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Subaru Settles Oil Consumption Lawsuit

29K views 41 replies 21 participants last post by  rpm92109 
#1 ·
Of course its normal to burn a quart of oil every 1000 miles......says no one ever.

Subaru Owners Win Compensation And Warranty Boost For Oil-Burning Cars

Subaru Owners Win Compensation And Warranty Boost For Oil-Burning Cars

Stef Schrader
Yesterday 6:00pmFiled to: SUBARU

Disgruntled Subaru Forester, Outback, Legacy, Impreza and Crosstek owners whose cars burned more oil than usual can rest a little easier today. Top Class Actions reports that owners of the defective engines will be reimbursed by Subaru for expenses related to the defect and given a longer warranty.

The lawsuit alleged that defective piston rings caused them to burn extra oil, and that Subaru knew of the problem but didn’t disclose it to owners. The lawsuit, as quoted by Top Class Actions, alleges that Subaru “improperly denied many warranty repairs, and then, more recently, secretly changed the scope of its warranty coverage without telling affected drivers.”

Owners were paying for faulty piston ring related repairs and extra engine oil out-of-pocket, which sounds so annoying that I can’t even make a joke about it as Jalopnik’s token Mitsubishi-driving Internet troll. (My car may no longer be made soon, but at least it doesn’t smoke o—ah. Ah, I can’t. That sounds genuinely miserable, and I’m sorry if you’re stuck dealing with that.)

So, to make good with its owners, Subaru agreed to the following, per Top Class Actions:

Increase the warranty length from 5 years or 60,000 miles length to an 8 years or 100,000 miles
Pay 100 percent of vehicle owners’ costs for repairs, parts and labor, rental cars, towing and the cost of up to six quarts of oil per vehicle
Provide a free oil consumption test and technical service bulletin repairs for owners or leasers of the defective vehicles.
According to Torque News, the affected FB engines are the 2.5-liter engines in the 2011-2014 Forester, 2013 Legacy and 2013 Outback and the 2.0-liter engines in the 2012-2013 Impreza and 2013 XV Crosstrek.
 
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#8 ·
Here are the years/models that are part of the lawsuit. If they are extending the powetrain warranty to 8/100, I would look into it.

2011-2014 Forester (with 2.5-liter engines)
2013 Legacy (with 2.5-liter engines)
2013 Outback (with 2.5-liter engines)
2012-2013 Impreza (with 2.0-liter engines)
2013 XV Crosstrek (with 2.0-liter engines) - See more at: Update: Subaru oil consumption class action lawsuit - Torque News
 
#5 ·
I called Subaru today and it was song and dance. "We are not aware he at Corp that there has been a settlement. Please take your car to a local Subaru for oil consumption test." I kinda laughed, said thank you and hung up. Like I cant tell that I need to add a quart of oil about every 2,500 miles. Im sorry, a dip stick test doesnt cut the mustard. If Subaru thinks its customers are stupid and they believe "burning a quart of oil every 1000 miles is normal", they need to change their scripted response.

I did purchase an extended Gold warranty so it looks like I get another year on the POWERTRAIN---puts me at 7yr/100k bumper to bumper and 8yr/100k on Powertrain.

Now what is Subaru's response to the amount of oil burning every 3000 miles is normal?
 
#9 ·
Here are the years/models that are part of the lawsuit. If they are extending the powetrain warranty to 8/100, I would look into it.

2011-2014 Forester (with 2.5-liter engines)
2013 Legacy (with 2.5-liter engines)
2013 Outback (with 2.5-liter engines)
2012-2013 Impreza (with 2.0-liter engines)
2013 XV Crosstrek (with 2.0-liter engines) - See more at: Update: Subaru oil consumption class action lawsuit - Torque News
 
#14 ·
but no one is more a loyal subaru customer then you,...having even tasted and spat out a Evo.
 
#13 ·
I have a 2013 Outback I think was built in Oct. 2015. While a friend of mine had her engine replaced for free on her 2013 for significant oil consumption, it seems mine has been rather unconcerning. I do need to add oil, but it's not more than about a quart or maybe two between 7500 mile interval oil changes.

Should I have any concern about this matter, or be content that it truly is perfectly fine and needs no further address (unless things change)?
 
