Engine light is ON

The engine light signifies a code has been stored. The fact that you disconnected the battery “temporarily” fixed the problem until it happens again. You need to scan the vehicle or have it scanned to determine the real cause.

 

you're right around the mileage where the egr clogs and blows the head gasket.
it's time to get serious about your maintenance before you get a huge repair bill.

 

Highly unlikely low oil caused a check engine. Most auto supplies will scan and clear for free although you have brute force cleared it now and have cleared all engine self tuning parameters. It could be one of a thousand codes from the gas cap being loose to excessive engine temp. Find out next time. If it blinks shutdown immediately.

 

get the mini vci with tech stream if you can. cheap money, but you need a compatible laptop.
otherwise, torque app is decent.
that way, you will have more than check engine reading ability for the future.

 

have you checked the gas cap?

 

if the cap was loose, it takes a few days for the light to go out. otherwise, it is more significant.

 

no. you'll have to get the codes, then follow the service manual troubleshooting repair tree.

 

Turning the CEL off does nothing to fix the underlying problem. Get it read even if you have to go to an auto parts store and have them read the codes. They often do it for free.

 

If you're trying to squeeze as much in the tank as possible, go back to stopping at the first click. Don't run it low either: it's a mugs game seeing how far you can go on a tank.

And yeah: sounds like your car is starting to drink oil. Check it frequently.

What oil change interval are you using? The recommended oil change interval is 8000 kms, or 6 months. It's in the Ower's Manual Supplement booklet. Which if you're missing, can be downloaded here:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota.site.p01/toyota/manuals/OMS1012U/OMS1012U.pdf

Here's an excerpt, from page 25:



Note, both Oil & Filter Service and Maintenance Service include an oil and filter change. Confusing, but bottom line is: you're supposed to change the oil and filter every 6 months or 8000 kms.

Note for anyone reading along: this is the Toyota Canada schedule; US schedule lets the oil and and filter go twice as long.

 

No. Again, both "Oil and Filter Service" and "Maintenance Service" include an oil and filter change:

The booklet is poorly written: it's deplorable that something so fundamental as oil change interval is expressed thus, but yeah, 3rd gen Canadian Prius oil change interval is every 8k kms or 6 months. For confirmation, the Toyota Canada interactive website:

Maintenance Schedule - Toyota Canada