Bought the SUV in July 2023 from a dealer. Around 3000Km after I got it, oil light warning came on. Thought that the dealer didn't do the oil change like they told me. So we added oil.

Then each time after around 3000 to 4000 km, the light came on and again. Each time, we had to add oil in the engine. I bought an extended warranty but I have to go in a specific mechanic and pay for the diagnsotic.

Update from Jan 20, 2025: Finally, after some troubles with the cooling fan (leading to replace water pump, thermostat and cooling fan), the mechanic found that the oil is going in the turbo. So the turbo will have to be replaced also

So just like others on here I got an oil change at July 16 2021, 23,229KM on the car. The oil light came on at approximately 25,600KM and I added 1.5 liters of oil to the engine. I looked for leaks or drips, nothing. The engine is clean as it should be for only 20,000Km on it. Then again at approximately 26500 or so it (oil light) came on again. I added approximately another 1.0 liters of oil. I let it go for a day or two then checked the level and it was still low. So I added about .5 liter to top it up. Took it to local VW store where I bought it from and the usual talk: it is normal for oil to be used they said .5 liter for 1000km. So I went 4000Km since my oil change and put in 3L of oil. Something is not right. I have never had to add that much oil to any car I have owned. I am waiting on the 1000KM test to see where it goes from there. I will add another incident and just copy this text. This is the second incident all in one.

So just like others on here I got an oil change at July 16 2021, 23,229KM on the car. The oil light came on at approximately 25,600KM and I added 1.5 liters of oil to the engine. I looked for leaks or drips, nothing. The engine is clean as it should be for only 20,000Km on it. Then again at approximately 26500 or so it (oil light) came on again. I added approximately another 1.0 liters of oil. I let it go for a day or two then checked the level and it was still low. So I added about .5 liter to top it up. Took it to local VW store where I bought it from and the usual talk: it is normal for oil to be used they said .5 liter for 1000km. So I went 4000Km since my oil change and put in 3L of oil. Something is not right. I have never had to add that much oil to any car I have owned. I am waiting on the 1000KM test to see where it goes from there.

I got a new job with a significant raise and was so happy I rewarded myself with a brand new 2018 VW Tiguan (SEL Premium R-Line). Besides some seemingly inconsistent hesitation when taking off from start, the car has a great ride, the steering is German and like no other. The adaptive cruise control saves me so much stress on my 40 minutes drive into work. Sound great right? Well, it was, until....I got my first oil changed on time, like I should, then at ~14,500 miles in May 2020, my low oil level light came on. I checked that there were no visible oil leaks in the driveway or under the car, there weren't.

I called the dealer to confirm I wasn't nuts and that my oil was changed ~4,000 miles ago. They said I should add oil, that it's normal for Volkswagen's to burn through a lot of oil. So I asked what type of oil was used in the car so I could buy the same type. This was very alarming that I was adding oil to a care with only ~14,500 miles. I thought, okay, maybe they didn't actually change my oil, maybe it's a fluke. So I added the oil and the low oil level light turned off, so I proceeded driving it as normal. Now, I've been working from home due to COVID-19 so I've been driving very minimally. I put ~1000 miles on the car since added oil and the low oil light came on AGAIN on 8/28/2020.

I parked the car and called and made a service appointment at the dealership. I didn't drive it all all over the weekend, then took it in on 8/31/2020. The service guy checking me in told me "VW considers it acceptable for their cars to burn through a quart of oil every 1,000 miles." You have to be kidding me. This car doesn't even have 16,000 miles on it yet. This is not okay and not normal. So here I sit on 9/2/2020. The dealership still has my Tiguan and are running what they say is a new series of tests to check what could be causing the car to burn oil. I'll provide an update as soon as I speak with them.

I got a new job with a significant raise and was so happy I rewarded myself with a brand new 2018 VW Tiguan (SEL Premium R-Line). Besides some seemingly inconsistent hesitation when taking off from start, the car has a great ride, the steering is German and like no other. The adaptive cruise control saves me so much stress on my 40 minutes drive into work. Sound great right? Well, it was, until....I got my first oil changed on time, like I should, then at ~14,500 miles in May 2020, my low oil level light came on.

