My wife predominantly drives this car and said that she noticed that a small red light comes on from time to time when she brakes. When I tried to recreate the issue, everything seemed to be running fine with no lights coming on. When I checked the engine oil, the level was about halfway between the empty and full. I topped off the engine oil just to make sure it was full and didn't think much of it.

About a 3500 miles later I was driving the scion tC and I finally saw that the oil light came on for less than a second and turned off while I was braking at the stop light. I immediate pulled over to check oil level and it was not even detectable on the dip stick! I immediate bought 2 qts of Mobile 1 that I normally use and that got the oil level about 75% full! I started Googling to see if others had the same issue and saw that I was not the only one and that Toyota claims this is "normal" oil consumption.

I'm sorry Toyota, but burning 2+ qts of oil in 3500 miles is not normal in a car. This is not a race car being driven on a track day. It's a daily commuter car that suffers from stop and go traffic of Los Angeles.

My 2007 Scion tC, is experiencing excessive oil consumption believed to be from defective piston rings designed by the manufacturer. This will inevitably lead to engine failure if not caught soon enough, and is already an extremely expensive fix as is. My car no longer falls under the standard Toyota Powertrain Warranty (60 months / 60k miles). But has less than 85,000 miles on it. Toyota will do nothing to fix this problem that has affected multiple model/years of their cars with the engine 2AZ-FE. This needs to be recalled and fixed by Toyota.

I recently bought a used 2007 Scion tC from a close family member, someone I believe I could trust. She said that the car was in good running condition aside from minor cosmetic damage, everything else works just like it should. Although she did mention that there was only one minor defect about the car. She stated that this problem is considered a common thing for this particular make, year, & model. She said that the car needs to be "topped off" with about a liter of fresh oil at least once in between regular oil maintenance times. At the moment, I didn't think of it being such a big deal because for older cars that tends to happen. After about a month of driving and a few days after I have my first oil change as the new owner, oddly my oil sensor light came noticeably too soon. I check my oil & dip stick like anyone else would. As soon as I open the cap, the motor lets off a cloud of smoke. I thought it was strange that there was also no oil to be found on the dip-stick itself. With further inspection I noticed that all the oil had dramatically vanished only a week after I had an oil change. I topped it off again and checked back a week later to see if I would get the same results or anything different. As before, the amount of oil was near empty, not suitable for daily driving. About three months later after being fed up and worried, I decided to get help from an expert. It became huge red flag for me when I noticed that I'm consuming more oil then gasoline. My mechanic for more than 20 plus years informed me about a recall for my vehicle. He offered to help/repair the car if Toyota wouldn't do anything. He stated I would need internal engine work or maybe a new/used complete motor swap. His estimate was more than what I paid for the car. I did some investigating, researched online, and spoke with the seller to get more info. They never received any bulletin from Toyota, otherwise they would have addressed the problem. The car has only been serviced at the Toyota dealership since the day it was purchased as a new vehicle. I'm only the 2nd owner, Toyota should have mentioned the 2011 recall to the original owner instead of falsely informing her that this is common problem for older cars, especially this particular model, and that she shouldn't worry because its not that big of a deal.

I go check the official Toyota site to look for recalls and there is absolutely nothing to be found regarding the recall issued back in 2011. What happened? How did such a big issue get swept under the rug. I feel cheated and SOL. I practically gave away my car for free for this lemon. My previous car was more dependable then this piece of junk that continues to fall apart. I feel helpless and I hope for a miracle to happen. I got rid of my reliable 1995 Toyota Avalon thinking I was upgrading to something better. Boy was I wrong... I can barely afford to get another car, now I have to question my means of transportation, it has definitely effected my livelihood and "well-being". Someone please save me, this is totally unfair... Toyota, why am I paying and suffering for all of your mistakes?

