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Owners of Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza and Legacy are getting compensation from Subaru from the oil consumption lawsuit filed against them. According to Law360, Subaru of America (SOA) has agreed to compensate the drivers who filed the class action suit. SOA agreed to extend warranties and reimburse drivers for certain out-of-pocket costs from the alleged defect that is causing their vehicle’s engines to use excessive amounts of oil.
Last week, the drivers in the lawsuit told Law360, Subaru has agreed to extend its 5 year, 60,000-mile warranty in respect to the alleged defect to an 8 year, 100,000-mile warranty. SOA will also reimburse certain expenses for vehicle repairs, rental cars, towing and the purchase of up to six quarts of oil per vehicle with appropriate proof. According to the report, the drivers urged the court to grant preliminary approval of the settlement and schedule a final approval hearing.
Subaru owners are happy with the settlement
The Subaru owners appear to be happy with the settlement and said the agreement will provide most proposed class members with the same amount of compensation they would have obtained if the case went to trial. Subaru also agreed not to oppose up to $1.5 million in attorneys’ fees and costs associated with the case. They will also pay the nine named plaintiffs $3,500 each in incentive awards. Matthew D. Schelkopf, an attorney for the drivers, told Law360 in an email sent last week, “We are very pleased with the terms of the proposed relief for class members under the settlement agreement.”
Subaru makes it right with these nine named plaintiffs
Subaru knew there was a problem with certain Subaru engines and they needed to make things right with these customers. This settlement shows they are doing that. The report says, Subaru believes “the settlement is in the best interests of their respective clients.” What will this mean for Subaru owners who are still experiencing excessive oil consumption?
In the report by Law360, according to the proposed settlement of the lawsuit, Subaru also agreed to offer a free oil consumption test for all current owners and lessees and perform any technical service bulletin repairs connected to the alleged defect. Yet this is not anything more than Subaru has already been doing. Current owners who are having this issue will continue to deal with their Subaru dealer to get their individual problem addressed. This settlement will not help those still dealing with excessive oil consumption. The vehicles affected most seem to be 2011-2014 Forester (2.5-liter engine), 2013 Legacy (2.5-liter engine) 2013 Outback (2.5-liter engine) 2012-2013 Impreza (2.0-liter engine) and 2013 XV Crosstrek (2.0-liter engine). Check with your Subaru dealer for any new technical service bulletin repairs connected to the “alleged” defect.
Source: Law360
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Comments
Am surprised to hear the
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In reply to Now what for me? 2012 by UnhappyForesterOwner (not verified)
Am surprised to hear the frequency of the oil consumption issue. I own a 2006 Subaru Legacy GTLTD with the 2.5 turbo. Just passed 116k mi and at most I've burned 1/2 qt of oils between 4 k mi oil change intervals( the turbo needs more frequent oil changes). It's not uncommon in general for Subaru 2.5 boxers to burn some oil but 4-5 was is crazy. I would think you'd almost see burnt oil exiting the tailpipe at that consumption rate.
SAME! Did they end up doing
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In reply to Now what for me? 2012 by UnhappyForesterOwner (not verified)
SAME! Did they end up doing anything for you?
You have until June 2016 to
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You have until June 2016 to get your name included in the lawsuit. The law firm litigating the case is Girard-Gibbs and they are located in New Jersey. Contact them for more info.
My 2010 Forester has the same
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My 2010 Forester has the same problem. Anything I can do?
My Forester 2010 just ran out
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In reply to My 2010 Forester has the same by James Radomski (not verified)
My Forester 2010 just ran out of oil. We had to spend $6000 to replace the engine back in January 2016. The "new" refurbished engine is burning oil at the same rate. Will Subaru cover our cost for the replacement?
How could anyone be happy
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How could anyone be happy with this. All they have done is extended the warranty. There is no fix for the problem. Oil consumption test will just mean them telling you that there is nothing wrong with your car (which I have done already, and you will see that many others have also online). My 2013 Outback still has this issue and will continue to have this.
