Check Engine Light Comes On/ Burning Excessive Oil

WACAIKA

MEMBER
2002 HONDA ACCORD
175,000 MILES

My check engine continues to come on. I've paid the dealership $1900 last year and the check engine light came on again last week. I drive appx. 100 miles a day for work and the dealership stated I burn a lot of oil, which makes my check engine light come on due to low oil. I need oil every 2-3 months. The dealer checked and I do not have an oil leak and there is no oil stains in my garage. Why am I burning so much oil or could it be another underline problem? Its been suggested I need a new car. Please help me.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

Wait a minute. You need to ADD oil every two to three months? If you drive a hundred miles per day, in 30 days you're due for a scheduled oil and filter change. If you're going longer than that, it's common for the level to go down for a couple of reasons. First of all, additives in the oil wear out in about 3,000 miles. That, coupled with blowby, can thin the oil and allow it to sneak past the piston rings and be burned. You can find that by adding a small bottle of dye to the oil, then searching with a black light after a few days. In particular, check at the tail pipe. If oil is being burned, the dye will show up as a bright yellow stain.

Second, all engines burn some oil today because of low-tension piston rings that reduce friction. It is normal for the oil level to go down between oil changes. To stop the complaints from owners, all manufacturers now stamp "min" and "max" on their dipsticks instead of "add" and "full". As long as the level remains above the "min" mark when the next service is due, there isn't a problem.