CarComplaints.com Notes: Engines shouldn't need a new quart of oil every 500-1000 miles, but for thousands of Suburban owners that's exactly what's happening. Engine oil consumption on aluminum block engines with Active Fuel Management (AFM) is out of control and owners are left looking for answers.
The most likely culprit is an uncovered AFM valve which, in many cases, can be covered under warranty. The problem is the issues don't stop there and many owners have been told by GM just to buy a new engine. Take one guess who they want to pick up the tab.
2 Fixes To Suburban 5.3 AFM Excess Oil Use - (1) First <1 hr fix is changing the driver's side engine valve cover with the improved-design driver's side valve cover with the square PCV hole moved back (from the original circular PCV hole that is too far forward and siphons AFM-splashed oil). (2) Second fix is disabling or removing AFM which causes the excess oil splashing with either a custom pro-shop engine tune, a Range Technology AFM Disabler Device (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQUAh5pTjIA) or an expensive replacement of AFM engine system hardware.
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2007 Chevrolet Suburban Owner Comments (Page 7 of 10)
WTF???? yep thats how I feel! I've had this "POS" in the dealershits shop so many times I've lost count. Always the same story. It's normal to use 1.5 quarts of oil every 2,000 miles, and when you take a long trip you should have to put a quart in every 500 miles. " Its within specs for this vehicle" . I ask myself, "do I look that stupid?"
Suburban started using a quart of oil every month. Had to take to dealer for oil consumption test every one thousand miles (major pain!). Today, January 12, 2011, the dealer put a "diverter" in the oil pan to fix the problem. They say that the success rate is only 50% so far for the fix and they don't know what will happen if it doesn't work. I have a feeling that the 50% that were successful won't last. I'm sure they will start using oil again. I believe either you can fix it or you can't!
Now I continue to get a add oil warning....even though I had an oil change last month at the same dealer where I purchase the truck.
Now they tell me they need to replace a valve...oh and of course it is not covered under the extended warranty that I paid $1,600 for when I bought this Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle from them in November....
So, I succumb to the ranting of the service manager blah blah blah why it's not covered.
So, I take my truck to get new tires at the STS where I just had an oil change at 66000 miles...the mechanic tells me I need an oil change and I am confused and ask why? I just had one 2000 miles ago. He tells me its because the Add Oil Light comes on. SO now the store manager gets involved and looks me up in the computer and confirms the oil change. I proceed to explain that I'm losing Oil and how the dealer tells me its normal. Both of them got upset and told me that was a crock of potatoes. No truck should lose that kind of oil, especially if its not leaking on my driveway...They warned me of the potential disaster waiting to happen when one day, as soon as I'm out of warranty for sure, the engine will seize. hey pointed out that the oil is building up somewhere...and I need to bring this in to the dealer or the very least, call the extended warranty people and tell them I am not satisfied with the present dealer's resolution.
and that's when I FINALLY started googling this issue and found this site...
I had only purchased my 2007 Suburban in November 2009, from a dealer who sold it as a certified pre-owned. After the initial Add Oil light came on, I believed that perhaps it was due to mechanic negligence during the initial sale. So I went home.
- under a rock,
Yardley, PA, US
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I am down two quarts of oil...didn't bother bringing it to the dealer. I am really getting upset that I may have an issue with my engine....and I wish I could get some straight answers....but instead, I am getting the run around.
looses oil just looses it. the magic oil fary must come take it. Chevy says it is normal. we need to do an oil consumption test. do not ever buy a Chevy with the 5.3 flex fuel that turns 4 cylinders off when not needing the power.
since I have started having to add about 6 qts of oil to my suburban between oil changes the check engine light has been coming on and engine runs rough at start up. I guess I will have to take it in to the dealer again and pay to have some sensors replaced or worse the catalytic converters replaced, since it is burning so much oil with no smoke our burnt oil smell out of exhaust I am fairly certain that converters will end up plugging up, that is when I believe I will have to contact a lawyer if no class action suits have brought GM to do the right thing and fix these problems since all of us helped save their ass from extinction!
My 2007 suburban started using oil about one week after I bought a new 2010 Silverado, I also got the same story about how this is normal usage but they added that it is also why they get better mileage because the engines are built a little "loose" thus the reason they use oil. Would never have bought another Chevy product for the rest of my life had I known that they thought I was that stupid!
The suburban burns about a quart of oil every 2,500 to 3,000 miles. Definately not typical. I have a 07 silverado with the same engine that had the same oil consumption problem and had to have the engine replaced at 110,000 miles. Hope the suburban is not on the same path.
