Took my Forester in for it's first oil change to the dealer I purchased it from due to two years free maintenance. I was hesitant due to this dealer overfilled my other Subaru 2 out the 3 times they changed the oil. So of course I checked the oil before leaving the dealer. And of course it was overfilled by over 1.5 inches of top mark on dipstick. So I spoke to the service rep and he said that amount over the top mark is just 1/16 of a quart overfilled. And this just happens to 2.5L Foresters. We both knew that was crap so he proceed to remove oil with a Mityvac suction canister. I watched him remove the oil and it appeared to be close to 2 quarts of oil. Then he proceed to lie to me again and say that he only removed 1/16 of a quart of oil. Yes, I watched him remove the oil, and he knew I watched him remove the oil. Final oil level was about 1/8 inch over top mark. I sent a nice letter to the dealer service manager and GM. No response yet.

Question is, how much damage would be caused to my FB25 if I would have not checked the oil and left it overfilled by 2 quarts.

Since this is 3 out of 4 times overfilling my oil should I report this to a regional Subaru rep, and how do I find that regional dealer rep. Dealer is about 25 miles outside of Salt Lake City UT.

I would definitely file a complaint and not go back there.

 

Time to bail on that dealer.

 

Given that they had overfilled it two out of three times in the past, I'm wondering what you were expecting this time . . .>

 

1/2 quart overfilled (1/2 inch or so) is not a problem for normal drivers.

2 quarts over - yikes! Glad you caught it.

 

lesson learned? Stay away

 

How does that even happen ?
I would have to be intoxicated or something to do that.


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They are probably drawing the oil from a 55 gal drum,the oil gauge
on the line that shows quarts may be way off on calibration. ed

 

I think you could have fouled the spark plugs for one and you might have bubbled the oil
into a froth,like the head of a beer, if you drove it some distance. Free maint or not, stay the hell
away from that dealer! ed
PS- How did he syphon the oil, through the dip stick tube?

 

Agreed, my Forester will never enter that dealer service department again. Not only did they overfill the oil. The service rep lied to me over and over again while trying to pretend the oil was not that overfilled. But, I did watch him remove the oil and it was 1/5 of a 2.3 gallon suction canister. And yes the dealer has not responded to my email I sent.

 

Sorry, but I'm a little skeptical about this as it doesn't make any sense. My car also came with 4 free oil changes and every time that the dealer did the oil change, they overfilled it by a small amount, perhaps an inch over the full mark. But, this is only about 1/2 quart over or so, and doesn't cause any problems at all.

In order to be two quarts over filled, the oil would have to be about 4 inches above the full mark up on the dipstick. You said it was only 1.5 inches above the full mark, which is pretty much standard at most dealers.

And, 1/16th of a quart is only two ounces. There is a big difference between 2 ounces and two quarts, so I if the level on the dipstick changed from 1.5 inches to .8 inches, he probably only took about about 4 or 6 oz of oil.

StanF.

 

Good detective work,Stan. ed

 

Overfilling the crankcase can be bad for more than one reason.

http://m.oemdtc.com/Subaru/TechTIPS/2014.06JunTechTIPS.pdf

we have received reports outlining CVT operational issues listed (but not limited to) the conditions below. These have also been found to be a result of an over-filled crankcase:

• CVT not “shifting” properly, delayed up-ratio or wrong ratio selected for the engine load followed by an engine over-rev condition when CVT ratios down in response to throttle input
• “Grabbing” sensation, CVT operating in a jerking fashion
• Vehicle seems to be lacking power at times or continually

 

This could be true, however I dont see how the trans,cvt, would know that the engine crankcase is overfilled. Are you sure they werent talking about the ctv being overfilled, that I could believe. ed

 

Just out of curiosity, did you confirm that the fluid extractor was empty before he evacuated the oil from your engine?

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Yes, the vac appeared to have a small amount at the bottom. Maybe 1/4 inch. But nothing significant I could view from the outside.

This is the vac they used.

http://www.mityvac.com/hq_images/07300.jpg

 

Since this is 3 out of 4 times overfilling my oil should I report this to a regional Subaru rep, and how do I find that regional dealer rep. Dealer is about 25 miles outside of Salt Lake City UT.

Contact Subaru of America - 1-800-SUBARU3 or go to the contact page on Subaru.com

 

Thanks for the Subaru info. I was also looking for a regional director for the Salt Lake City, UT area.