So I brought my 2013 Outback
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In reply to How could anyone be happy by Outback Owner (not verified)
So I brought my 2013 Outback to the dealer for an oil consumption test, I know my car needs a quart of oil every 2500miles. They changed the oil, and I returned after 1000 miles. It did not burn 1/3 quart in the 1000 mile interval, so they said nothing would be done by Subaru. Basically, Subaru is saying that it's OK to burn oil as long as it is no more that a quart every 3000 miles! How many decades has it been since this was a fair bar to set for a modern engine?
I have a 2014 hyundai elantra
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In reply to So I brought my 2013 Outback by John (not verified)
I have a 2014 hyundai elantra gt with 59500 mi on it. did an oil consumption test and it burns 1 qt every 3000 mi as well. The tech told me it was burning oil but the car was still in spec because it does not consume more than 1qt every 1000 miles. So i followed up with asking him if it is okay to run my car around with only 2 qts of oil since it was in spec (5qts - 3 qt) 1qt every 1000 miles assuming you change at 3000 miles. He then told me of course not you need to make sure it has 5 qts in it all the time. How is the engine in spec if running the engine at that spec will cause engine failure.
I am having oil consumption
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In reply to So I brought my 2013 Outback by John (not verified)
I am having oil consumption tests done on our 2011 Subaru Forester, after 2000km it was using 0.8L of oil (way above the limit of .3L for 2000 km) two tests were the same (completed at different Subaru dealerships) the third came in at 0.2L of oil down. now i am having a 4th test done after another 2000km. The class action law suit said ALL Subaru Foresters from 2011-2014 are affected then why are they doing all this unnecessary testing. Change the motors and be done with it SUBARU!!! I will keep you posted of what happens.
I bought a Subaru forest.
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I bought a Subaru forest. what a pile of junk. It burned a quart of oil the first 2000 miles. I advise everyone I know about how Subaru refused to fix the problem. DON'T EVER BUY A SUBARU.......It's like Pearl Harbor all over again. Fuking JAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2013 Subaru Forester 2.5 auto
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2013 Subaru Forester 2.5 auto. Problem with oil consumption mainly on longer trips where the engine is hot for a longer period. Not dripping so must be burning it when oil is pushed past the rings. Had the same problem with my 2007 Forester. Wishing that I hadn't touched Subaru again. Was assured that the problem had been fixed. What a load of BS.
Consumer Reports continues to
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Consumer Reports continues to give Subaru top ratings. Maybe don't buy Subaru or Consumer Reports. The lack of satisfactory response from Subaru reminds me of my days with GM – they did everything – including sicking their lawyers on me – other than fixing the problem. Thanks to these responses I won't be buying Subaru and stopped buying "Government Motors" long ago. Haven't had any issues with Toyota.
it's funny because most
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In reply to Consumer Reports continues to by Mark Day (not verified)
it's funny because most Toyota's are made by SUBARU!
The opposite Toyota owns part
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In reply to it's funny because most by danny (not verified)
The opposite Toyota owns part of Sub.Subes have been known for problems since the 80's. I wanted one but now boxer motors(Box it up n throw out) problems I hear .I'm sticking with my Toyotas .
Your story is not funny but
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In reply to Consumer Reports continues to by Mark Day (not verified)
Your story is not funny but true. I also have oil consumption problems on my 2013 Subaru Legacy, burning oil (but not enough) once you put in an extra 0.9 quarts of oil (6.9) between oil changes and add oil once before 5000 miles and you change the oil. I "only" burn 1.5 quarts every 3000 miles, which is not enough to be a problem.
