Can't reset maintenance light

Toyota USA (and Canada) recommend 0W20, which coincidentally pretty much only comes in synthetic. And they say if 5W20 oil (which commonly comes in conventional and synthetic) is used, then cut the interval in half.

But, nowhere in the Owner's Manual or Maintenance Booklets do they say anything about oil needing to be synthetic, or that the change interval varies, for conventional vs synthetic. If you search the pdf versions of those books, the only results for "synthetic" apply to upholstery material.

Around the world this varies. Toyota Australia for example, still "recommends" 0W20, but says a wide gamut of weights are acceptable, depending on conditions, and make no mention of a shorter change interval, regardless of the oil weight being used. And again, they make no mention synthetic oil.

 

Interesting. I always believed the marketing by oil manufactures that Synthetic lasts longer than conventional, and have assumed it to be true. These days, the difference in cost for Synthetic has dropped to the point where it is only a few more dollars for Synthetic. I have noticed that Walmart brand oil is Dominated by Synthetic + Synthetic Blends, which account for about 70% of the oil they sell.

My opinion is that Synthetic is better, but the difference might be hype. I don't mind paying a few extra bucks for peace of mind. 0W20 synthetic has always been available.

 

Yeah our 2010's had a steady diet of Toyota 0W20, since the factory. I'm following the Canadian third gen km's or months, whichever comes first. For us nowadays that's invariably months, and Toyo Canada, for 3rd gen, says 6 months or 8000 kms. We do about 4000 kms, per year, so I'm changing the oil maybe every 2000 kms...

Bulk 0W20 for me has been dirt cheap, around $3~4 CDN per liter, through dealership, untill the last time: it had spiked, was actually more than the bottled liters. Even they said that was absurd, so charged me the same as bottled. But that was something like $6.67 CDN per liter. Hopefully a "blip", and it'll be a bit cheaper the next time I purchase.

 

Someone on PC convinced on me that the house brand of Walmart (Super Tech), is actually as good as the name brands like Castrol. Anyway, it jumped from $14.97 to $17.97 USD for 5 quarts recently, which is still about $7 less than Castrol. Also way less than what 5 quarts cost say 10 years ago. IMHO, changing the oil with a certified oil often is what makes the difference.

My dealer currently won't sell oil through their website even for pickup, so I ton't know what Toyo Official oil would cost. Oil and headlight bulbs are about the only parts I don't buy from Toyota.

 

How about if you show up at parts department; I’d think bottled oil would be available.

 

So did this guy ever get the light reset?

 

Bumping a notification to the OP: @Boston2008Gen2

I was wondering the same thing.

 

Got me puzzled. I am having a hard time believing you are doing it wrong, after all you tried. Eventually you should have gotten it.

Just to verify: You have a 2012 Prius v and not a 2015-2017 Prius V. I recently did an oil change on my 2017 V four, and the reset procedure was different. The Kph/Mph button is not even labeled on my 2017 four.

 

It's missing, you need to dive into menus instead?

 

Just give up and take it to a dealership so that they can show you how to do it.
And then take notes on the page in the manual where it tells about it.

 

The KMH / MPH button exists, but it has no label, and does not do anything. My 2017 has the 4 inch "Extra Information Display" on the Instrument Cluster. To reset the "Maintenance Required" message after an oil change, I have to go through a series of menus to perform a "Maintenance Initialization".

The thing is, with a 2015-18 style Instrument Cluster, there is no "Maint Rqrd" light. The exception is 2015-2018 trim level "two", which has the older style instument Cluster found on earlier Prius v's. The OP has provided a picture that shows a "Maint Rqrd" light, so he clearly does not have a 2015-18 with a trim level "three", "four", or "five".

I was just checking to see if he mistakenly labeled his car as a 2012, and he actually has a 2015-18 with trim level "two". I think this unlikely, but I am just plain puzzled why he is having so much trouble. Maybe the Toyota dealer would reveal the secret. If not, perhaps an independent Hybrid shop would help. @Boston2008Gen2 lives in Austin, TX. There is a good Hybrid shop in San Antonio that I heard @rjparker mention.

 

The Houston dealership will do it

 

Could have sworn that the OP listed Austin as his location (maybe he updated it). I hope the dealer will let @Boston2008Gen2 in on whatever was preventing the "Maint Reqrd" light from going out. Turning off that light should not require the dealer. I really want to know why we were unable to help our OP on this issue.

BTW: $70 is not a bad price for a full Synthetic Oil Change. My Firestone store wanted $90. I used to get half price oil changes at Sears for $40 because I am an Uber driver. That maybe why there are no Sears Auto centers around anymore.

 

Our 2010 Canadian spec Prius doesn't have a maintenance warning, anything requiring resetting. I'd suspect that's the blanket case, for all Canadian Toyotas, not sure though. Also: currently we've got our snow tires on, which don't have the TPMS sensors.

Just my 2 cents: both these "features", TPMS sensors and maintenance warning, are of marginal benefit, AND poorly executed. If they were convenient, didn't require endless hair-pulling intervention yeah, nice to have, but man-oh-man...

 

So it was all your fault, then!

I've read some people swearing that it only worked for them when the "Disp" mode was in a particular view, or that you do have to actually start the engine by keeping your foot on the brake. I've tried and tried, and I think I can confirm that you (or at least I) can't reset the maintenance required indicator if it isn't illuminated.

Anyone reading this do oil changes before the indicator comes on (i.e., less than 5,000 miles)?

 

I am sticking with the 5K limit for now. Next time I need to turn the "Maint Rqrd" light off, I will see if it can be done in Techstream.

As for a special view... the "Trip Odometer 'A'" must be showing when you press the "power" button while holding the Kpm / Mph button. otherwise the odometer won't "dance" and turn off the "Maint Rqrd" light.