What Car? Q&A - Burning oil

Q: I’ve bought a new car recently and, after only having it for five months the oil warning light has come on. Does that mean the car has a problem? I’m concerned that the garage I bought the car from may have checked it incorrectly before I took delivery. What should I do?
Raoul Choudry

A: The first thing to do is put some oil in the engine the owner’s handbook should tell you the type to use. It is not uncommon for a new engine to get through a little extra oil in the first few months of its life. Running a car in properly will help loosen the engine up and should reduce the oil consumption over time. Don’t be scared to rev the engine a little higher, once it has warmed up, in order to help the running-in process.

Just because you bought a new car it doesn’t mean you should forget about checking the oil on a regular basis. All drivers should check the level of engine oil at least once a month as part of the regular maintenance of the car.

If you are still concerned, contact the dealer and ask what the standard rate of oil consumption is for that car.