GTI Mk V Engine Oil Problems

[grtuned]

When the oil light comes on there is still about 4 litres of oil in the motor which is safe just some info for everyone concerned.
top up should be about a litre.

[Diesel_vert]

Is it normal for that much engine oil to be used up?

I know that this engine uses up engine oil, but it cant be such a huge amount right?

I'm afraid certain FSI engines have a bit of a drinking problem, and when it wants more (it's not shy in telling you), you'll just have to do what it says. It's not like you can force it to go cold turkey or something.

Sorry, there is no assumption or inference of neglect here, your failure to check the oil level in 7,000 KM is an admission of neglect.

As long as the user fills up with the proper fluids when the car tells it to, I don't see how that can be taken as neglect. Neglect would entail ignoring said warnings and/or filling up with improper or unsuitable fluids.

Of course, the danger in that lies with the fact that these warning systems aren't completely infallible, as exemplified by the following quote...

I have a warning light for engine oil levels. Checking the dip stick the level was below the minimum by a fair bit.

... so even though we're now in the 21st century, as VW Convert says, the good ol' fashioned "visual check" still remains the best practice.

When the oil light comes on there is still about 4 litres of oil in the motor which is safe just some info for everyone concerned.
top up should be about a litre.

Exactly.

The total oil capacity of the engine is about 4.6 L.

The dipstick measures between 0.5 L and 1.0 L (not sure what the exact number is).


If the engine actually had only a litre of oil left, rest assured simcooo you'd be posting about a whole different set of issues!

[jessv3]

When the oil light comes on there is still about 4 litres of oil in the motor which is safe just some info for everyone concerned.
top up should be about a litre.

I'm assuming you mean the orange warning light which says oil level low.. Not the red oil light which is the more serious alert.

[Diesel_vert]

That would be correct.

There is the oil level warning light (orange), and the oil pressure warning light (red).

Low oil pressure may be caused by low engine oil levels, amongst other reasons - it is not an oil level indicator.

If the oil level is full and the oil pressure light remains on, it may indicate a serious problem with the engine. It would be highly advisable to stop driving should this be the case.

[grtuned]

Yep yellow oil level, if the other light (RED) comes on it may be more serious issue, on later model vehicles the in dash display will warn
of low oil pressure and a STOP signal would illuminate and turning off motor is the safest thing to do just as Diesel_Vert has said.

[Blitzen]

I think VW Convert hit the nail on the head. For what is, for all intents and purposes, the second biggest investment a person will make, after a house, it still blows me away at how poorly people carry out preventative maintenance on their personal vehicles (this not only includes changing/checking oil, but life saving stuff like tyre pressures and brake fluid level...).
Not checking something for 7000km would get you charged in the ADF, and a swift kick in the arse...
Even more poor form is trying to insinuate that the blame lays at the last workshop the car was at...

[brad]

Thanks for all the inferences and assumptions of Owner's neglect,

I didn't assume anything. You said you hadn't looked at the dipstick for 7,000km. The owners manual recomends you check the oil on a regular basis. If the car is used under severe service conditions (short trips, stop/start driving, etc) then it's 500km shy of the next due service (you didn't state your driving conditions so this is a moot point). The owners manual says to check the oil regularly. IMO, the low oil level light is a warning of last resort - hence why the lights on the dash are called "idiot lights" - generally when one comes on it means that basic checks have been left too long. in your case, the level was "below the minimum by a fair bit" - it's a minimum level for a reason isn't it?

obviously you guys must be such experts with your vehicles that no problems ever come up. and while we're on the subject, it seems that the asking of questions seem to strike a nerve with you 2. well then, I'm Sorry that I'm not as well versed in vehicle issues as you guys.

I'm not an expert but I did read the recomendations in the manual when i got the car & I checked my fluid levels at the recomended interval until I got a feel for how stable the levels were. These days i might check the oil every 2 months (4,000km) because the car doesn't use oil.

You haven't struck a nerve with me but I feel that you are somewhat embarrassed by your lack of basic ownership skills. As i read in the weekend paper "Everyone makes mistakes, it's whether you choose to learn from it that matters."

