2009–2014 Acura TSX: Burning oil between changes (2.4L sticking piston rings)
Likely causes, ranked
- Carbon-stuck oil control ringsShop
- PCV valveDIY
Real-owner fix counts will appear here as reports come in.
DIY or shop: See DIY or shop section
Parts to check
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
These are search links; confirm fitment for your exact engine and trim. Affiliate disclosure
Symptom: Oil level low on the dipstick between changes, sometimes with the oil light on.
Likely causes
- Stuck rings. Acura says deposits can stick the oil control rings, especially with cold engines, hard cold acceleration and poor fuel. The fix is new pistons and rings.
- Later manual cars. AcuraZine owners point to a later bulletin for some 2011–2013 manual TSXs.
DIY or shop?
Shop for rings. Owners note the original warranty extension has likely expired for most cars.
Useful steps
- Track oil use.
- Use Top Tier fuel and change oil more often.
- Ask a dealer about any bulletin that matches your VIN.
Vehicle focus: 2009–2014 Acura TSX.
Safety / mechanic note
Low oil can damage the engine and burning oil can ruin the catalytic converter. Verify with a mechanic or dealer.
Recalls & service bulletins
Technical service bulletins
- 13-006 Acura extended piston and ring coverage on 2009–2011 TSX 4-cylinder to 8 years/125,000 miles for oil consumption from deposits on the oil control rings. Details
NHTSA complaints: 15 keyword-matched complaints for Acura TSX 2009–2014 (of 372 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-15).
Always check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Sources
What actually fixed it?
Had this problem? Tell other owners what the real fix was. Reports are counted above; we never show made-up numbers.