2010 Prius IV Uses Oil??

ALL vehicles that are 13 years old with 130,000 miles on them might be expected to use a little oil because of internal wear.
Some more than others. You have one of the "more" ones.

You should NOT wait until you get an oil pressure alarm before checking the oil.
That is a DISASTER IMMINENT alarm. Seriously.

So.....start checking the oil much more often, like at least once a week.
Start using a somewhat heavier "high mileage" oil.
And hope that there hasn't been any additional damage done because of the low
oil level.

Oil usage has been discussed at some length in this forum.
Do some searching.

It might be time to start shopping for a different car.
The hybrid battery doesn't last forever either.

 

Do a Google search for "high mileage oil".
Seems like I remember that most are 10W30.

While that might sound like a BIG difference, it really isn't as oil goes.

But don't get your hopes up TOO high.
It is like putting a bandaid on a severed artery.

 

130,000 miles is not a lot, but about the time it would start burning oil.
A good rule of thumb might be to check it ever other fuel fill up. If you fill at 1/2 tank.
Every time if you wait until 1/4 of a tank. It give you something to do while waiting for
the tank to fill.

The oil is burning in the cylinders, from blowby of the oil control ring on the piston.
0-30 or 5-30 would be a good oil to use. Lot's of people say they use 40 or 50w, butttt.....
That would be pushing it. Unless you were using a qt every 2-300 miles, then it's doesn't matter
because the cylinder walls are gone....
Hopefully, you were able to add oil before serious damage was done.
Since you only drive about 10,000 miles a year, you'd only have to change your oil every
6 months. So adding oil in between won't be too expensive. Also, depending on how you drive,
you'll use more oil if you drive it like an F1 car, but if you drive it like a Prius, you won't burn as much.

Have you had the EGR system cleaned yet? That would be a good thing to do.

 

is a slow leak out of the drain plug a possibility?

or maybe they didn't put enough oil in at the change

 

It also might be useful to note that IF the oil usage really is from loose/worn rings that
lets oil into the combustion chamber, the unburned oil likely will eventually damage
the catalytic converter and if you are in California that can be an expensive problem.

 

While that may sound logical, it is NOT a valid way to do it.

The high mileage oil needs to go in all at once when a change is due.
Or before a change is due.

 

The Car Care Nut on YouTube has several videos that address this issue. You might find them interesting.

 

Dealership definitely will have done squat about the EGR. And Toyota's circled-the-wagons on this, denies* there's an issue. At 150K miles you're well into the danger zone; head gasket failure is pretty much guaranteed by 200k. To think elsewise with any 3rd gen Prius is fools-paradise.

If you're mechanically inclined, have some tools, DIY if at all possible: there's precious few places that'll help you with this. If you demand dealership have a look at it, the only way they'll approach it is with parts swaps, and their approach will cost about a grand, for parts alone, before they start tacking on the labour.

* Toyota did issue a warranty extension notice on the EGR issue, but says to wait for EGR specific code, and/or bucking during cold starts, before doing anything. Which is WAY too late. Also, the include the following, utterly BS phrase in that missive:

while the majority of vehicles will not experience this condition

^ Just like that, italicized and underlined. I guess if you're going to lie through your teeth, you might as well be emphatic?

 

Not necessarily. We have two oil burners in the house and catalytic converters are just fine (emissions are tested every year). The other one (not Prius) has some 175kmiles on the clock and we’ve driven the last 65kmiles during 7years. Consume some 0.7l - 1l of oil per 600miles. One should use quality oil if car consume oil. Cheap stuff may not burn as clean (i believe)

 

Of course. It depends on exactly why the oil consumption is happening and where it is going.
And how much is going out the pipes.

In an engine that is operating properly, the OIL does not "burn" at all.
Or at least only a very TINY bit.