#21 ·
I stopped by my dealership on Sunday and asked about an oil consumption test and they were not even aware of the lawsuit, neither was my salesperson who I bought both my Outbacks. I attended the Subaru Winterest at Snowbird Ski (thank you Subaru for taking 20 of us on the mountain before it opened and we had some great powder runs for 40 minute before the mountain opened and the 2 free lift tickets--got pad $200 to snowboard for a couple of hours) yesterday and asked a few people and know one even knew about the lawsuit, let alone a settlement. Information will probably start flowing once all the details are ironed out between the lawyers. The issue falls within the powertrain so if your under 5 years and 60k, nothing the to worry about and looks like they may extend to powertrain to 8/100k. In my case since I have a 7/100 bumper to bumper, if there anything wrong, Im going to wait until I'm towards the end of my warranty to address it, unless it gets worse than it is today. I have 39k on the 2013 2.5i SAP. My conversations with Subaru were casual and confirmed there is a turbo version coming out in the couple years and the 3 row Subaru will come out in 2019.
 
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#24 ·
You'll have to get in touch with SOA yourself, like you said...the wife already has her resolution, and it didn't cost her a dime.

The settlement covers FB20s from MY12 as well as 2013 in Imprezas. 2013 only for Outbacks. Soooo, hopefully you can get SOME documentation that your car qualifies for short block replacement from the manufacturer.
 
#29 ·
This is my understanding of affected vehicles. We got the packet on my wife's '14 Forester but not my '15 OB.


Automatic / CVT Transmission:
2011-14 Forester (below VIN *529004)
2012-13 Impreza 4-Door (below VIN *033336)
2012-13 Impreza 5-Door Wagon (below VIN *886714)
2013 Crosstrek (below VIN *856139)
2013 Legacy (below VIN *048086)
2013 Outback (below VIN *321435)

Manual Transmission:
2011-15 Forester (below VIN *543650 )
2012-15 Impreza (below VIN *270253)
2013-15 Crosstrek (below VIN *270284)
2013-14 Legacy (all)
2013-14 Outback (all)
 
#32 ·
I no longer drive a lot of miles so I might not be the best example. I have had my '15 for just about 11 months and only have 9700 miles on it. Did the first oil change in December and will being doing the next one next month. So far I have used no oil.


My wife's '14 Forester on the other hand does use a quart between changes. I don't find that excessive and it is certainly not a concern to us.

I check both vehicles once a month and add to hers as needed.

I'm still not convinced that some of the issues are not caused by how a driver breaks in their new vehicle. I tend to drive like a turtle from stops.....my wife on the other hand is a jack rabbit....:grin2:
 
#35 ·
You want Subaru to pay for a new engine because of "oil consumption issues"? Let me guess - you drive a 4cylinder? If you've done your research, you will know that it's not just Subaru, but EVERY SINGLE MANUFACTURER that makes a 4 cylinder car has oil consumption issues. Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, Nissan - all of them have been sued over alleged "oil consumption" because someone wanted to make a quick and easy buck. Fact, the size of 4 cylinder motors has increases two fold to where the block is almost the size of what the 6 cylinders used to be. Oddly enough, they are using the same amount of oil (4 to 4.5 qts), with the same number of cylinders and valves - which creates even MORE heat- which in turn burns off the oil. My 92 Nissan 240sx used to burn through oil ever 2,700 miles, and would be bone dry if I didn't change the oil at 3,000, even when I used Mobil 1 Synthetic high mileage blend - but you all want to complain about oil change intervals that are twice that? Laughable at best.

Notice how 6+ cylinder cars never have oil consumption issues? You are blaming Subaru, but bottom line is - thousands of Subaru's are sold a day, when 1 out of those thousands per day have an issue, do you think a global conglomerate is going to stop everything just for small percentage of issues? That doesn't stop Toyota from remaining #1, so it doesn't make any of us any more special. Subaru is the #1 rate car by owner loyalty, in spite of past problems, so you have to wonder, is it Subaru, or is it you.
 
#38 ·
i did not have an individual trial. i was part of the class action lawsuit and the forms i signed stated the trial began in july or august, i dont even remember. how can an engine in an appliance car need to be replaced at 87k miles? my wife drives extremely conservatively. she got 79k miles out of those stock craptastic tires.


the dealer wanted $15,000 to replace the engine. a subaru shop did it for $4,019.

the ej25 in my outback has never burned a drop of oil in the 88k miles of harsh abuse its gone thru. fb engines seem to burn oil and then they dont for a while...
 
#39 ·
I'm the lucky guy who bought a used 2013 Outback (with over 100k miles at the time of purchase - I know, what was I thinking?!) and have had 1) catalytic converter failure, 2) CVT failure, and 3) excessive oil consumption (1 quart every 600 miles or so).

I paid for 1, was super relieved to get my letter the other day for 2, and am very worried about 3.

My question is this: the CVT letter from the other day extends the warranty for one year even to cars with over 100k miles. Did the original oil consumption agreement do anything similar? As far as I know, I never got a letter about it.

Thanks!
 
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