Needing to refill 1 - 2 quarts of oil between oil changes? After having my engine replaced in 2010 for the exact same issue, my Scion's second engine continued to burn an excessive amount of oil. The problem getting worse and worse as the years past. I received a letter from Scion in February of 2015 notifying me of a "Warranty Enhancement Program." It told me that I could have an oil consumption test done on my car to determine if it was using enough oil to qualify for a fix to the problem. This was made very clear in the letter that this was not a recall and making note "At Scion, we are dedicated to providing vehicles of outstanding quality and value. As part of our continual efforts to ensure customer satisfaction, Scion is advising you of this Enhancement to the Warranty Coverage to assure you that we stand behind the product." After paying a ridiculous amount for an oil change and waiting over 2 hours for it (that I could have been working), I was sent on my way to drive between 1,100-1,300 miles before coming back to dealership to get the analysis done. Came back to the dealership after 1,200 miles and my Scion had gone through 1.1 quarts of oil. The dealership then told me if I had gone through 1.3 quarts of oil then I would have qualified for the fix that would take about a month to complete. So now I sit and just have to deal with the fact that my Scion burns an absurd amount of oil and continue to keep purchasing quarts upon quarts of oil to make sure that my engine does not run dry. Oh, and I can't get another oil consumption test done on my vehicle because Scion only allows 2 done per vehicle. So much for standing behind their product.

Here is part of a letter that I had sent directly to Toyota explaining my experience dated Sept. 20, 2010: " The past 3 years I have absolutely enjoyed my vehicle. I love everything about it, it is my pride and joy and I can’t tell you how many compliments I have received on it. However, the past month has been a complete nightmare between my car and the experience that I have received with your company and one of your franchises.

About 8 months ago, my father and I had noticed that my TC was burning a lot of oil all of a sudden. We have been very careful about making sure the oil was being changed every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, not seeing a huge concern until my 68,000 mile oil change. We decided to watch it very closely to see if there were any oil leaks or any new strange noises that my engine was making. To our astonishment there were none. So we decided it would be best for a dealership to take a look at it, thinking that it may be that the PCP valve was clogged. My Father has had great service with the Toyota dealership in Lake City, Wa in the past, and was very confident that they would be the best to deal with my issue.

Unfortunately we were wrong in my decision. We arrived with the vehicle and let them know what was going on with my TC. The service advisor that was assisting us told us that we needed to get an oil change done with the dealership and that the oil change we had done the week prior was not going to be acceptable to get the process started, which we understood. At this time my extended warranty company was also contacted and a claim was made.

I was told by the service advisor to continue driving my vehicle until the oil was at a certain point on the dip stick so that they could do an oil consumption test. Two weeks later I brought my car back into Toyota of Lake City because the oil on the dipstick was at the requested level. Toyota found that my TC was using a quart and a half in 643 miles. A ridiculous amount for a motor only 3 years old with 80,000 miles on it. I was then told that the only way to find out what was definitely causing the issue was for a complete engine tear down.

My warranty was not going to help me with the $2,000.00+ complete engine tear down with out knowing the reason for the tear down so I was to be held responsible for the expense of it until Toyota found an issue that would or would not be covered by the warranty company. I was told by the Toyota service advisor that it most likely would be that the piston rings had carbon build up and my warranty company was saying if that was the case then it would not be covered. But not knowing for sure, left me with an extremely hard decision with the gamble of a $2,000.00+ repair, which I could not afford to do. At this point the Toyota service advisor simply threw up his arms and said there was nothing else that he could do, that I had to have a complete engine teardown performed on my vehicle with the gamble that the warranty company may or may not cover it, or I can continue driving my vehicle aware of the problem but choosing not to fix it, making my warranty contract void. I went to the Toyota of Lake City and rescued my car, brought it back to my house, where it sat for a few days while I mulled over the idea of the possibility at looking at thousands of dollars to get my 2007 Scion TC fixed.

I spoke to a friend of mine that works for a Toyota dealership in Idaho and he suggested that I try Toyota Corporate, and to also try calling another Toyota dealership, because none of that sounded right. With the amount of oil being burned and the engine being as new as it was, the fact that the only option I had was a complete engine tear down was completely bogus and if I were his customer they would make sure that I was taken care of.

