MajorCommonEngine

Audi A6: 2.0 TFSI EA888 Excessive Oil Consumption

2.0 TFSI EA888 Excessive Oil Consumption is a common engine fault on the Audi A6 on the 2008–2012 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $4,500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 34 documented faults on the Audi A6.

Vehicle: Audi A6
Engine: 2.0L
Years: 2008–2012
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Audi A6 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Audi A6 faults34 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

EA888 Gen1 and Gen2 2.0 TFSI engines (CAEB) built before mid-2011 used piston ring packs with insufficient tension and oil control ring gaps outside optimal tolerance, allowing engine oil to migrate past the rings and burn in the combustion chamber. Audi formally acknowledged the defect and defined a two-stage procedure: Stage 1 is a measured oil consumption test; Stage 2 authorises piston and ring replacement if consumption exceeds the allowable threshold. Production ring tolerances were revised from mid-2011, but pre-change engines can consume one litre per 800–1,500 km — well beyond the industry acceptable standard.

What you would notice

Oil level dropping significantly between services — requiring top-ups between changes
Blue or grey smoke from the exhaust under acceleration or after idling
Low oil level warning light activating before the next scheduled service
Spark plug fouling from oil contamination in the combustion chamber

How to check it

Where to look. Internal engine — piston ring and cylinder bore area

Check the oil dipstick and ask the owner to demonstrate how much oil is used between services.
Verify the service history for records of repeated oil top-ups or Audi's formal oil consumption test.
Inspect the spark plugs for oil fouling — oil-wet electrodes confirm combustion chamber contamination.
Ask for the engine's production date to determine whether it predates Audi's mid-2011 piston ring specification change.

What it costs to put right

$4,500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the car undergone Audi's formal oil consumption test?”
“How much oil is added between service intervals?”
“Have the pistons or piston rings ever been replaced?”

Now check the Audi A6 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Audi A6 buyer questions

Is 2.0 tfsi ea888 excessive oil consumption serious on a Audi A6?

We rate it major and common on the Audi A6. EA888 Gen1 and Gen2 2.0 TFSI engines (CAEB) built before mid-2011 used piston ring packs with insufficient tension and oil control ring gaps outside optimal tolerance, allowing engine oil to migrate past the rings and burn in the combustion chamber. Audi formally acknowledged the defect and defined a two-stage procedure: Stage 1 is a measured oil consumption test; Stage 2 authorises piston and ring replacement if consumption exceeds the allowable threshold. Production ring tolerances were revised from mid-2011, but pre-change engines can consume one litre per 800–1,500 km — well beyond the industry acceptable standard.

How much does it cost to fix on a Audi A6?

$4,500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Audi A6 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2008–2012 Audi A6. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Check the oil dipstick and ask the owner to demonstrate how much oil is used between services. Verify the service history for records of repeated oil top-ups or Audi's formal oil consumption test. Inspect the spark plugs for oil fouling — oil-wet electrodes confirm combustion chamber contamination. Ask for the engine's production date to determine whether it predates Audi's mid-2011 piston ring specification change. Look here: Internal engine — piston ring and cylinder bore area