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Prius 2013: 0W-16 engine oil?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by kamrul, Jun 10, 2019.

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  1. kamrul

    kamrul Junior Member

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    I own a Prius 2013 with 65K kilometers on it. Bought recently with 62K kilometers.

    Now nearing the first engine oil change. Though Toyota recommends 0W-20, I was wondering if 0W-16 could be any better?

    The car is imported as reconditioned so can't tell which oil the last owner put.

    P.S may be not an important information but the temperature is between 35-42 degree Celsius during summer. _20190610_133319.jpeg _20190610_140559.jpeg received_369128287014396.jpeg
     
    #1 kamrul, Jun 10, 2019
  2. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    THAT might be the ultimate test for 0w-16 oil....

    honestly, with this temperatures I would even rather go for some thicker oil than 0w-20 /
     
    #2 StarCaller, Jun 10, 2019
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Dusty, tropical conditions, I'd second @StarCaller .
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Jun 10, 2019
  4. kamrul

    kamrul Junior Member

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    According to the Toyota manual, the suggested engine oil grade is 0W-20.

    5W-30 can be used but must be replaced with 0W-20 on the next drain.
     
    #4 kamrul, Jun 10, 2019
  5. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I would use the oil specified in the owner manual. Toyota tests the vehicle under a wide range of conditions.
     
    #5 jb in NE, Jun 10, 2019
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  6. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    No way!!! As the kids would say Y.O.L.O.
     
    #6 Grit, Jun 10, 2019
  7. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    NO. Not "better".
    As others have said, a 5W20 or 5W30 might be better in the heat.
    But there is no good reason NOT to use what is recommended.
     
    #7 sam spade 2, Jun 10, 2019
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Not that it matters much, OP lists his vehicle as Prius Alpha, which Google Image Search indicates as a Prius v.

    US Owner's Manual? Oil recommendations vary around the world. Australia for one still recommends 0W20, but also "condones" various thicker oils.

    I seem to recall hot climate owners (Spain, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, etcetera) saying 0W20 is hard to even find, and dealerships recommend 5W30.
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Jun 10, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2019
  9. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    Use the specifications for the manual that came with the car.
     
    #9 jb in NE, Jun 10, 2019
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Toyota Prius Alpha, just from a little Googling, looks to be a Japanese domestic market car. Now it's transplanted to Bangledesh.
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Jun 10, 2019
  11. kamrul

    kamrul Junior Member

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    I own a Prius which is a JDM (Japanese Domestic Model).

    Prius Alpha which is also a JDM, marketed as Prius V in North America and Europe.

    Yes, my Prius was used in Japan and then imported in Bangladesh.

    The manual is Japan specific since the vehicle is a JDM (Japanese Domestic Model) unit.
     
    #11 kamrul, Jun 10, 2019
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2019
  12. kamrul

    kamrul Junior Member

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    Similarly, the JDM version of Prius C is named 'Aqua'.
     
    #12 kamrul, Jun 10, 2019
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    I find the word "must" puzzling. What I mean is: you could use 5W30 for the life of the vehicle, with no ill effects. It's your call, but near the equator, if I was going to make a change, I would be going up in numbers not down.

    Or just sit tight at 0W20, who knows.

    I see there is a Toyota representation in Bangladesh, though the Prius "family" is not shown on the website, so I guess not that common. Contact a dealership and see what they say?

    I know some Mid-Eastern owners here were having a hard time finding 0W20. Dealership recommended 5W30.
     
    #13 Mendel Leisk, Jun 10, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2019
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  14. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Orenji says 0w-20 is like water. Wonder what 0w-16 will he compare it to.
     
    #14 Grit, Jun 10, 2019
  15. RMB

    RMB Senior Member

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    Lemme guess......... :rolleyes: Water with oil characteristics? LOL :ROFLMAO: Don't quote me on your signatures~!
     
    #15 RMB, Jun 10, 2019
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  16. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    The viscosity of 0W-20 is several times that of water! 0W-16 too.
     
    #16 CR94, Jun 10, 2019
  17. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Greetings!

    I do not know what a "reconditioned" car is legally but I will presume that it's used and has a fairly good history.

    Your local temperature is not really a factor for the oil that you use because the normal operating temperature for the engine is somewhere around 95-100 degrees Celsius...and it's liquid cooled, and regulated by a thermostat to keep it somewhere in that range.

    Personally I would use either 0w20 or 5w30.
    The only benefit that I would see with 0w16 would be a very slight increase in fuel efficiency, but I would also anticipate that there would be more engine wear and more oil consumption with this lighter oil.

    Priuses are designed above all things to provide maximum fuel efficiency with minimal pollution and an acceptable service life....which in America is something like 10-15 years and 250,000-300,000km....and THIS is one of the reasons that they specify the lower viscosity oil.
    We use different fuel efficiency measurements here in America, and I can't begin to relate to a value like 33km/l but I do know that fuel might be much more expensive in Bangladesh than it is here in the USA.
    But...cars repairs are expensive too.

    The most important thing that you can do with the oil is check the oil level at least as often as the manual recommends.

    Good Luck!!
     
    #17 ETC(SS), Jun 11, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2019
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  18. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    So.....why has every car maker on the face of the earth published "acceptable oil use" tables in it's manuals that shows what oil weights are appropriate BASED ON THE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE ??

    Some parts of the engine are hotter than the coolant is. The oil itself runs considerably hotter.
     
    #18 sam spade 2, Jun 11, 2019
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  19. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    Correct, oil weights are specified for ambient temperatures, since that is variable while the normal operating temperature is fairly closely controlled.

    Specifically in the case of Toyota with the Gen 4 Prius engine, only one oil is specified in the US. No alternatives for high or low ambient temperature extremes, although other autos may have alternates specified.

    upload_2019-6-11_14-54-58.png

    Mazda MX-5: one oil specified for all temperatures

    upload_2019-6-11_14-57-52.jpeg

    In contrast, Subaru for the 2010 Outback has quite the discussion on higher ambient temperatures:
     

    Attached Files:

    #19 jb in NE, Jun 11, 2019
  20. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Does that mean we can go with a straight 20 weight oil & still be safe then?
     
    #20 Grit, Jun 11, 2019
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