So I did what my friend suggested I called Toyota Corporate, and explained my situation. They agreed that with information given to them, they too could not help me because I was out of the manufacturer’s warranty and that I would need to authorize a complete engine teardown and there was nothing they could do. I tried calling Michael’s Toyota in Bellevue, WA, and got the same answer. I also called the Millennium Ford dealership that had sold me the vehicle only to find out that they had gone out of business. However, after spending several minutes getting passed around I was connected with someone that was willing to actually listen to my problem and put me in contact with someone that could help.

And help they did. A FORD company that had taken over Millennium Ford was finally stepping up to a TOYOTA problem. A problem that I don’t see as their issue. Horizon Ford immediately took me in and went to bat for me with my warranty company. Offering to do the complete engine tear down at a fourth of the cost that Toyota had quoted me and providing me with a complimentary loaner car until we could get more information on my engine.

They found that the piston rings were in alignment which they thought as odd and was unsure if that was typical of a Toyota engine, because most engine’s piston rings are alternated at different levels. The warranty inspector came out and took a look at this then decided to take a look at the valves. The valve guides were worn and causing the inside of the cylinders to carbon up.

Now I know that a complete engine tear down was not the only option that I had. All that needed to be done was to remove a valve panel in order to find the main problem. I am extremely disappointed that no one from Toyota had brought up or thought to check the valve seals in the first place, also come to find out that the failure of the valve seals is actually highly common in the Scion TC’s.

I am now in the process of getting my 2007 Scion TC engine replaced at the request and financial obligation of my warranty company. I cannot tell you the frustration and let down that I have experienced in Toyota as a company and the Toyota of Lake City franchise for not backing up their product. I could have bought a new Hyundai Tiburon with a manufacturer’s warranty of 100,000 miles and I would not have gone thru all this. This was a huge disappointment to me, because I was under the influence that a Toyota engine was suppose to last more than 80,000 miles. "

Toyota did absolutely nothing

Engine seized up and died after 90,000 miles while I was driving home on the interstate...barely made it to the shoulder in time. Toyota told me there is no oil in the engine and will not offer any assistance on the $6,400 repair bill even after their previously acknowledged issues with excessive oil consumption. I will never buy a Toyota again and it's scary that there are likely many thousands of vehicles on the road with these faulty engines that could die at any point. I do not even want to repair this car and continue to drive it, but we cannot afford a new car right now. Has anyone gotten Toyota to offer any assistance at all on this issue?

WELL, THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO TOYOTA YEARS AGO ABOUT THE OIL CONSUMPTION. THEY NEVER ACTED AT REINHARDT TOYOTA IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA THAT THEY HAD ANY INTEREST. MY DAUGHTER HAS SPENT SEVERAL DOLLARS ON OIL TO KEEP FROM BLOWING THE ENGINE UP. WE, HER PARENTS GOT A LETTER FINALLY FROM TOYOTA ON DECEMBER 2015 STATING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO A OIL CONSUMPTION TEST ON HER CAR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 2016. SO, ON JANUARY 18, 2016 WE DROPPED HER CAR OFF AT REINHARDT TOYOTA FOR THE TEST PROCEDURE. WE HAD TO WAIT TWO OR 158,000 MILES FOR THEM TO CHECK IT. SO ON FRIDAY JANUARY 29,2016 THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA FOR THE CHECKING, THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL US THAT SHE DID NOT USE ENOUGH OIL SO THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FIX THE CAR. SO, ON JANUARY 30, 2016 SHE DROVE THE CAR TO OUR HOUSE TO VISIT FOR DINNER, WHEN SHE LEFT HER DAD & I NOTICED A BIG OIL SPOT IN OUR DRIVE-WAY THEN COME TO FIND OUT SHE HAD TWO OIL SPOTS IN HER OWN DRIVE-WAY. HER FIANCE' CHECKS THE CAR FOR OIL AND SHE WAS COMPLETELY DRY OF OIL & THE OIL PLUG WAS VERY LOOSE. THIS WAS DONE AFTER THEY DID THE PLUG LOCK ON HER CAR WHICH SEEMS TO MY HUSBAND THAT THEY STRIPPED THE PLUG RIVETS. WE WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA. THEY ARE NOT A SATISFACTION COMPANY OR STANDING BEYOND THEIR VEHICLES. THIS OIL CONSUMPTION HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS AND THEY HAVE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THE SITUATION..