My "terrible" GM car with 152,000 just starting burning 0.1 quarts of oil every 5000 miles. It has had no major issues at all - a 2006 Saab 9-3 using the same ecotec engine used in Chevy Malibus, Oldsmobile Achievas, Pontiac G6s. It has been trouble free and far better than the Subaru which is much newer and lower mileage has been. I am going back to GM as I suspect the Subaru will last far less than the Saab even though it is nearly 8 years younger.
Watch out for shady service
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Watch out for shady service departments. Here's my experience so far:
I have a 2013 Outback with the 4 cylinder and it's been burning oil since we bought it new. This car will burn over a quart every 3500 miles. I told the dealer when I brought it in for its first oil change and they just said it was normal. What a load of crap.
I just took it in for the oil consumption test due to this law suit and they basically change the oil and tell you to come back in 1200 miles for them to check the oil level. If it falls under 1/3 quart then they have to repair the engine, but they don't specify what that means.
So the interesting part is this, when I took it in, they did the oil change and when I got home I wanted to check what they did. I opened my good to see tape around the oil dipstick. I thought, why would they do that, so I peeled it off and checked the oil level. It's almost 3/4" - 1" above the full mark on the dipstick!
I'm calling Subaru corporate tomorrow to get an explanation, and see what they want to do.
I've lost all faith in Subaru and since this was my first time owning one, it will most definitly be my last.
I just had a dealer do the
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In reply to Watch out for shady service by Chris (not verified)
I just had a dealer do the same thing with me. Did you get any resolution from Subaru?
Had the same thing happen to
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In reply to Watch out for shady service by Chris (not verified)
Had the same thing happen to me. Only they overfill 1 and a half inches above full line. took it in for the consumption test and said nothing about the overfill They came back and said. Looks good. Still just above the full line. When I told them that we had "documented" the overfill, he quickly say, wish you would have told me that, not the test is invalid. Luckily, I did my own measurements with documentation
I will probably never go through this again either. They keep telling me the corporate line...Oil consumption is a normal part of the engine. .I just documented the latest consumption test. we will see...
Subaru...Are you Listening??
2012 Forester has same
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In reply to Watch out for shady service by Chris (not verified)
2012 Forester has same problem. I also went for a consumption test and had same result of overfilling. Dealership would not acknowledge overfill situation, sent picture to Subaru Canada and still received no explanation or response. I have been a Subaru driver for over 25 years, however this will be my last one.
Shady service departments!!!
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In reply to Watch out for shady service by Chris (not verified)
Shady service departments!!! I started the oil consumption test in Lexington,KY and plan on ending it where I live in Clearwater, Florida. I did it on a road trip because that is the only time that the red light comes on and my oil is disappearing. So,i checked my dipstick in Cordele, GA and it was over 1 quart low, just two days and about 400 miles after the oil change in Lexington.. I called the Valdosta, GA subaru dealer and explained that i was doing the oil consumption test and was concerned about the amount of oil that had already been consumed and would like to stop in there when I reach Valdosta. They said OK. They took my car into the service garage and I did not see what they did. I told them not to add oil because i was doing the oil consumption test. But when I rechecked the oil, after leaving the Valdosta dealership, it registered full. I have pictures of the dipstick level in Georgia, and the level after the stop at the dealer in Valdosta. I believe that they added oil to deliberatly skew the results of the oil consumption test. I am exasperated.
My father is original owner
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In reply to Watch out for shady service by Chris (not verified)
My father is original owner of his 2013 Outback and has 36k miles on it. He had the short block replaced earlier this year by the dealership where he purchased the car. I had been researching the problem online after he told me about the service work so when the car came back from the short block replacement I immediately checked the oil and sure enough it was overfilled. I recently drove the car on a 90 mile round trip over the holiday and it was cold weather here in NH but when we got home the car had a burnt oil smell. I popped the hood of the car with flashlight and noticed some smoke coming from underneath but could not find any noticeable leaks. My father made an appointment and left the car with the dealership for a couple days and they checked over the vehicle and road tested 50 miles and said they found a small leak and repaired but I think that is total bs. I think they are just covering up for the fact that the car is still consuming too much oil. I checked the oil level when my father got it back and it is overfilled still. I own a 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX with 37k miles that I have had to add about a quart of oil every couple months. We are both seriously considering trading them in next spring and never buying Subaru EVER again!!! The BS they tell you to your face is ridiculous and I seriously hope Subaru loses a ton of their customer base because of their horrendous customer service and their crappy handling of this matter.
