MajorVery commonEngine

Toyota 86: FA20D Piston Ring Excessive Oil Consumption

FA20D Piston Ring Excessive Oil Consumption is a very common engine fault on the Toyota 86 on the 2012–2021 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $3,500 to $7,500 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 29 documented faults on the Toyota 86.

Vehicle: Toyota 86
Years: 2012–2021
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Toyota 86 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Toyota 86 faults29 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

The FA20D boxer engine suffers from piston ring sealing failure caused by inadequate ring tension and bore geometry tolerances. Oil is drawn past the rings into the combustion chamber and burned, leading to consumption rates of 1 litre per 1,000–2,000 km in severe cases. Toyota and Subaru both issued TSBs acknowledging the fault and, in some markets, extended the engine warranty to 100,000 km for affected components.

What you would notice

Oil level drops more than 0.5 litres per 1,000 km between service intervals
Blue or grey smoke from exhaust on deceleration or engine braking
Oil warning light illuminating before the scheduled service interval
Fouled spark plugs with oil deposits on the electrode
Catalytic converter damage or failure from oil contamination

How to check it

Where to look. FA20D engine block – piston ring land area; exhaust tailpipe for evidence of burned oil

Check oil level on dipstick against the service record mileage since last change.
Ask for receipts showing oil top-ups between services.
Inspect inside the oil filler cap for creamy sludge (unrelated) or note absence of combustion residue.
Inspect tailpipe for blue-grey smoke film.

What it costs to put right

$3,500 to $7,500 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

“How often have you topped up oil between services, and how much did you add each time?”
“Has the engine ever been diagnosed or repaired under the oil consumption TSB or extended warranty?”
“Can you show me receipts for oil purchases or workshop top-up records?”

Now check the Toyota 86 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.

Toyota 86 buyer questions

Is fa20d piston ring excessive oil consumption serious on a Toyota 86?

We rate it major and very common on the Toyota 86. The FA20D boxer engine suffers from piston ring sealing failure caused by inadequate ring tension and bore geometry tolerances. Oil is drawn past the rings into the combustion chamber and burned, leading to consumption rates of 1 litre per 1,000–2,000 km in severe cases. Toyota and Subaru both issued TSBs acknowledging the fault and, in some markets, extended the engine warranty to 100,000 km for affected components.

How much does it cost to fix on a Toyota 86?

$3,500 to $7,500 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 Toyota 86 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2012–2021 Toyota 86. 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 oil level on dipstick against the service record mileage since last change. Ask for receipts showing oil top-ups between services. Inspect inside the oil filler cap for creamy sludge (unrelated) or note absence of combustion residue. Inspect tailpipe for blue-grey smoke film. Look here: FA20D engine block – piston ring land area; exhaust tailpipe for evidence of burned oil