I HAVE A 2007 CAMRY XLE THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE BUT WITH ENOUGH COMPLAINING THEY FIXED MY ISSUE.

I received a letter from Scion in regards to Warranty Enhancement – ZE7, which detailed that replacement parts were available for vehicles that failed an engine oil consumption test. Based on this letter I made an appointment at Mark Miller Toyota for 01/05/2016 to begin the oil consumption test.

I have been taking my car to Mark Miller Toyota since 2010. My relationship with them began because my engine was making a ticking noise. Mark Killer Toyota has documentation about the history of my car and its excessive oil consumption. One of their technicians even stated in my car’s history that the tick in my engine is due to the excessive oil consumption.

Upon arrival the service manager that assisted me, Bruce, was very abrasive. He asked if I had the previous recommended repair completed, which was the nonchalant suggestion that the only way to get rid of the tick was to rebuild my engine. I asked Bruce, “Why would I rebuild my engine if Scion is acknowledging that there is an oil consumption problem?” He responded to that question stating that he couldn’t help me if I hadn’t completed that recommended repair.

I ask, what would the point be of having an oil consumption test completed if I had rebuilt my engine?

He then states that he could have the test done but that if my car fails, the only way I could move forward is to provide documentation of every oil change over the history of my car. I was baffled. He really didn’t give the slightest indication that he wanted to help me at all. I came into Mark Miller Toyota due to a letter I received from Scion, I was ill-prepared to be bullied by their service manager for some unjustified reason.

I told Bruce that, regardless of what documentation they would need to move forward, I wanted to get the oil consumption test completed. At that point in time he agreed to move forward and then after some unnecessary discussion about the loaner car I arranged for, he gave me keys to an iced over vehicle that I was to use for the day.

After they completed an oil change, sealed my oil cap and I’m assuming the filter/bolt in the undercarriage, they called me and let me know that my car was ready. When I arrived to pick up my car, no one walked through the paperwork with me. The receptionist had me sign for the oil change and acknowledge that I had to return at 1,100 miles to complete the test.

Based on my experience being badgered by Bruce, the service manager, I made a phone call to Scion and filed an official complaint. I was then contacted by Kris at Mark Miller Toyota who has had a helpful demeanor and requested that I return to Mark Miller Toyota and work with Wendell to have my oil consumption test completed. I returned today, 1/29/2016, at exactly 1,101 miles.

According to Wendell my car had consumed one quart of oil but regardless it passed the oil consumption test. Apparently my car would have to consume an entire quart and a drop before they would honor Warranty Enhancement – ZE7. If my car is burning through one quart every 1,100 miles, that would mean that at 3,000 miles (the typical time for an oil change) that I would only have one quart of oil left in my engine. Is my car supposed to run on that?

So my question is, if Scion is willingly offering to replace parts for cars that experience excessive oil consumption, why am I having to fight so hard to get that offer honored? If consuming one quart of oil for every 1,100 miles isn’t enough, what is? At what point in time is Scion/Mark Miller Toyota actually going to take accountability or was Warranty Enhancement – ZE7 just “fluff?”

I would like to see official documentation stating exactly how much oil has to be consumed for Warranty Enhancement – ZE7 to be honored. If it is true that consuming one quart of oil every 1,100 miles is not enough, I would like them to explain why. I am also inclined to let as many people as possible know that even though Scion is acknowledging that there is an issue, they have no inclination to follow through with it. Or maybe I’m wrong and for some unjust reason Mark Miller Toyota is unwilling to honor Warranty Enhancement – ZE7 sent by Scion. Then maybe they shouldn’t be a Scion dealership.

