, join up our efforts to get Toyota to recognize the problem and own up to it even for those of us like me who are out warranty. There is Power in Numbers, and in Union. We can get the cars registrations and other necessary information then send it to Toyota GB Customer Relations. Hopefully when the see the magnitude of the problem, they will do something. If they don't then we can look for another way forward, maybe even find a Lawyer who is willing to knock down the giant.

January 10, 2006

Count me in. Mine is currently using 1/2L per 1000 miles, but I'm concerned that it's likely to get worse once the unofficial warranty runs out. Going the 'legal' route is likely to be expensive, and I'm not sure that we have a case. Generating some seriously bad publicity is likely to be far more effective. Anyone fancy writing to watchdog, car magazines, picketing the local dealers.......?

Personally, I think Toyota replacing engines FOC reflects very well on them. The way that everything is unofficial, unpublicised, inconsistant and has to be fought for stinks. Their good intent is completely destroyed by the lack of communications.

I completely agree - if we unite we have a much stronger position.

By the way, if your Toyota dealer offers to check the oil consumption on your car - watch out. They explain that they'll fill the sump to the 'max' level on the dipstick, then check it again 600 miles later. Mine came back from the service with the oil level 12mm ABOVE max, which makes the consumption look much less than it really is.

Ian

January 10, 2006

I have just bought an Avensis, I am having a (non Toyota) service on Thursday and will then monitor oil consumption to see if I have a problem.

I am happy to contribute to any campaign to get Toyota to recognise this problem.

It seems to me that the extended 5 year warranty only covers the cars for the period within which they are unlikely to develop a serious problem.

Quite frankly if a Toyota engine cannot do in excess of 100,000 miles without using any more than a negliagable amount of oil then it is not fit for the purpose it is sold - regardless of any extended warranty set my Toyota or whether you have had main dealer servicing.

Given that there is a recognised problem with the engines and as long as you have had the car regularly serviced (toyota or non-toyota) according to the guidelines you should have right on your side. Surely what Toyota should be doing is a product recall on the affected vehicles.

I suggest collecting together all the details of affected vehicles we can lay our hands on - then approaching Toyota. If there is no satisfaction we can then involve Magazines, Watchdog, MPs and even the Dept for Trade and Industry.