If you have nothing helpful to say, then just not post anything.

Is this not helpful
I'm not sure about anyone else but I always do a quick sanity check of oil/water/brake fluid levels after a service has been done - not because i don't trust the mechanic - it's just good quality assurance.

I was not accusing the workshop of anything, I was just surprised that the levels would drop to such low levels, none of my other previous vehicles have had that problem,

Then why were you unsure whether you would return there for service in the future? I got the impression that you thought the low oil level was something they had a hand in. This could well be the case but if you don't know what the oil level was when the service was done then you haven't got a datum to work from.

btw, I do check my windscreen levels and tyre pressure regularly.

Excellant - don't forget to put 80psi in the spacesaver.

[adcamachol]

hi im a technician and i always make sure the oil level is within specification i have a mk5 gti (bpy) engine 20t im not sure is this is part of the problem ur having but when i first bought the car i had pu up 4 quarts due to when i check dipstic after starting engine for 1 minit it say it was on full then when driving about 1500miles oil light came on did check the dipstic and found engine oil low added 1/2 a quart and it did not happen again on my second oil change i put 5 quarts and havent have a problem so far. my engine oil is recomended to change at 5000miles but i do change it at 3000 just to save eny wear on my turbo, up to recently i found a oil leak iside my turbo inter cooler line im still investigating the source but all its pointed so far to the positive crankcase ventilation. I do not know if thats ur case but i will check that they have put 5 quarts on your engine or check for eny leakage on the intake system that it may be burning ur oil.

hope this was help full.

[adcamachol]

Hi Guys,
Long time lurker here. I bought a Gti in March this year and brought to for a service immediately at Prestige and Performance in Brisbane straight away. It was a minor service at 80k, but the brake pads and brake fluids were changed as well as the engine oil. The engine oil was BYO, the Penrite Enviro 5w-30, which was recommended.

Its been barely 5 month since then and now I have a warning light for engine oil levels. Checking the dip stick the level was below the minimum by a fair bit.

Another Friend who also drives a Gti, serviced at the same place at the same time as me had the same issue as well, but his happened 2 months ago.

Is it normal for that much engine oil to be used up? I'm not suggesting anything about the workshop given its reputation here but I'm just curious about how this could have happened.

I know that this engine uses up engine oil, but it cant be such a huge amount right?

Problem fix
I have the 06 GTI FSI engine did notice oil in my intake manifold, vacuum lines, intercooler, and, turbo area this is all internal it will not leave a spot on your drive way because its being burnt once it gets in to the cylinders, finally found the source of the problem all it is pressure regulator valve or in eny other make will be call pcv valve (positive crankcase valve) vw dealers call it pressure regulator valve this is located on front of the valve cover it have 2 lines the are vacuum related if u unplog one of them and found engine oil inside the line it means the pressure regulator is at fault, i did replace it and found all my oil cansomption problems fix (no oil light and no more adding oil)

I hope this is the problems u all are may have.

please let me know if this was helpfull

[kryten2001]

In defence of the original poster -

Oil usage on FSI's can easily catch many people out. Almost anybody under the age of 30 is not used to checking their engine oil.. Why, coz most cars built in the last 20 years barely use a drop.

This is not the case with the FSI. It is known to drink quite a lot... I'm lucky, mine doesn't suck a drop - even after heavy track days....

That expectation - coupled with the modern mans lack of technical aptitude, leads to less frequent oil checks...

In attack of the original poster -

Cmon man how can you not check your car's oil at least every fill up. I'm old enough to remember when ALL cars burnt oil, and we had to check/top them up constantly.

And whilst I'm on the general soap box (don't get off!), what's it with all you guys who don't do your own basic maintenance. C'mon an oil change takes 30 mins and is an extremely enjoyable way to spend your sunday afternoons. I'm constantly shocked and amazed by how few people under the age of 30 know how to perform basic stuff, or even show a passing interest in learning.

Old fart off the soapbox now....