I checked that there were no visible oil leaks in the driveway or under the car, there weren't. I called the dealer to confirm I wasn't nuts and that my oil was changed ~4,000 miles ago. They said I should add oil, that it's normal for Volkswagen's to burn through a lot of oil. So I asked what type of oil was used in the car so I could buy the same type. This was very alarming that I was adding oil to a care with only ~14,500 miles. I thought, okay, maybe they didn't actually change my oil, maybe it's a fluke. So I added the oil and the low oil level light turned off, so I proceeded driving it as normal.

Now, I've been working from home due to COVID-19 so I've been driving very minimally. I put ~1000 miles on the car since added oil and the low oil light came on AGAIN on 8/28/2020. I parked the car and called and made a service appointment at the dealership. I didn't drive it all all over the weekend, then took it in on 8/31/2020. The service guy checking me in told me "VW considers it acceptable for their cars to burn through a quart of oil every 1,000 miles." You have to be kidding me. This car doesn't even have 16,000 miles on it yet. This is not okay and not normal. So here I sit on 9/2/2020. The dealership still has my Tiguan and are running what they say is a new series of tests to check what could be causing the car to burn oil. I'll provide an update as soon as I speak with them.

We have same issue with our 2018 Tiguan. We decided to lease for first time and now we are happy that we did. After our first oil change which we got four oil changes by dealer every 10k miles we had engine oil light came ON. I purchased one quart of oil and added to be in safe level. Did not reported to dealer until after second oil change. Oil light came ON again and I scheduled a service. They checked for possible leaks and put us on oil consumption test for little over 600 miles.

They could not find anything, so they told me just to keep eye on it.

We are now on third oil change and oil light came on again for 3rd time to me, but it's the second time to dealer because I have not brought a car when it happened first. Oil light comes on about 4k miles before oil change.

They now put us on second oil consumption test so will see.

I owned many VW prior to this one and 2019 Jetta we bought for my son and never had any issues with burning oil. I read many complaints and issues about burning oil, so I reached out to someone that I know and specialized in European cars.

I asked my friend and multiple mechanics and they told me that this is not normal for regular engine to burn a quart of oil a specially on New car. If this were rotary engine it would be normal but on regular engine this is not normal. I was also informed that VW knows that they have issues with these engines 1.8t and 2.0t something with bad cylinder seals and they cannot figure it out for last 12 years how to fix it and would not admit it. Rather when this happens to car owner, they tell them that this is normal for their engines to consume(burn) oil. THIS IS BS AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

No one from service department have not told me anything so far and I hope after second oil consumption test that they do not come to me a say it. That would be bad.

I think if this is a normal with their engines they should inform and educate their customers when they are buying this car to keep eye on oil and keep adding after certain miles.

Not every car has this issue, it is case by case and that is what tells me that this is not normal.

THIS IS BAD.

We were thinking to keep this car but now after what I learned will never get another VW. Simply do not buy it.

If anyone has any info please share it.

Thank You

I have a 2018 VW Tiguan, very nice car until it went in low oil level. The first time was a few weeks/miles before the first service. Now, at 10400 miles, the alarm goes off again. The next service is scheduled at 18k miles or August, so 8k or 3 month before. I asked my colleague since they have the same car, but none of them have this problem.

I went to the car dealer today, and they said that it has to be considered in range because the engine of this car need to top up half liter of oil every 1000km or half quarter every 500 miles.... unbelievable! I assume that if it is common to this kind of engine, every 2018 VW Tiguan should add oil that often, but being just a rare case, I believe that this is an issue, a defect, malfunction, call it how the hell you want, but it is not normal and acceptable.

We are in a world where the car maker compete to have the less pollutant car, and even more VW after the diesel gate is selling a car which burn so much oil!!!

I was thinking to keep the car after the lease, because beside this issue I can't complain about anything, but to own a car knowing that I have to add oil so often is the last think I want.