Does going outside of toyota for service not repairs void your warranty?

No. You can also do it yourself. Make sure you keep records.

Tom

 

There are very clear laws protecting your rights under warranty. In short, a manufacturer can only void a warranty if they can show that a failure was directly caused by your action. For example, if you decide to tow a trailer with your Prius and the transaxle fails, Toyota might be able to prove that your trailer towing killed the transaxle. On the other hand, they could not say that it caused your headlights to fail.

You need to be able to prove that all required maintenance was done at the proper time. Mostly this involves changing the oil and oil filter, but you can read the details in your maintenance handbook. If you do it yourself, keep your receipts for the oil and filters. If you have it done at a shop, keep the receipts for that. Make sure they show the date and what was done.

Tom

 

As warranties are extended and as auto manufacturers are continually pinched by the current financial state of the world, more and more are adhering to the factory maintenance. It is critical that, should you choose to perform your own maintenance, your records are completely above reproach.

Case in point, I currently have a customer whose 2008 Sentra needs an engine, which came in completely sludged up and with no oil in it. Customer swears up one side and down the other she's had the oil changed by various locations. However, she is only able to produce 3 oil change receipts for the 40,000 miles she's owned it. Three guesses as to whether the factory's paying for an engine or not. So, saving $120 at $10 per oil change for the 12 or so oil changes she's missing is now going to cost her about $6,000 dollars. A bit of a false economy in my book.

 

Toyota has no requirement that standard maintainence be done at a Toyota dealership. It does require you to keep records of the service being done. Please remember that the appropriate oil for the 2010 G3 Prius is 0W20 and is synthetic. Your local garage may not keep that weight oil in stock, so please insure the right oil is used.

Records include reciepts for the service. Including the correct parts are used.

Side note: Even though it is not required, I would suggest using a Toyota brand oil filter instead of the repair shops standard brand.

 

You say she's missing 12 oil changes and was able to produce receipts for three, bringing the total number to 15? That's an oil change every under 3,000 miles if the car has 40,000 miles?

Either way, 3 oil changes when you're close to 40,000 miles will become a reality now that the official interval has been extended to 10,000 miles/1 year for the Prius :thumb:

 

If you register and log in to this web site Toyota Owners Online | Official Toyota Owners Website you can enter your VIN and see dealer maintenance accomplished on your vehicle. The site also allows you to enter maintenance you do yourself or have done by independent shops.

I do my own maintenance save receipts for oil and filters and write the mileage and VIN on the receipts. At the site I enter the mileage, date, what was done and by whom, and what kind of oil and filter was used.

That's a little more than is required by the law, Magnuson-Moss Act, but it gives me a good record that will automatically be passed to the next owner.

 

Sorry 32k -- I wasn't clear. She should have had approximately 12 oil changes and is only able to provide evidence for three, towards the beginning of her ownership.

 

Unless she drives in severe conditions, that's still too many oil changes for it to be a warranty requirement for 40,000 miles. Depending on the manufacturer, the recommended interval found in the manual is either 5000, 6000 or 7500 miles for normal driving conditions and that's what the warranty requirement should be based on.

 

Do you see that there is apparently evidence of not having changed the oil in that there is sludge in the engine? I am sure that there are thousands of qualified experts who will say that, after examining the contents of the sump, it is their opinion, within the bounds of expert engineering knowledge that the vehicle did not have it's oil changed often enough. Then she can show three pieces of paper that show that many, many months and miles ago, she changed the oil three times. She loses, whether there should have been 12 or 14 or 8 changes.

I just think you might have missed the point.

Keep a decent record of maintenance in case you have to counter a charge of a lack of proper care.

 

I'm not talking about that at all, and I completely agree with you. My point is 12 oil changes (every 3,000 miles) isn't the minimum number in order to satisfy the warranty requirement, as Chris seems to imply ("she should've had 12 oil changes"). If the manual says to change the oil at 6,000 miles for normal driving conditions, that's the minimum requirement.