Last year we bought a
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Last year we bought a Forester pre owned. We had been dreaming about it for a long time; what a deception, the car drinks oil like a sponge, you have to be on top of it continuously checking the oil level so as not to burst the engine. We took it to our mechanic (not from subaru) and he said that it was like that with these cars. Our dream car is a nightmare always carrying bottles of oil just in case, my husband puts a bottle of it about every 10 days.
Now I hear that maybe Subaru is going to fix it, that will be good.
Forgot to mention about the
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Forgot to mention about the burnt oil smell that is particulary strong in hot days.
I have a 2013 XV with 62000 K
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I have a 2013 XV with 62000 K on it. Before my last two schedule oil changes my low oil light came on and I was force to buy a quart of oil to make it to my schedule oil change. The dealer advise me of the 1200 mile check up and if it "fails" the test they will replace my engine. Well, the next day I got information in the mail about this class action suit. Now it is makes sense why the abnormal oil consumption before a 6000k oil change. I will see how it will go when it comes to my 1200 mile "test".
Received the same letter,
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In reply to I have a 2013 XV with 62000 K by Patrick (not verified)
Received the same letter, mine also started having the warning light after about 60K, went to have consumption test, beware check your disptick yourself because they will overfill it, just like what happened to my case. I checked it and was overfilled by a third of an oz, reprimanded them. So it failed, now they are asking for all receipts of all your oil changes. I do my own changes and dont have a good reputation for record keeping. My advice start looking for all your transactions.
June 2016 update,
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In reply to I have a 2013 XV with 62000 K by Patrick (not verified)
June 2016 update,
I went back for the 1200 mile test. Which the dealer stated it passed. He showed me the dipstick and was trying to tell me subura thinks it is ok to have to put a quart of oil in before an scheduled oil change. I told him I never had a car do that, not even my old outback with 200k on it. The dealer is really trying to help me but has restrictions on what they can do because of subura.
Well 800 miles later or 2000 miles after the oil change. My low oil came out and the car was pretty much dry of oil. They took it in and looked at everything and subura agreed to have a free oil change done. It may "pass" the 1200 mile test, but I bet it won't make it to 1500 miles. The dealer said he is documenting everything, and I am documenting everything as well.
See what happens.
On a long drive on the
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On a long drive on the highway 1500 miles, without any other symptoms, the oil light suddenly came on, pulled over and had too add a quart, plus to the engine. No leaking or noticeable burning smell at the time. Upon returning home and calling my dealer, they said to just keep an eye on it, and if it happens again to bring it in. Now I know why it happened, but have lost confidence in the dealership going forward.
I cannot get through to
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I cannot get through to Subaru of America . 2011 forester. Burns a quart plus between oil changes. Manual states 7500 miles intervals. Dealer states this is normal . Had consumption test done and they told me it only burned an ounce of oil at 1200 miles. Confused and saddened. I keep a quart of oil at all times. Can someone help here?
Cannot reach anyone with
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Cannot reach anyone with Subaru of America. Own a 2011 forester. Uses a quart plus between between 7500 mile oil changes. Per manual. Seems like it's worse on long trips. Dealer states this is normal. Dealer told me it only used one ounce of oil at 1200 miles? I always keep a quart of oil in the car. Saddened and confused. Don't know what else I can do!!
I'm not happy with the suit
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I'm not happy with the suit settlement. My car already has 96000 miles on it, so what good is another 4000 miles. They should just do the repair recommended in the technical bulletin and be done with it.