Hi there, I drive a 15 plate fiat 500 S and I feel like it goes through a lot of oil. I last topped it up with a 1.5 litre bottle from Halfords on the 3rd August 2018, I’ve just checked my oil again and there’s next to nothing left but there has been no warning lights on the car. I do a lot of mileage a week around 300miles minimum so wonder is this the problem why it often runs out of oil quickly? I drive on motorways daily also. I don’t know much about cars and I have so many problems with this one recently. Thanks in advance

How much are you losing on your weekly check?

I'd be topping it up regularly.

Less than a half a litre per 1000 miles isn't an issue.

D

The sump is known to rust through, though you'd see it on the ground normally worth a look, note there is NO warning on low oil, you need to check it every month our car uses about 500ml every 3500 miles @ 83k

John202020 said:

The sump is known to rust through, though you'd see it on the ground normally worth a look, note there is NO warning on low oil, you need to check it every month our car uses about 500ml every 3500 miles @ 83k

Click to expand...

I don't understand why it's not part of the weekly 'lights and levels check' for everyone.

Cheers

D

Some of the 1.2 8v engines do use oil, my old 2012 1.2 panda was pretty bad on consumption. I’d say 1.5ltrs per 10k that you’ve done is moderate but by no means worrying. Comparable to my what my panda used. My new 2018 1.2 panda has now covered 8k and it’s virtually used no oil!

Oil should be checked cold ideally on level ground every time fill up. Assume you've got the 1.2 and in 9 months you've done around 11k? Really you should be changing oil as often as is reasonable as £80 for oil change cheaper than thousands for an engine. For your sake have it changed and keep an eye on it. If it doesn't use a drop and only starts to go brown after 9k for example you can probably go by the fortnightly/625 mile checks often mentioned in the handbook. Later 2017 cars have a "can use oil, check every 300 miles" disclaimer. Let us know how you get on. Car due cambelt, tensioner and waterpump in a year's time too.

*I do 10k a year and my Panda TA gets oil change every 5,000 miles no matter what. It gets used 7 days a week and wants for nothing. Just not worth the risk.

John202020 said:

The sump is known to rust through, though you'd see it on the ground normally worth a look, note there is NO warning on low oil, you need to check it every month our car uses about 500ml every 3500 miles @ 83k

Click to expand...

Sumps generally take 10 years to leak..

But.. there could well be another leak path.

I always check a vehicle weekly.. then monthly if it holds a good level.

6 monthly is pushing your luck..

Ive found the oil light will flicker briefly if seriously low on oil..

Going around sharp bends.. the oil runs away from the pumps pick.up

And the drop in oil pressure flags the light

Our sump had had it at 6 years old garage replaced it before we collected the car

gcameron123

Appears to have set a new record..

IF.. their sump is at fault.

At 2.5 years..

Thanks for the replies. I do check it weekly and my previous cars have been both 1.2’s and not used as much oil as quickly as my fiat does and have been older model cars so was just wondering if anyone was having the same issue. Thanks for the help

Does the level drop gradually.. or holds..then drops sharply on occasion?


My 2000 on fiats have been essentially oil tight..

But 'tolerated' oil consumption figures are pretty high..

Please confirm the mileage last august. And what is shown now.

Charlie

Most modern engines have an oil consumption figure of approx 1 Litre per 1,000 kM (600 Miles) before investigation is required, most will never get anywhere this level of consumption and it all depends on the way the engine is used. Actual figures should be in the owners manual.

Note: If you think you have a problem then it needs checking more often but if the car is driven hard then oil consumption is gonna go through the roof, and should not be a problem now that you know this.
Paul m.

I check weekly and it uses around half a litre every 2500 miles. Mileage is 88k.
I change the oil every 8000 miles.

It should all be fairly pukka at that mileage but there might be a minor issue that's exagerating the consumption.

It's worth having a peek down the spark plug holes (or the plug electrodes) after a bit of light use, to see whether any one seems noticeably darker or oily compared to the others. You could have one of more lazy valve stem oil seals (or one set of rings) that are weeping oil at higher rpms (if the beast is used on the motorway a lot).

Are you using the proper 10W40 semi-synthetic oil? If you're on fully synthetic then it'll be 5W30 or 0W30 which is great for emissions (engine has less resistance pumping it around) but it's a bit thinner than the engine was originally designed for, so it would tend to leak past the seals/rings more.

The later cars with the warnings in the handbook about checking the oil probably coincide with a switch to thinner oil (I don't know for sure though.. but there has been a Euro V and a Euro VI over the life of the car and Fiat likely specc'd a thinner oil, to reduce the emissions). Anyhow, whatever oil you have... 10W40 finds it harder to escape than 5W30.


Ralf S.

300+ miles/week and 7-8 months = around 10,000 miles. Much the same usage as me (30 miles each way to wrk). My 500s Twinair 105, topped up every couple of weeks, would happily get through a litre and a half between 9k mile oil changes.

Using synthetic 10w - 40.

Twinkletwinklelittlestar said:

300+ miles/week and 7-8 months = around 10,000 miles. Much the same usage as me (30 miles each way to wrk). My 500s Twinair 105, topped up every couple of weeks, would happily get through a litre and a half between 9k mile oil changes.

Click to expand...

TA is well known for issues of costly oil consumption.

But the OPs normally aspirated 4 cyl motor could have a poor gasket seal.

Rather than a dodgy turbo