Is it okay to skip minor (5k interval) service?

I began skipping the 5k service at the dealership after the complimentary maintenance ended. I rotate my tires at discount for free and check the oil myself at the 5k interval.

Resetting the maintenance reminder is found under “vehicle settings” on the multi-information display. Just below the driver assist options.

 

Discount tire, at least in my area of Texas, has free rotations even if you didn’t buy from them. They do charge for balancing though.

 

I agree, I also skipped the 5k for many years now. As Tyfly said do rotate your tires, if you are using synthetic oil it really only needs to be changed every 10k but make sure it is not getting low or anything.

 

Hmmm. My dentist says you only need to brush the teeth you want to keep. My corollary is that you only need to check the oil on engines you want to keep.

I normally rotate tires for free at home. Same with changing oil but it ain't free. I got my current set of tires at Toyota and they offer free rotations, so I take advantage of that on my car. It's usually quicker to rotate them myself, but that gives me an excuse to prowl the lot to see if maybe a Prime or a Rav4 hybrid snuck into the lot under the distributor's radar. So far, two Primes and zero hybrid Rav4s that I know of.

Back to the original question, all that's involved in the 5k in-between schedule (assuming synthetic oil) is tire rotation, fluid levels, brake wear, wiper blades, and driver's floor mat. Other than tire rotation and brake wear, I look at that stuff every few weeks or sooner. Until they start getting close, the brakes don't need checking every 5k. They and tires can be stretched to 10k, but the tires will wear a little faster and the brakes will be getting riskier the older they get.

 

There are two levels of brake inspection: the visual inspection every 5K (which is kinda overkill), and Toyota "alludes" to a more in-depth inspection every 30K miles (or 3 years, whichever comes first). Their instruction for the latter is very vague though. I would recommend to pull the calipers off the rotors, clean and relube the caliper slide pins, clean and relube the pads/shims and caliper contact points. Also check pad thickness and record. Ocassionally a rotor thickness and runout check is good, especially if you're noticing any troubles.

 

more importantly, did they lube the caliper slide pins

 

The tire rotation IS the 5K service.
You can reset the maintenance reminder yourself.
The procedure is in your owners manual; it varies a bit depending on model.

 

Uh wait a sec, there's also the driver's floor mat check, can't forget that...

(There's no mention of that in the Canadian schedule, we're all hell-bound...)

 

Might be regional, but our local Walmart tire center includes free rotation and re-balancing on all tires purchased there. However, I usually do a rotation at the time of winter tire change over myself.

 

I'm surprised nobody has yet recommended changing the oil and filter at (or before) 5,000 miles, yet. The old school part of me will be pushing to change my factory fill by 5k, for sure. (Of course, this change wouldn't be covered under Toyota Care)

 

Truly "old school". I've done a ton of research on oil life in my life (Bob Is The Oil Guy). I started 10k oil changes (Mobil 1 fully synthetic) WAY back in 1987, with my first Audi. I've put several hundred thousand miles on VWs. Audis, Hondas, Toyotas, running almost all my cars to 130-150k miles. NEVER an oil related issue, nor have ANY of them burned any oil.

I send oil samples to Blackstone every 30-40k miles, and in every case, they've recommended I could stretch to 12k, even 15k changes.

Hybrids ICEngines work much less than a normal engine. With my Ford CMax, Blackstone recommended I could go to 15k miles, with PLENTY of oil life remaining.

Curiously, every Toyota dealership I've been to in the FortWorth, Texas area puts a sticker on my windshield, recommending a 5k oil change. However, when I ask the service mgr at each dealership, they quietly tell me Toyota's recommendation for every car is 10k miles.

 

I agree, I've seen oil test results extend change intervals considerably. I do mine according to TOYOTA's specification while it's under warranty. Plus - I tend to move my cars on after 3-4 years, and near-new car buyers expect to see all services stamped in the Service Book.

Engines and oils have improved exponentially over the years since the first car I was involved with (a '49 Austin with SAE30 oil) - first change at 500 miles then:


I think Dad did it more like every 3 months, but it was well less than 2000 miles, but we'd always have to add some between changes.
.

 

I don't make a visit to any service center JUST to rotate the tires.
I do both oil change and tires about 7K miles.

 

According to info (BobTheOilGuy) and other sources, a too-frequent oil change has the potential to ADD wear to the engine, not decrease it.

The way I've seen it described is as follows:

1) The first "x" minutes/hours of oil life in the crankcase, the detergents are working as...detergent...therefore, the "protection" of the previous oil is being removed. This period offers less protection for the moving parts.

2) After the detergent is spent (no longer chemically active), the chemistry of the oil goes into "protection" mode, which lasts until the chemical "oil life extenders" are no longer active. This time period can be quite lengthy, and a company like Blackstone can tell you, with their analysis, how much protection remains in the oil.

The reality is TOO frequent (less than 10k miles, IMHO [until I send a sample to Blackstone]) oil changes is possibly detrimental, wasteful...and expensive.

 

And I think your "reality" is not.

Even if you believe that the makers of automotive oil put ingredients in there that "fight" each other (I don't believe that at all).......your ideal interval is WAY too long.

"Detergents" can be engineered to react with different things in different ways.
What exactly makes you think that they would be stupid enough to put in one additive that defeats some of the others ???

I mean exactly as in "please quote an authoritative source", not just some self appointed Internet expert.