I have all documented paperwork

We noticed an oil consumption problem since just after we bought it but I just assumed that it was because of the 0w-20 oil that it uses. That crap is basically like water. But the time frame that it consumes oil keeps getting shorter so I may have to try a thicker oil as an attempted stopgap because we are not going to fix it or have it fixed. The Toyota dealership the we bought it from are crooks and we doubt very seriously that we will EVER buy another Toyota ever again. It had 54,000 when we bought it and it now has nearly 130,000 miles. Toyota was supposed to be a good brand but they seem to be overrated. I certainly hope somebody sues them for putting out inferior products and not stepping up to fix their mistakes and preying on people's trust.

I need help! I have a 2007 Scion tC and it failed the excessive oil consumption test! The dealership stated I need to pay for these parts at my own expense before they will put the entire car back together.

Drive Belt $112 Spark plugs $56 Balance shaft $424.04 PCV valve $10

I'm more so worried about the balance shaft because I know will low oil that can cause friction and I really don't feel like I should have to pay for it. I attempted to call corporate and they stated I would have to pay for the part. I asked to speak to a supervisor, but there were none there for the rest of the day. The dealership has called me several times today stated they need the car put back together by tomorrow even thou I put it in Friday evening, that they can't have it taking up a bay, and won't put it back together without the new parts that I'm told I have to pay for.

What do I do? Am I responsible for the balance shaft? I did look at that pdf linked below about the short block being replaced if needed, but someone please help me asap!

http://www.toyoheadquarters.com/threads/excessive-oil-consumption-on-2az-fe-engine-lsc-ze7.362/

I usually have to add 2 quarts of oil in-between oil changes. Alas, after 99,000 miles, the engine is completely dead. The knocking noise started, I added my usual 2 quarts of oil, but after driving just a few more miles, it made a terrible loud noises, and completely shut down. Mechanic said that something broke inside, probably due to lack of oil. I had thought that I had an oil leak, but never thought that it was due to oil consumption.

Toyota dealership said to get my car towed to them, get my past oil change statements, and present to them. They said that Toyota may help out on the engine cost, but couldn't promise anything.

The engine either needs to be re-built or replaced. (REALLY EXPENSIVE)

We bought a Scion Tc for my son approx one year ago. We still owe 2 yrs of payments. The car is extremely well cared for and in excellent condition for a used car. It has has regular maintenance. It was serviced in 11/29/14. It has only been lightly driven. He has only added less than 5000 miles since the last oil change. It was checked in April and didn't need changing at the time. Without and warnings, the engine blew up last Friday and stranded him.

We had the car towed to local mechanic and determined the problem. I learned that this car was on the oil consumption problem list and contacted my local dealer. (who we have used in the past) We own 5 Toyota vehicles right now. I had the car towed there. The service department checked the car and knew that the car had a problem. The info was sent to the warranty coordinator and he denied the claim. I called corp office again and opened a new ticket. He (the warranty coordinator denied it again) All from a photo and because the car still had a small amount of oil in it. So the people who made the decision never looked at my car. The local dealership was really surprise but said that his word was final.

I am furious! Cost for a new engine from Toyota ($6200) I will be totally upside down on the car and plus I don't have 6200. If that is not the problem, they can't tell me what is....

I have a 2007 Scion tC that I purchased in January 2008 with 5,000 miles on it. Every time I took it for an oil change they would always tell me the oil was almost empty, even though the low oil light / indicator never came on. I thought I just had a slow leak and I would repair it eventually. Express Oil Change actually told me it was a leak in the manifold gasket. I had this replaced by a local auto repair shop but it didn't help. The more miles I put on the car, the more often I had to put more oil in it. The vehicle now has 160,000 miles on it and uses about a quart of oil per week. I just received a notice of an Extended Warranty Enhancement Notification regarding excessive oil consumption and realize this has been the problem all along. I never kept receipts for all the oil I put in it or the times my spouse changed the oil at home. Will I get reimbursed for the hundreds of dollars of oil I purchased?

I love my 2007 Scion tC but it was gradually burning through oil faster and faster as time went on. Now the low oil pressure light comes on quite frequently and often my service advisers find little or no oil on the dipstick when I take it for an oil change. I have had the oil consumption test done, and it failed. I was told that "sufficient replacement parts" or at least a procedure would be available by spring to fix the issue. It is now July. Waiting on a fix before something bad happens to my engine :(