What's with exclamation mark sign?

You mean THAT'S all I have to do to fulfill my lifelong dream????

@ the OP......

Yeah....we've been pretty hard on you here, but if you're still with us, here are some quick takeaways:

1. Oil CHECK interval - 30 days/1,000 miles. It's in the manual. OIL CHANGE interval - every 10,000 miles per the manual but many here do it more frequently.
It's important to check your oil level both BEFORE and AFTER you get it changed.
With a little time, and perhaps some YouTube Videos it is possible to check the level right after you change it. That's what the folks who changed it last time OBVIOUSLY failed to do.

2. If you're still on the forum, do a search for EGR cleaning and/or Blown Head Gasket....and read the longest 10 threads.
If you don't feel like dealing with that, then good luck with your next car!
(Don't buy a 2010-2015 Prius next time)

3. https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/T-MMS-12Prius/pdf/2012_Toyota_Prius_WMG.pdf That's your Warranty and Maintenance Guide. Lots of useful stuff there.

4. If you're thinking about buying one of those goofy catalytic converter theft prevention gizmos - DON'T. It might be wasted money in your case.

Good Luck!

 

Keep in mind also that the manual gives two different intervals for various maintenance items, depending on how the car is driven. My use falls in the 5,000 mile oil change category, which is why I change at 5,000, not just because the warm breezes of my spirit happen to blow that way.

 

Also: whatever the interval, Toyota stipulates miles or months, whichever comes first. That maybe unravels with a car that's virtually mothballed, but just sayin'.

 

I don’t know what to believe now.

 

Easy: if you're doing a lot of short milk-runs, especially sub-zero, consider the shorter interval. Ditto if you're driving long distance but at low speeds.



FWIW: US 2nd gen regular interval was 5000 miles or 6 months. And Canadian 3rd gen regular interval is 8000 kms (5000 miles) or 6 months.

And, I wouldn't "believe" anybody, especially the manufacturers. Consider what they say, for sure. Also consider what they've said in past, and what they say in other parts of the world. There's likely a lot of salesmanship in the interval determination. I like to err on the side of caution, oil is cheap.

 

i have a 2010 Prius with the same problem, the yellow warning triangle with the exclamation mark usually flashes up and beeps for a split second when im turning right or sometimes when braking, no other lights come on and nothing stays on, manual is no help either as its just a master warning light (vague)if you get to the bottom of it please let me know and ill do the same.

 

If you read this long, excruciating thread you'll find that basically every person on the planet told the OP to check his oil. Despite his protestations that he didn't think that was the problem, he eventually did (rather, had someone do it for him) and found there was only about a quart of oil left in the crankcase. That's the point at which your engine says to itself: "Man, I'm hot. I should probably quit working now."

So, the same response applies to you: Check your oil.

Don't hit reply. Don't shut down your computer. Don't even close your browser window. Get up, go to your car, and check the oil!

Do it now.

Why are you still reading this? GO CHECK YOUR OIL!

 

ATTA boy, Jon.
Straight and to the point.

David: That little light is trying to tell you that you are driving on the wrong side of the road !!
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Seriously, check your oil.

 

I would slightly modify that line to:

... CHECK YOUR OIL!

Yes, this has repeated far too many times here in PriucChat, and I'm not remembering such symptoms ever turning out to be anything else.

 

thanks Lads, checked the oil and not much in it so topped it up, which means i have another problem, as it was only fully serviced a month ago with fresh oil and all fluids. don't see any smoke from the exhaust but its obviously burning it, engine has only done 160,000km.

 

How often were you checking engine oil levels?

 

This thread is one of the funniest ones in awhile! Hopefully the original poster is alright with our bantering around.

 

And his engine's gonna make it.

 

last seen 10 days ago,...

maybe checking the oil?

 

Doubt it. we never read here, just type.