Symptom explainer · every vehicle on the site
Engine leaks oil
Most reported: 2014 Jeep Wrangler with 124 reports. Across the 123 model years on this site with at least five, owners filed 1,800.
- 1,800owner reports
- 123model years affected
- 70,000median miles
- 6involved a crash
- 53involved a fire
Oil leak reports usually begin with a spot on the driveway. Some owners smell burning oil or see smoke from under the hood when the leak drips onto something hot. Others only find out because they keep adding oil between changes, or a shop spots the leak during an unrelated visit. A share of them mention the repair falling outside the warranty.
Which cars report it most · By model · When it happens · What it is and what to do
The 25 vehicles with the most reports
Each row is one model year. The bar is its count of oil leak reports; the share is how much of that car's complaint file this problem takes up. Bigger sellers draw more reports, so read the share alongside the count. Red dots mark crashes and fires in these reports; amber marks a recall on the same system.
- 12014 Jeep Wrangler6 fires12420% of its complaints56k mi
- 22019 Mazda CX-51 firerecall6725% of its complaints50k mi
- 32018 Mazda CX-5recall6318% of its complaints53k mi
- 42015 Kia Soul2 firesrecall455% of its complaints98k mi
- 52017 Hyundai Santa Ferecall455% of its complaints81k mi
- 62014 Jeep Grand Cherokee2 firesrecall402% of its complaints79k mi
- 72014 Kia Soul2 firesrecall394% of its complaints106k mi
- 82016 Kia Soul2 firesrecall395% of its complaints79k mi
- 9394% of its complaints62k mi
- 10383% of its complaints82k mi
- 113513% of its complaints71k mi
- 122014 Ford Escape4 firesrecall301% of its complaints75k mi
- 132017 Hyundai Tucson1 firerecall303% of its complaints72k mi
- 14291% of its complaints67k mi
- 152015 Hyundai Sonata2 fires293% of its complaints58k mi
- 162017 Kia Sorento1 firerecall253% of its complaints80k mi
- 172020 Kia Telluride1 fire253% of its complaints91k mi
- 18234% of its complaints94k mi
- 19233% of its complaints88k mi
- 20237% of its complaints50k mi
- 21204% of its complaints138k mi
- 22205% of its complaints67k mi
- 232018 Ford F-150recall201% of its complaints85k mi
- 242015 Kia Optima1 fire192% of its complaints112k mi
- 252016 Hyundai Tucson1 fire191% of its complaints99k mi
Where it dominates the complaint file
Model years with at least 25 reports, ranked by the share of all their complaints that describe oil leak. That takes most of the sales-volume effect out (small sellers still swing more).
- 12019 Mazda CX-51 firerecall6725% of its complaints50k mi
- 22014 Jeep Wrangler6 fires12420% of its complaints56k mi
- 32018 Mazda CX-5recall6318% of its complaints53k mi
- 43513% of its complaints71k mi
- 52015 Kia Soul2 firesrecall455% of its complaints98k mi
- 62016 Kia Soul2 firesrecall395% of its complaints79k mi
- 72017 Hyundai Santa Ferecall455% of its complaints81k mi
- 82014 Kia Soul2 firesrecall394% of its complaints106k mi
- 9394% of its complaints62k mi
- 102020 Kia Telluride1 fire253% of its complaints91k mi
By model, every year together
The 12 models with the most reports. Each chip is a model year; the darker chip is its worst year.
- Kia Soul153
- Mazda CX-5147
- Kia Sorento114
When it happens
1,073 of the 1,800 reports state a mileage. The middle half fall between 41,000 and 100,000 miles; the median is 70,000. Each column is a 20,000-mile band.
Reports by model year
Every report of oil leak, grouped by the model year of the car. 6 involved a crash and 53 a fire. 3 people were hurt.
What owners describe
Share of the 1,800 reports that use each phrase. One report can use several.
What got replaced
Reports that name the part, across every vehicle.
What it is and what to do
What is usually involved
The parts owners name most here are the oil filter housing, the valve cover gasket, the oil pan gasket and the rear main seal. GM's oil consumption bulletin, filed with NHTSA, tells technicians to rule out leaks before anything else: inspect the oil pan and engine covers for leaks from over-tightened, damaged or out-of-place gaskets, and check oil lines and fittings. A leak and oil burning can look the same from the dipstick, so the first job is finding out which one you have.
What a shop checks first
Following that bulletin's order, the leak check comes before any oil consumption test, and the consumption test itself isn't valid until external leaks are fixed. Ask the shop to show you where the leak starts, and whether more than one gasket or seal is involved, before you approve the work.
When to stop driving
A slow seep that leaves a few spots a week isn't an emergency, but keep an eye on the level. The GM bulletin warns that running an engine with the oil below the minimum mark on the dipstick can cause severe engine damage, and that repairs from low oil aren't covered by the new vehicle warranty. Stop and shut the engine off if the oil pressure light comes on, if you see smoke from under the hood, or if oil is landing on the exhaust. The U.S. Fire Administration found flammable liquids in the engine area among the most common things first ignited in highway vehicle fires.
What to tell the mechanic
Say how much oil you add and how often, and when the level was last topped up. Point out where you see drips when the car is parked, and mention any burning smell after a drive. Bring the date and mileage of your last oil change, and say whether the leak began right after it.
Recalls, bulletins and warranty
Check your VIN for open recalls, then look for service bulletins. Manufacturers must send NHTSA copies of the bulletins and warranty extensions they send dealers, and you can read them by searching your year, make and model on NHTSA's recall page. A leak inside the factory warranty's months or miles should be covered. The FTC points out that a warranty can't be denied just because an independent shop did your oil changes.
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints on the 1,040 vehicle model years that have a page here, grouped by the word patterns described on the method page. A vehicle needs five matching reports to be counted in this ranking. Checked Sep 27, 2026. All problem explainers.