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Toyota Highlander oil sludge settlement

49 messages,  Last post on May 31, 2013 at 7:37 AM

You are in the Toyota Highlander Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander, Toyota Camry, Toyota Sienna, Fuel System, SUV

Messages Page 5 of 6

#38 of 49 short trips or a lot of idling by bruce2891

Nov 15, 2012 (6:29 pm)

I just picked up a 2001 highlander v6 70k miles, 3rd owner last year in summer of 2011. Now in 2012 around June, I started noticing the oil sludge problem. So I took it to a shop and the auto guy said I had carbon build-up because I take short trips or a lot of idling too much (what a liar never heard that one b4) cause of only 5k miles into it for a year and it needed motorvac, etc ..cost $450 for treatment. A month goes by and still the same thing oil consumption. 4 more months go by with the sludge and one cylinder misfires. So now my car is in a shop and an auto guy tears the engine block down to tell me that a piston valve broke, oil ring broke, needs new piston ring all due to oil sludge . I mean come on Im at only 80k. But anyways I want to know if I can still get the toyota sludge settlement even if the car is a 2001 and now its 2012 and the settlement only covers up to 8 years? Cause all these repairs is causing me a lot of money. http://www.oilgelsettlement.com/

#42 of 49 Breather that helps with the engine sludge. by poynorwife9819

Mar 22, 2013 (2:36 pm)

I originally posted in 2011. A few people asked what the breather was that we were using in lieu of the oil cover. We recently had to have the spark plugs changed because my ride was missing, but it is running like a dream once again now!! 169k and going strong!
I am so, so sorry that I never received any of your replies via email!! I certainly would have replied. http://www.race-mart.com/Edelbrock-EDE-4403.html This cover is similar, if not the same one as I have on my Toyota. We did have to have new spark plugs installed this month because it was missing. Now it is running like a scalded dog once again!! =) We are at 169000 miles.

#43 of 49 Excessive Oil Usage 2012 Highlander 6 cylinder by cyork3202

Apr 22, 2013 (6:35 am)

13k on car ... it uses 1 quarter of oil every 1k miles. Dealership keeps keeps telling me this maybe normal. Wants me to keep bring it back every 1200 miles to check. This is getting a little laborious. Any suggestions?

#44 of 49 Re: Excessive Oil Usage 2012 Highlander 6 cylinder [cyork3202] by heartlandhome

Apr 22, 2013 (8:16 am)

Replying to: cyork3202 (Apr 22, 2013 6:35 am)
We purchased a 2001 Toyota Highlander in August of 2010 and found out three months later that it was using oil like crazy. After doing a lot of homework on this vehicle we found out that a lot of the 2001, 2002 and some of the 2003 Highlanders had this problem. A class action law suit was brought against Toyota which resulted in the Company issuing an unlimited mileage repair of this problem to the original owners of the vehicle. Unfortunately, we were the second owners so it didn't do us any good. We just ended up with a real lemon dumped in our laps. We are going to sell it for parts and salvage, we aren't about to have someone else end up with it. I wouldn't think that a 2012 would have this problem and for your sake I truly hope this isn't the case. I wouldn't think a newer car using a quart of oil every 1k miles is "normal" for ANY vehicle, just saying. Good luck, hope it's still under warranty.

#45 of 49 Re: Excessive Oil Usage 2012 Highlander 6 cylinder [heartlandhome] by poynorwife9819

May 17, 2013 (11:55 am)

Replying to: heartlandhome (Apr 22, 2013 8:16 am)
I have owned my 2001 highlander since 2005. We found out about the problem in 2008. I have driven it 70k since then. It helped a LOT when we figured out that if you leave the oil cap off, it burns less oil. We ended up putting an Edlebrock engine breather thing over it to keep the oil from blowing out on the engine. This works quite well for city driving, but Interstate, it still burns quite a bit of oil. With this being said, we have just had a tune up on it and replaced one of the coils. It is now becoming higher maint. that we care to deal with considering we are military and live 1000 miles from home. We will be trading in for a newer highlander...why? Because despite the defect in the engine, I still love this car. The way it handles, the performance over the years. Bottom line is that if I had gotten the oil changed every three thousand miles, it probably never would have had the issues that it does. 8 years next month...I will be sad to see my baby go.

#46 of 49 Re: Excessive Oil Usage 2012 Highlander 6 cylinder [heartlandhome] by cordieriteman

May 26, 2013 (6:49 am)

Replying to: heartlandhome (Apr 22, 2013 8:16 am)
I am interested in the research you did on your Highlander to find the unlimited mileage repair for the original owner. I am an original owner of a 2001 and have found high oil consumption with my vehicle at approximately 165,000 miles. My Toyota dealership says nothing about any repair through Toyota. They say that they are only familiar with the "oil sludge" problem on other Highlanders. I am not sure this is related. I noticed this problem in January 2013. It would burn a quart of oil every 300-400 miles. This is not possible with simple oil leaks. I surmise there is a vacuum malfunction within the engine emissions control system in the exhaust gas re-circulation logic. I have seen some posts suggesting it is tied to the PCV valve, but I had mine changed and it did not improve much. This would also explain why use of a vented oil cap helps. In my experimentation with my vehicle the highest oil use is at highway speeds greater than 70 mph (1 quart per 300 miles). At 65 mph the oil use drops to less than a quart per 300 miles, while at less than 62 mph the oil consumption decreases to essentially zero! I see almost no oil consumption in around town driving. By the way, I have personally changed my own oil for all 165,000 miles on the vehicle every 3000 - 4000 miles. I also have always changed the filter with each oil change, only using Toyota filters. I would really appreciate any information you have gathered on Toyota offering the unlimited mileage repair to original owners. I would love to keep the vehicle. I like everything else about it, except this oil issue. Thanks in advance for your help!

#47 of 49 Re: Excessive Oil Usage 2012 Highlander 6 cylinder [cordieriteman] by heartlandhome

May 27, 2013 (4:52 am)

Replying to: cordieriteman (May 26, 2013 6:49 am)
If you key in "Toyota Oil Sludge Class Action Lawsuit" into your search engine you should find some information on the subject. The way I understood it when I read it was that the original owner had 8 years from the original date of purchase or lease to correct the problem so it has now expired. I found the same to be true on our Highlander, the faster you drove, the worse the oil consumption. I know what you mean about loving the Highlander, I really liked ours even though it had the oil problem.

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