Hey all, Well, I've had my new Prius for almost two weeks now, and am absolutely loving it. I'm taking it on its first road trip out to the beach this weekend (about 170 miles each way), and on a whim, I checked the dipstick last night while the engine was still hot. I was surprised to find that the oil level was just above the bottom dot. I've read enough on this site to be wary of overfilling the engine and am planning on having the dealer look at it, especially since I have to swing by to pick up my plates and have them disable the reverse beep. Unfortunately, I won't have time to do that before my road trip, and I worry that a 350-mile trip with low oil could have some adverse impact. My options seem to be: 1) leave it, hoping that 350-mile drive with an oil fill on the lower end of the range isn't a problem. 2) buy a quart of oil and put some in, hoping that I don't overfill the damn thing. 3) Swing by the dealer tonight, pushing back my departure time and potentially royally ticking off my friends. I know I'm being a bit obsessive about this (at least that's what my wife says), but every other car I've ever driven has been at least ten years old and has belonged to someone else. I'm still very wary of screwing something up unintentionally. Advice and gentle mocking appreciated, Dan
I'd go with #2. It's a good idea to get familiar with reading the oil level and topping up. Be sure to get 0W20. At least in our area the cheapest source is Toyota's own oil. When checking the level, make sure the car's level, or near level: being on a slope will change the level on the dipstick. Also, take multiple readings. I find the Prius dipstick very hard to read: oil smears along the edges, well above the actual level. One trick, push it in just to the handle (not the last 1/2" or so), and check. If the "level" has moved down by that amount, you're reading it right. Also, as long as the car's sat for a few minutes, the level should be stable, ie: the engine being warm doesn't make a significant difference to level.
You say that you checked it when hot. I would give it five minutes minimum to drain down before checking the level. And if you do need to add, don't add the full quart all at once. You probably don't need more than a half quart. I prefer checking the oil level with the engine cold.
I agree with what's been said so far. 1. Wait a bit to make sure oil has drained back into oil pan before checking. 2. Be sure car is on level surface before checking oil level 3. Be sure you're checking oil level properly. If you didn't push the stick in all the way the first time you may not have gotten a good reading. Also...look for signs of an oil leak: oil on the ground or drops on the access panel. A loose drain plug or an improperly installed filter might be the problem.
Thanks to all! I did make the mistake of checking while the car was on an incline, so I'll check the dipstick when it's on flat ground and cool before dumping in more oil. Dan
I'm wondering too if you pushed it "home". The dipstick handle will hang it up a little: push through that and it goes down another 1/2" or so. I'm likely stating the obvious, but what the heck.
The proper way to check oil level is to get the engine to operating temp, and then waiting a few minutes after turning the car off for the oil to settle.
To see for yourself: 1. Shut the engine off after a run and immediately check the level, say within 1 minute. 2. Wait an hour and re-check. 3. Let it sit overnight and re-check. I doubt you'll see any difference.
Read your manual on how to check the oil. Most cars, and I don't know about the 2011 Prius, state that you are supposed to let the oil settle for a few minutes before checking it. just because you said you checked it when hot. Did you let it settle at all? Were you on level ground? did you push the dipstick all the way in, or did you stop when you hit the little piece of bent metal that keeps it in?
Hot 0-20 synthetic is like water ... it will drain down almost immediately. Not like the old days. A few minutes on level ground after turning the car off should do it. REV
