So I've been reading that this model requires an oil change every 10k miles. However, on my dash, I get the "Maintenance required soon" light on before 5k. This is conflicting to me and I'm pretty confused. Which one should I go by? I'm wondering if the dash light can be modified to light up earlier so the owner is led to believe that the oil change needs to happen sooner(I get my oil changed by a shop).
5,000 miles is best to change the oil. It appears the 5,000 miles was established for oil changes and than when Toyota added in 2 years free service it went to 10,000 miles for the oil change. If your gonna keep it a long time, change the oil at 5k miles.
IDG oil every 1800 FH, supply and scavenge filters every 7500 FH, right? (Or is it different for yours?)
There is a Warranty and Maintenance Guide that came with your car. (If it didn't come with your car, download it here.) If you flip to page 38 where the schedule starts, and look in the first two columns (5,000 and 10,000), you will see that depending on the conditions you drive in, your first change is either due at 5,000 (or 6 months), or it's due at 10,000 (or a year). That's the same pattern throughout the rest of the schedule. It's up to you to know which conditions apply. My usage, for example, puts me in the 5,000/6mo category. The built-in reminder is just a fixed 5,000 mile counter; if your driving conditions put you in the 10,000 category, you can just reset it every other time without doing any other work. (Then you just have to remember "hmm, this is the first time I'm resetting that, right?") I don't know if the C has anything like the liftback's multifunction display, but if it does, there is probably a maintenance reminder screen in there with a dozen or so categories of reminder you can set, and you can set for any mileage or time interval you want. If you go there and set that oil reminder for 10,000, then you can kind of ignore the other built-in one.
40 dollars every 6 months or 5,000 miles over 10 years = $800 ($1,000 at worse) You could risk burnt rings, clogged oil holes if you don't (could is the key word) and this could cost you thousands at the end of 10 years. Its up to the individual. There is a Toyota mechanic in here that finally tells us the story behind the 2010-2013 oil burning, head gasket issue. His recommendation is to keep the oil fresh. According to him, the piston rings in these models were not good quality and wear out and thus cause the oil holes to clog. I'm not a mechanic, but he is, and he knows our engines inside and out. So, it's kind of like an insurance to minimize a possible expensive experience. Personally, I have always changed the oil at 5k. Do what you feel works for you financially.
I guess the crux of the problem is the OP has "been reading that this model requires an oil change every 10k miles", and there are places where you can read that, but the places that don't mention the warranty and maintenance guide, and don't point out that it gives different intervals for different driving conditions, are not the places the OP should be reading.
Maybe dealerships are complicit in this maintenance info blackout? I doubt they ever mention the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet.
...and can you just imagine Prius owner "arguments" about frequency, why it cost so much and/or the tools required to check for chips?
No matter what you drive change the oil every 5k miles and you car will last a very long time. Now there is the concern of what grade of oil is best.....but that’s been beat to death in here already. I do not use 0W-20!
