Toyota recommends 10K oil changes but oil maintenance reminder comes on at 5k miles

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by NASCAR Mike, Oct 1, 2010.

  1. NASCAR Mike

    NASCAR Mike Senior Member

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    I changed my oil at 10,060 miles. My Prius has reached 14,405 miles and the change oil maintenance message now appears everytime I drive the car.


    I thought the oil changes were supposed to be every 10k miles? Why is the computer telling me to change the oil after only 4,345 miles? (Yes I did reset the oil maintenance reminder after the last oil change).


    Does the Prius have some kind of oil sensor that tells you how much oil life there is?


    Lastly - Does the computer need to be reprogrammed to change the oil reminder from 5k to 10k miles?
     
    #1 NASCAR Mike, Oct 1, 2010
  2. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    The message pops up after 5k in my G2 Prius, I suspect same for you. The manual tells you how to reset the message.
     
    #2 SageBrush, Oct 1, 2010
  3. rumpledoll

    rumpledoll Member

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    It is a mileage only counter, fixed to 5,000 miles. Toyota will not reprogram it up to 10,000, some nonsense about the 5,000 reminder needed to get you to take your vehicle to the dealer for inspection and tire rotation.

    On the multifunction screen, you can set the various maintenance intervals to whatever you want.

    Rumple
     
    #3 rumpledoll, Oct 1, 2010
  4. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Also the 10,000 mile interval is under 'normal driving conditions'. So for those who do not fall under that they want the reminder to still come on at 5,000 miles. It is so easy to reset it I find it still coming on every 5k a minor if non inconvenience.

    Posted from my EVO 4G.
     
    #4 Paradox, Oct 1, 2010
  5. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The 5k reminder is a carry-over from Toyota's old recommendation.

    Tom
     
    #5 qbee42, Oct 1, 2010
  6. NASCAR Mike

    NASCAR Mike Senior Member

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    But my reminder came on at only 4,345 miles. What happened to the 5k reminder?

    I suspect there is some kind of oil sensor that determines oil life. If so, mine must be broken as I only use Mobil 1 synthetic and 95% of my driving is on the highway at speeds 70MPH or less. No way my oil would need to be changed after 4,345 miles.
     
    #6 NASCAR Mike, Oct 1, 2010
  7. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    I believe it's programmed at every 5k by odometer reading, not 5k since last reset. It also comes on about 50 or 100 miles before you reach that point to serve as a reminder that it's almost time. It will go out until you hit the actual 5k interval mark. Then it stays on until you clear it out. I'm pretty close to my next OC by the 10k recommendation by Toyota but I'll get to it when it's a nice, dry, calm, sunny weekend. Then I'll send out my next analysis and post for people to see and for those like Bob that like to analize these to get additional knowledge that is used to help others on this site!
     
    #7 wick1ert, Oct 1, 2010
  8. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    As far as I am aware it comes on every 5000 miles, there is no sensor, no program which monitors rpm's of the engine etc. Yours must have been manually reset somehow 655 miles prior to hitting 10,060 (at 9405 miles). It does not reset automatically when the oil is drained and changed.
     
    #8 Paradox, Oct 1, 2010
  9. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    The reminder comes on 500 miles prior to the 5K interval and goes off. After the 5K interval is passed is just stays on unless you press a MFD function button.
     
    #9 spiderman, Oct 1, 2010
  10. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    There isn't. It's strictly a mileage counter, and works from a 5k offset from the last reset.

    Tom
     
    #10 qbee42, Oct 1, 2010
  11. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

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    It does come on before 5k it will say something like service required soon. Then when you do hit 5k it will change the message to something more urgent. I think the owners manual explains this in detail.

    When you reset it it will come on again at 4,500 miles later with the first message, then after 5k it will change to the more urgent message. I remember reading here the second message stays on the screen unlike the first message that goes away after a few seconds.
     
    #11 adamace1, Oct 1, 2010
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