Official (OEM) Toyota Prius 2016 (Gen 4) oil-change instructions

I actually ordered for 2016 when I ordered mine because they did not yet have the 2017 parts listed. Item 4 in this link should be what you want.

2016 Toyota Prius Parts - metrotoyotapartsnow.com

 

Proud and happy owner of Gen 4 (2017). Loved my Gen 2, but I admit I love this one even more. I've always done my own oil changes. However, my ramps that worked for the Gen 2 are just not high enough for this Gen 4. Early on in this thread one writer suggested driving up on wooden 4x4's. That's certainly a possibility, but I'm wondering if anyone has used alternative measures.

 

When I did mine, I ended up straddling a dry drainage ditch with the car since the ramps my son bought did not work for my Prius..

An idea like this might work, though.

 

A basic newbie question about oil change. I am bit confused about normal oil change and synthetic oil change. I understand that if you do ordinary oil change, you should do it once in six months and if you use synthetic oil, it is enough to do it once an year. My question is do I get to choose which one I want. Toyota gave me an official vehicle profile (a card to claim Toyota care free maintenance in the early years) and in that it states that I should do synthetic oil change. Does it mean I should never use the ordinary oil?

p.s. I am not skilled enough to do my own oil change and so will get it done by a mechanic only (but I will stick to Toyota dealers).

 

The users manual for Gen 4 specifies to use full synthetic oil. I assume you got the manuals and maintenance guide too.
They are also available online as PDFs from the Toyota Owners site.

 

If you guys need oil filter, I have some brand new OEM Toyota oil filters for sale.

For Sale - Prius Toyota OEM oil filters | PriusChat

 

The word "synthetic" appears twice in the US Owner's Manual, referring to the synthetic leather. To be fair: if 0W20 is the spec'd weight, I supposed it's almost inferred it is synthetic. Still, I'd argue the connection between yearly (or 10K mile) oil change interval is tenuous. For example, Canadian 3rd gen spec'd 0W20, a 6 month or 8000 km (5000 mile) interval. For fourth gen, Toyo Canada matches the US: yearly or 16 months.

You can use either conventional or synthetic, and you can pick your interval. During the "free" oil change intervals that Toyota USA offers, that may meet resistance and/or call for extra expense, but: it's your car.

My 2 cents: do 0W20 and 6 months or 5000 miles, for starters. I think these longer intervals are too long, regardless of the oil type.

 

You are correct. It does not explicitly say "synthetic. That word only appears 1 time in the Gen 4 manual, referring to the fake leather.

Here is what the manual says for Gen 4 (This is the Gen 4 forum) oil changes.


As far as I know, Toyota Genuine Motor Oil is full synthetic. Therefore that is what is recommended as equivalent.

 

There's non-synthetic Toyota 5W20, that's what I get for a Pilot.

 

Yes, I do have the user manual. But, I have poor reading skills (just kidding ).

In my previous Honda Accord that I owned for 16 years, I never read the manual. Looks like, I can't get by this time without
reading. I may have to actually learn to read.

I take it that OW20 refers to synthetic oil and 5W20 refers to conventional oil. Is that correct?

 

0W20 is pretty much for sure always synthetic. 5W20 can be either.

 

Strictly speaking, 0W-20 and 5W-20 refer to the viscosity of the oil in cold (“W” for winter) and warm temperatures, as explained in the extract from the Owner’s Manual @Prodigyplace posted above. As @Mendel Leisk observes, there are both synthetic and conventional 5W-20 oils, for example.

I’d suggest using oil of the 0W-20 viscosity recommended by Toyota, which will typically be fully or partially synthetic. Note that Toyota also says the oil must meet the ILSAC GF-5 standard. See my previous posting about this, which has links to the American Petroleum Institute’s lists of oils—sold under Toyota’s brand and many others, all over the world—that have been shown to meet this requirement.

 

I was under my 2017 Two today and found a similar cartridge filter, much to my surprise. What did you end up doing? Has your dealer seen it? If so, what did they say? Was it changed to the replaceable element type with the reusable cap?

 

I'm confused by the description. "Cartridge" mean permanent housing, replacing only the paper filter element?

That aside, what's the problem? You would typically just replace whicheverr style with same, and I'd suspect the same oil filter socket dimensions apply for both?

 

Oops, I should have said spin-on. I did some more reading and realized that they switched.

 

Perhaps they changed mid year when they added additional safety features. My 2017, purchased in October 2016, has the replaceable element filter.

 

I think you're right about the switch. I did some more digging for part numbers and this diagram says 'from 2017-09 on'. It shows the spin-on

2017 Toyota Prius Filter s/a, oil. Gcc, cartrige, gen - 90915YZZF2 - Genuine Toyota Part

 

Not to hijack the thread, but I posted a thread about the new (old?) spin-on filter for my 2017 here:
DIY oil change for 2017 Two (verify your filter type before starting) | PriusChat

 

The big thing about changing oil to me was my 2008 oil filter was on the front side of the engine (spin on) and the 2016 on the back side of the moon and with the car being lower I have to get it up in the air higher.

Last summer I bought a Kwik-lift.

The Best Low Rise Vehicle Lift You Can Buy - The Kwik-Lift

 

I guess it's safe to assume that my 2018 has a spin-on filter?

I'm seeing some folks say that early 2018s didn't have it, and others saying that some 2017s had it already.

One request then: Can someone do a pictorial next time they change oil on their 2018 with spin-on? (to compliment the cartridge-type one early in this thread) If I'm the next one, I'll do it.