The first low oil warning came at 48,000 miles. I assumed that the last oil change might have been short. I added 1 quart. At 51,000, the warning reappeared. Ditto at 54,000 and 57,000. Took it to the dealer today and was first told that 1 quart per 2000 miles was "within spec". That may be good enough for GM but it is certainly well outside of my experience with cars of the last 40 years! The dealer found nothing wrong and suggested bringing it back in when the oil warning light activates. I found this site tonight and now realize this must be a common problem that is not being dealt with by GM. Now what?
I've also got the same problem with my 2007 Suburban BURNING OIL. The GM run around calling this Normal Oil Comsumption is a load of bull. I told my dealer that he should let me pour a quart of oil into his gas tank if he thinks this is normal. I bought this vehicle as GM Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle. Do you think that anyone told me about this problem? NOT! Now I can't get them to admit they've got a problem, let alone provide a fix. I've been pretty loyal to GM up tot his point, but now can see the error in my ways.
GM claims that using a quart of oil every 1000 miles is normal. This is unacceptable. I have doing an oil consumption test now for 10 months. The dealership is a joke and has benn screwing me around for almost a year. The fact is that GM is trying to avoid a problem they very well know is serious by sweeping it under the rug. No wonder they went bankrupt.
Does anyone know how to get past the dealership and talk with someone higher up that can make a difference?
A friend had the same problem with the same vehicle as ours (2007 Suburban) so I asked him all about how he got it fixed. He said he got all the usual runaround but after a lot of back and forth with the dealer (Denooyer in Holland, MI), they REPLACED ALL THE LIFTERS, GASKETS AND PISTONS! Crazy! I have the paperwork in front of me as I type this in case I need to "remind" the dealer how to fix the problem. According to the dealer, there was a new oil pump for the '07 that allowed oil to get past the rings and the dealer was authorized by GM to replace the pistons on 80 vehicles at no cost. That must have cost GM a ton of money so they don't exactly advertise it as a possible fix. Unfortunately, I don't know the vehicles affected (or if the dude at the dealer was full of crap with that explanation) but it's something to pursue....certain vins used new type of oil pump that caused the problem
If you look at the design of the engine it is normal chevy product but the kicker is that to save fuel it only runs on a certain number of cylinders depending on the workload of the engine. This is controlled by the computer system on the vehicle. This leads to oil becoming sludge and gumming up the oil rings on the cylinders least used.....thus excessive oil consumption. Clean the engine and the oil consumption should be greatly reduced. One way to do this is change oil to synthetic and use the Penzoil ultimate or Amsoil synthetic. Synthetic oil doesn't sludge nearly as easy as conventional oil. It will clean the oil ring grooves on the pistons and allow them to seat properly thereby reducing oil consumption.
The second way to do this is to drain the oil, and filter, put old filter back on and fill the engine with two quarts synthetic oil as stated above and then use four quarts of transmission fluid. Be sure not to overfill the crankcase. Run the engine at idle in the driveway for about 1 hour. The synthetic oil coupled with the transmission fluid will clean the sludge very quickly. After this hour of running (do not drive the vehicle) drain the oil, place a new oil filter on the engine and add full synthetic oil as listed above....Penzoil, Mobil 1, Amsoil, but make sure it is synthetic.
Drive the vehicle normally and you should see substantial reductions in oil consumption after about 3-5000 miles by just changing to synthetic and immediate changes in oil consumption if you use step two.
My 2007 Suburban is using oil again for the second time. This time they say it needs a shield or something. I wish they would find out exactly what the problem is for sure. This is getting old. I really do not want to buy a new vehicle. GM needs to make it right for all who are having this problem. I would gladly join in on a lawsuit. We have been a loyal customer. We have purchased many Chevrolet Trucks in the past. If this is not taken care of GM will lose a lot of customers.......
we have taken this truck in several times for many reasons but this oil issue is bad they keep telling us that it is not burning iol but my oil light comes on all the time telling me oil is low i have had to add quarts to it i have been speaking with some one not from this damn country who says they work for GM and we still have not gotten anything resolved I have spoken to so many people wih no resolution and now i am stuck with a truck i still owe on and in a economy that makes it hard to justtrade the damn thing in if there is a class action i want to be in it for sure we have owned alot of GM cars and trucks you would think that they would help us out but they are not,
Same problems as everyone else. uses 2 quarts of oil every 3000 miles, replaced tranny that exploded and electrical shorts drain the battery which cause starting issues. Contact your local senator and state attorney generals office. Include me in any law suits to GM.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
WTF???? yep thats how I feel! I've had this "POS" in the dealershits shop so many times I've lost count. Always the same story. It's normal to use 1.5 quarts of oil every 2,000 miles, and when you take a long trip you should have to put a quart in every 500 miles. " Its within specs for this vehicle" . I ask myself, "do I look that stupid?"
- Judy K., Marathon, NY, US