If this dealer overfilled the oil for me 3 out of 4 times I'm thinking this was no accident. And odds are hundreds of people left that dealer with overfilled engine oil. If they cannot do a simple oil change how can they be trusted to do anything else on the car.
Weird thing is the buying experience was great, ordered two Foresters from the same dealer. Great prices and no BS in the finance department.

 

I'm glad that you caught it before you drove off. Overfilling it by 2 quarts would cause some serious damage as described in the tech bulletin posted by @Fate. Let's just hope they didn't drain the CVT and then overfill the engine with oil!! :surprise:

Did the car run OK after they removed the extra oil?

I hope all's well that ends well! Good luck to you!

StanF.

 

Yes, running good. I never left the dealer parking lot with the Forester. Should not have been running tooooo long.

 

Could it be they're trying to disguise oil usage? I doubt it ... it's probably just due to they guy who changes the oil not knowing what he's doing.

 

Not sure on disguising oil usage. This is probably just a moron in the back that does not know how to change oil. Sad but true.

 

another +1 for avoiding the dealer...which I still do religiously

 

2 quarts is a lot, I would think it would push oil out of dipstick tube to make it very hard to get a clear reading. But never having tried that.. who knows.


If it was 1/2 quart, you are worried about nothing.

Stan

 

I've been changing my oil since 2007 (Outback and now 2015 Forester) and here's my 2 cents worth on overfill. I use Mobile 1 EP 0-20. 5 quarts will show overfill of about 3/4 inch on dipstick initially. After driving for a day or two then, sit overnight, it will be right at the full mark or slightly below. Then I'll add the .1 to top it off. I think it has to do with the boxer engine retaining oil in mysterious places. I'm thinking not all the oil drains down to the pan as with conventional engines due to boxer's configuration. Just a thought. Also, I have never had an oil consumption problem with either of my Subaru's

 

Does anyone know how much extra oil will cause aeration ?
That's the real concern, oil pumps don't keep pressure if you introduce air. I wouldn't bet my main/rod bearings on 1/2 quart overfilled being OK. Its easy enough to drain out.

 

If you're not OK with being a half quart over then drain it out. Curious as to what method you use to easily drain off a half quart?

 

There's this plug at the bottom of the oil pan, it comes out. It can be put back in without draining the entire contents.
Some engineer put those marks on the dip stick, might as well use them.

 

Ok. I'd have oil up to my elbows trying to get a half quart out! Thought maybe you had a less messy way. As far as those engineers...I put 5 quarts in after draining old oil for half an hour, run the car for a bit and it's 3/4 of an inch over the fill mark. Either the manual is wrong or the dip is inaccurate.

 

Just went out and measured the distance between the full and add marks on my dipstick: not quite 1 1/2 inches. I bitched at my dealer's service mgr when I brought the car home as it is about 1 inch above the full mark which by my reckoning is about 2/3 of a qt. He said it won't harm the engine and I'm sure they don't want to have to change an engine because of 2/3 qt. So the OP's was overfilled about a qt. IMO that won't destroy his engine. 2 qts over might cause some foaming due to crankshaft running in the pool of oil.
Kentjw, I've had mine about 2 weeks and it's stayed 1 inch above the full mark the whole time. So I guess mine isn't "hiding" oil.

Mike
Edit: OK, owners manual says 1 liter or 1.1 qts between the full and add marks. Says oil change and filter takes 4.8 liters or 5.1 qts so regardless of what the dipstick says when it's time for oil change I'll pour in the the 5.1 qts and not lose a wink of sleep.

 

Being an old geezer, I never thought we'd be having in-depth dipstick discussions! I guess some of the newer cars don't even have one. Fact: I drained out 5 quarts and put 5 quarts in and it reads one half inch over filled. My 1988 Alfa Romeo Spider's dipstick goes straight into the oil pan...very accurate.

 

Subaru 2.5L Engine use 4L/4.2Quarts of oil. Sooo 946ml/1Quart * 5 bottles(946ml) = 4.73L....So why no just pour in 4.5 bottles of 1Quart bottles! This is one of the reason why I am thinking about switching to buying European Engine oil as it's sold in Liters and not Quarts. I'll probably start using the same oil for my Mercedes in my Subaru.

 

Subaru Engines use 4L/4.2Quarts of oil.

You may want to rethink that broad statement there Chief.

*the internet can be a scary place sometimes. [emoji23]


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Yea, thats what I do. (1) 5 quart bottle and done.
[emoji1303]


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