Since I bought my 2010 Prius II last week, I've got about 400 miles on it. All the time, I've driven it in Eco mode, and the average MPG is 59, so you imagine that I did not floor it. Today, I checked the oil level and noticed it is almost to min level. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the level was when I bought it, but this fact makes me worry. So, is it normal to have a such low oil level for a brand new Prius after only a few hundred miles? What do you suggest me to do next? Thank you in advance, Silviu
Hello and welcome to PriusChat! It's ok that you've been driving around near the min level on the dipstick -- no harm there. Now that you know what level it is at, just monitor the oil level to see if it changes. I doubt it will, but if it does, than you may have a problem. If you choose to add oil, do so with caution. It is very easy to overfill a Prius. Anywhere between the min and max mark is fine, but many (myself included) fill that 75% is perfect (about 1/4 inch from the max line on the dipstick). Bryan
I would simply add the Toyota 0W-20 oil up to the upper level. Continue watching it and if it goes down much before the 5K oil change have the dealer look at it. Otherwise don't worry about it, its covered. Peter p.s. thanks for reminding me, I haven't checked my level at all.
Just make sure you have checked the oil level after the car has been sitting with the engine off for a fairly long period before you decide to add any. The manual says wait more than 5 minutes, I'd suggest check in the morning before you drive it at all.
Yes, I let it rest for a few hours before probing. Definitively, I'll keep an eye on the oil level for the next hundreds or more miles, but I would like to know if this is Toyota's way; what if they just don't add enough oil for a new car? When I bought the car, the salesman told me about a few restrictions for the first 600 miles, such as: don't push the car; if a long drive, cruise at variable speed; no sudden breaking. Thus, I'm thinking that maybe this is Toyota's way; I'll call them to find out, but I'm curious if other fresh 2010 Toyota Prius owners have the same issue, oil level not to the max.
Mine measured full (and still clean) after 4500 miles. If it were me, I'd do the following: 1. Take it back to the dealer so that they have a record of this in case there are any followup issues. 2. I'd ask them to check for leaks (maybe the oil filter was not properly tightened at the factory). 3. Then I'd ask them to add a quart to bring it up to full (but not overfull). I'd try to make sure they added the Toyota 0W/20 oil and not some of their cheaper bulk 5W/20 oil. 4. Finally, I'd keep a close eye on it for the next few months. While it's OK to drive down by a quart or so over the short term, the oil will age a bit faster if left low for the long term since there isn't as much of it to distribute the wear.
Shamfully, I have to accept that I don't know how to measure the oil level. I went to the dealer and everything is ok; the oil level is fine. I was fooled by the fact that I couldn't see the oil trace next to the max mark yesterday when I measured; most of the oil accumulated next to the min mark on the stick. To all who responded, thank you for responding me and please accept my apologize for troubleing you!
No problem at all -- we're just glad that everything is OK with your car. By the way, I see that you're fairly new here, so :welcome:to PriusChat!
I would avoid saying "add a quart". If they do, you will have an even bigger problem on your hands... Bryan
David (aka Blind Guy) P.S. Most of the 2nd Gen owners agree that keeping the Oil HALFWAY between the Max and Min marks is the ideal indicator for proper Oil fill level.
Yes, but I don't think it's yet known what the ideal level is for the 2010 motor. My inclination is to keep it as near to the full mark as possible (without going over), since the additives in the oil will wear out as the oil ages. So more oil, more additives and better lubrication as the oil change interval is approached...
Let me see if I understand the logic. With a filter change the amount of oil called for in the owner's manual is 4.4 quarts. The owner's manual also says that the range from the min to max mark on the dip stick is 1.6 quarts. So if we shoot for 75% as quoted above (0.75 x 1.6 = 0.4 so 4.4-0.4 =4) does that mean we should add an even 4 quarts after and oil and filter change. That would be convenient and perhaps help reduce frictional losses without risk of being too low on oil. Comments please.
That's the hope. Perhaps others that have done a change will chime in as to exactly how much they added and if 4 quarts took it up to 3/4 full. Unless it is way off in either direction that is exactly what I intend to do (4 quarts).
