Toyota Wish: 2ZR-FAE Excessive Oil Consumption

The 2ZR-FAE engine fitted to the ZGE20 Wish is subject to documented excessive oil consumption caused by piston ring wear or inadequate ring sealing at operating temperature. Toyota issued a TSB acknowledging elevated oil consumption on 2ZR-series engines and recommended piston ring inspection. NZ import specialists report owners needing to top up oil between service intervals, sometimes consuming up to 1 litre per 2,000 km in affected examples.

• Oil level drops noticeably between services
• Blue-grey smoke from exhaust on acceleration or overrun
• Spark plugs showing oil fouling
• Low oil warning light activating

1. 1

   Check oil level and condition on the dipstick.

2. 2

   Observe the exhaust for blue smoke during a cold-start and during test drive acceleration.

3. 3

   Inspect spark plugs for oil fouling.

4. 4

   Ask the owner how often they top up oil.

$2,500 to $4,500 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.

• “How often do you need to add oil between services?”
• “Have you noticed blue or grey smoke from the exhaust?”
• “Has the engine had a compression or leak-down test?”

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.