Weird Oil Consumption/Alert Issue

Champion-Ship · May 20, 2017

I'm on my second oil consumption test. The first test was prompted by the first alert I received shortly after buying the truck last July, when I found the truck 2 (or more) quarts low. The first consumption test (according to the dealership) showed the truck was "within specs."

Since then, I've added a quart on a few occasions after checking the oil and finding it low. I've never had to add this much oil to any vehicle I've owned since my '67 Mustang in high school.

I started getting low oil alerts again and initiated the second test. The dealership changed the oil (two weeks ago) and I am now in the 2,000 mile test.

I am now getting a low oil alert every time I drive the truck...The oil level appears full. I've checked my oil every morning this week. Its full. But the low alert happens every time I drive the truck. I've only driven about 400 miles since the test started.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Knotsure · May 20, 2017

Have you looked under the truck at the oil pan. I know it is a new truck but if it is like my 2014 with a silicone seal rather than a gasket maybe that is the problem. My truck has high mileage (74,000) but it has had the oil pan seal replaced 2 times in the last 6 months.

I hope it gets worked out for you.

2014 Silverado DCSB Z71

Champion-Ship · May 20, 2017

Have you looked under the truck at the oil pan. I know it is a new truck but if it is like my 2014 with a silicone seal rather than a gasket maybe that is the problem. My truck has high mileage (74,000) but it has had the oil pan seal replaced 2 times in the last 6 months.

I hope it gets worked out for you.

2014 Silverado DCSB Z71

Mine is a 2014 as well (bought it at two years old off- lease. I haven't had any oil leak indications (no oil in my driveway). But, I'll crawl under it tomorrow morning and take a look.

If that much oil is leaking, I should have a slick running into the street from my driveway though

Thanks for the note. Have a good weekend.

16LT4 · May 20, 2017

Take it to the dealer stat and let them read the oil. You'd notice that much loss in your driveway. Sounds like another LS to start drinking oil through the valves....

Dnt · May 20, 2017

It is fairly rare to hear about oil consumption on these 2014 GM engines. What size engine is in your truck? I had a older generation a 2009 5.3 in a Sierra that was a oil eater. i had to keep a 5 quart container in the truck at all times. Dealership worked on it several times I finally gave up at 82,000 miles and traded it to a 2014 5.3 The 14 never had an oil consumption issue over a 62,000 mile run and neither did my 2016 6.2 but it only had 20,000 miles on it. Hopefully "knock on wood" this 2017 6.2 will do well for me too. please keep the thread updated as you work your way through the issue with your dealership it is interesting.

Here is a pic of a fouled spark plug out of my 2009 5.3 IT WAS A BAD OIL BURNER

.

muddkatt · May 20, 2017

I am now getting a low oil alert every time I drive the truck...The oil level appears full. I've checked my oil every morning this week. Its full. But the low alert happens every time I drive the truck. I've only driven about 400 miles since the test started.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Low oil alert, but full on the dipstick would indicate that the oil level sending unit is malfunctioning.

Fasthotrod · May 20, 2017

I am now getting a low oil alert every time I drive the truck...The oil level appears full. I've checked my oil every morning this week. Its full. But the low alert happens every time I drive the truck. I've only driven about 400 miles since the test started.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I haven't experienced this, but write down your daily results and provide that to the dealer. It may help them diagnose it.

If you have pulled the dipstick and read "full" each time, but you still get a low oil level alarm, that tells me that the oil level sensor/switch may be bad.

Good luck! Hope they figure it out for you.

Mark

Donstar · May 20, 2017

It is fairly rare to hear about oil consumption on these 2014 GM engines. What size engine is in your truck? I had a older generation a 2009 5.3 in a Sierra that was a oil eater. i had to keep a 5 quart container in the truck at all times. Dealership worked on it several times I finally gave up at 82,000 miles and traded it to a 2014 5.3 The 14 never had an oil consumption issue over a 62,000 mile run and neither did my 2016 6.2 but it only had 20,000 miles on it. Hopefully "knock on wood" this 2017 6.2 will do well for me too. please keep the thread updated as you work your way through the issue with your dealership it is interesting.

Here is a pic of a fouled spark plug out of my 2009 5.3 IT WAS A BAD OIL BURNER

.

I had the same experience with my '09 5.3. I took it back several times over the first few years before they finally did a major engine overhaul. My advice to the op is to keep records of your oil consumption and related issues. (I would complain about having to check my oil everyday which is a pita with these trucks!) These trucks will go without needing a top-up between oil changes when operating properly. When they finally fixed my '09 it never needed topping up between changes again.

Sean Neilan · May 20, 2017

Mine is a 2014 as well (bought it at two years old off- lease. I haven't had any oil leak indications (no oil in my driveway). But, I'll crawl under it tomorrow morning and take a look.

If that much oil is leaking, I should have a slick running into the street from my driveway though

Thanks for the note. Have a good weekend.

You may not have oil on the ground if it is leaking on to a skid plate.

Champion-Ship · May 27, 2017

I haven't found oil under the truck anywhere. I'm still getting an alert every time I drive it. I'm taking a photo of the alert and the mileage every time (I might fill my phone's memory soon).

I'm at about 825 miles into the oil consumption test. It looks like I've consumed about 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart so far.

gmtech117 · May 27, 2017

Sounds like you just have a sensor issue... also when checking your oil let the truck sit for quite some time to allow the oil to drain back into the pan to eliminate false readings of the level... like others have already said, these 14+ trucks don't really have any consumption issues that I've seen yet, only people I've had coming in to complain was a guy who would check it right after shutting truck off and thinking he was low.

muddkatt · May 28, 2017

I haven't found oil under the truck anywhere. I'm still getting an alert every time I drive it. I'm taking a photo of the alert and the mileage every time (I might fill my phone's memory soon).

I'm at about 825 miles into the oil consumption test. It looks like I've consumed about 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart so far.

1/2 quart low is NOT going to set off the low oil alert sensor. When the sensor sends the signal that the oil is low, it will be at least 2 quarts low.

Champion-Ship · May 31, 2017

1/2 quart low is NOT going to set off the low oil alert sensor. When the sensor sends the signal that the oil is low, it will be at least 2 quarts low.

Exactly. But it goes off every time I drive the truck. So, I think its a sensor. However, the first time this happened last July, I was two quarts low after driving to the Keys and back for vacation. So...it does use oil.

Champion-Ship · July 17, 2017

Farewell everyone. The dealership had my truck for three weeks. When I finally got it back, i decided to press the reset button. I traded it in on a new F-150 3.5 Ecoboost FX4.

Take care.