2AZ Toyota Oil Consumption

I have a 2007 Rav4.  I call it the Pyd4... Anyways, it falls into the toyota piston ring debacle for the 2AZ motor.  It's using at least 3 quarts in between 5K oil changes.  There is an extended service campaign on the car, 150K or 10years, if you use more than a quart in 1100-1300 miles they will fit new pistons and rods inside the engine.  It has "passed" the test once and I am doing it again...  I'm assuming that I "pass" again.  

Anyone been successful with arguing with toyota corp?  I know I'm in a losing cycle here as the consumption is slowly getting worse over the years.  At this rate, I should be up to 4 quarts by next summer.  Thoughts???  When do I dump this thingy?

Let it be known that the only reason why I like the car is because it is paid 4... and I don't want a payment....  but man do I hate this car..  my minivan is a more interesting driver..

EDIT: Adding TSB Link if you are really that bored.

Try some "Restore".

Drive the pooty out of it during the "test"?  You know, redline shifts every time, etc.  If it is borderline on the one quart in 1300 miles, that should push you into the "you failed" or passed, or whatever region.

Dr. Hess said:

Drive the pooty out of it during the "test"?  You know, redline shifts every time, etc.  If it is borderline on the one quart in 1300 miles, that should push you into the "you failed" or passed, or whatever region.

Ah, smart...seriously I think "assisting" the engine into the proper amount of oil consumption may be a good idea. Run it hard, run cheap oil (thinnest viscosity that will work), switch to a K&N "cowcatcher" filter. Maybe richen up the mixture somehow if you can, that accelerates ring wear.

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Toyota seals the engine for the test.  but I could leave it out of OD a lot.

Oh, gosh, did that speedo sensor plug get disconnected?  How'd that happen.  Better put it back in and clear the codes before I take it back in to the dealer....

You know the dipstick tube isnt sealed to the engine right? 

So I failed or passed the test(whatever means I'm a gross oil burner).

But I'm 5 moths over the First date of service + 10 years for the service campaign.  Now I got a rav4 that has less thn 100K on it and smells like burning oil when you crank it up. so time call corporate and complain.

Point out how long you have been complaining about this.  Tell them that's when it started.  Toyota, in general, has a pretty good reputation for standing behind their products.  Good luck on it, Iggy.

official toyota position is no more help.

Official FBC family position is no more toyotas...

What do you mean by "official" Toyota position.....local warranty rep, dealer, who?  How long have you owned the Toyota?  I'm curious why they even did the consumption test if it was "out of warranty".   How long ago was the 1st test you had on it, and how bad was it then?

I'd look into escalating it depending on how long you've owned it, and looking for some sort of goodwill repair. 

I escalated to Corp.  their official position is no.   I’ve owned the rav4 since new. 

That's really disappointing they wouldn't do right by you,  especially when you documented your initial complaint within the prescribed period.

Well.. shes at 1.5 quarts in a 1,000 miles now with 101K on the clock..  

interestingly enough, it was a Rav4 that the wife had that swore us off Toyotas. 

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

Call corporate back up and make them feel bad about it. At the very least, if the corporate person you talk to is doing all that they can then they won’t feel bad, if they are not doing everything they can for you and they are just screwing you because they’re lazy then you will make them loose and sleep at night and that’s worth a couple quarts of oil

so.. the decision point is..  Drive it until it coughs its last oil soaked breath.  or dump it now while it still has "some" value.  NADA Trade is $5K and private party around $6k....  

I'm cheap and don't want to dump it, but I've never been bashful about my hatred for the car.  It's an OK enough commuter, but it does nothing well.  Gas mileage =25-26mpg on my commute so not horrid, but not great...  Fun = nope  Practical = kinda.. it barely fits the kids in the back seat and the 3rd row is pain to use because of the infant seat strapped down in the middle seat.  THe kiddie has to enter and exit thorough the rear, and the rear doesn't have enough leg room for the ever growing kiddos..  

Pros:  I've owned it since new.  Let me down once to a battery fruiting out while under warranty.... I know the maint. records and it is reliable.

thoughts...

In reply to Trackmouse :

We already did.  Toyota dodged a class action lawsuit a few years back by institutiting the extended service program.  They don't want to deviate from the program due to potential legal implications.  We didn't drive it enough to get trigger the oil consumption levels, because my wife was a homemaker for years and I lived in seattle where I commuted by bus.. hence low mileage.  So we aged out of the service campaign of 150Kmiles or 10 years.

Trade it in on something new and more interesting.  It's time.

 I agree, top that thing up with a bunch of oil, take it to your nearest used dealer and see what they can wheel and deal with. 

We had ours rebuilt at 149,800 miles (just squeaked in under the 150k cutoff).  Ours is an 08, bought new by my wife in 08.  Take it to another dealer?  I hadn't heard any other cutoff, other than 150k miles, or 3 passed tries.  

The test is flawed.  They tell you to come back in 11-1300 miles.  But they don't check for 11/13 or 13/13ths oil consumption, they have the same pass/fail range regardless of how far you drove.  Knowing this, I plotted out daily use of the car so that we got it to the service center with something like 14 miles to spare.  Failed by a longshot, according to my Service advisor.  

I changed the oil and cut the filter open after 500 miles, clean and no sign of any debris (they hone the rings with the engine still in the car).  Less than half a quart down now on a full OCI (5k miles).  Over the moon, for our cash spend of ~$300 (I had them do a water pump and new serpentine belt while it was apart).

The parts weren't that expensive....maybe they'd agree to do labor on them if you buy rings/pistons and gaskets?  All it takes these days is making a big digital stink...

Regardless of how much oil this car does or doesn't consume, you hate the thing.  If you have the means to buy something else, then do it.  Even a used car that's a year or two newer will be in improvement over your current situation.

Come on the tsb was not that boring. 

I have a 2001 corolla with oil consumption issues, which these 1zz-fe motors are famous for. I bought the car new with 3 miles on it. currently has over 224,000 miles and still runs well. It started using oil around 60,000 miles. Searching forums the fixes I have come up with involve using 5w-20 weight synthetic to help it flow best, an aside, I have always changed my oil every 3000 miles since new. A cleaning oil such as pennsoil is recommended to try and keep the engine clean and the oil flowing, also I have used castrol magnatec for several oil changes hoping it may keep some oil on everything. marketing im sure. Keeping track I went from using about a quart every 1000 miles to about a quart every 1800 miles. I just treat it like a front wheel drive rx8 that will last forever as long as I keep an eye on the oil level. 

One quart per 1,000 miles is normal.  Unfortunately.  The Fiat Multi Air 2.4 can use one quart per 500 miles with "spirited driving", or exceeding 3,500 RPMs on a regular basis.  Still normal, covered by a TSB, and no reason for warranty.  They say to check the oil at each gas fill-up.  

Sorry Toyota won't do anything for you.  Par for the course, I guess.