Oil - Again!

[cuius]

Whilst reluctant to raise the topic again, had the Auris in for service this morning, and noted that all the cars in the showroom now include an oil sticker adjacent to the tyre pressure one in the driver's door opening. For all of them - GT-86, Rav4, Prius, Auris HSD, etc. - it read 5W-30.

Note this was in Spain, but the north-west region which has the same climate as UK.

[FROSTYBALLS]

I would suggest that Toyota adopts a single standard for Spain, rather than have regional variations (which would be even more difficult to manage). The north west region may be similar to the UK in terms of climate, but the majority of Spain isn't.

[ToyotaAurisHybrid]

I assume we should be using 0W-30 fully synthetic?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Or should it be 0W-20? Your owners manual should state the 'Toyota preferred oil'. On my petrol Auris it is 0W-20.

[ToyotaAurisHybrid]

I'm sure I read 0W-30 for the gen2 auris hybrid.....happy to be proved wrong though

[FROSTYBALLS]

There has been a lot of discussion on the various forums re oil. I know the owners manuals for the 1st generation Auris state that the petrol vehicles leave the factory with 0W-20. They go onto say that 5W-30 may be used, but should be replaced with 0W-20 at the next oil change. The owners manual of both my 2009 Auris and my 2012 Auris state this, and I believe the Aygo owners manual is the same. The manual for my 2012 Auris now states that 0W-20 is the 'preferred oil'.

When I asked my Toyota dealer for a bottle of the 0W-20 oil to use in case of topping up, their reply was they only use the 0W-20 oil in the Prius.

Some posters have also said that their Toyota dealers use 5W-30 oil seemingly regardless of what the owners manuals say.

Best thing to do is to go by what your owners manual states.

Also when you have your car serviced, check with the dealer before the service which oil they use - and if it isn't what your owners manual states, ask for Toyota's preferred oil to be used.

[rotty]

I had a 'debate' with my dealer with our Gen III Prius as the dealer at first service used 5w30 and it hit the MPG quite noticeably. In fact, the reason I discovered their use of was because I searched the forums about poor consumption after first service and it seemed that the general MO was that the dealers were using the wrong oil. I had to get Toyota UK involved to 'educate' our dealer service manager.

I stuck a big label on the plastic Cam cover saying 'USE ONLY 0W20 OIL' and I have done exactly the same in the Yaris on the airbox cover, and I always get them to write it on the job card.

Evidently 0W20 is 'much' more expensive than the bog standard stuff and my service manager claimed people didn't want to pay the extra and that in the UK, it made no difference - well, it certainly did to my MPG, and as soon as we got the correct oil in, all was well again. You'd have thought a machanic would understand that thicker oil = more drag on the engine components = worse MPG, and presumably Toyota use 0W20 to make sure they get nearer the claimed figures....?

[FROSTYBALLS]

With my 2009 Auris, the first service I specifically asked for and had 0W-20 used. For the second service I forgot to specify, and 5W-30 was used.

During our annual journey up to the Isle of Skye that year, the fuel consumption was notably 5-6mpg poorer.

As regards the expense of the Toyota Formula XS 0W-20 oil, when I had my 2012 Auris I obtained a one litre bottle from the eBay site of another Toyota dealer - £15.38 with free postage (currently showing as slightly cheaper - £15.18). So comparatively it is around the same price as Castrol Edge/Mobil 1.

[ToyotaAurisHybrid]

Is Mr T just trying to cut corners (costs) by not using the oil that they themselves recommend? Hard to understand, this one...

[FROSTYBALLS]

I presume they, for their own reasons, don't wish to dictate to their dealer network. In my opinion there seems to be a 'block' at Toyota customer services. I've written into Toyota GB, who got my dealership involved, and been promised that I can choose what oil is used. So I've had the use of 0W-20 oil written into my service plan.

Any cost cutting - and I don't think it is huge amount - is at dealer level.

[Devon Aygo]

I presume they, for their own reasons, don't wish to dictate to their dealer network. In my opinion there seems to be a 'block' at Toyota customer services. I've written into Toyota GB, who got my dealership involved, and been promised that I can choose what oil is used. So I've had the use of 0W-20 oil written into my service plan.

Any cost cutting - and I don't think it is huge amount - is at dealer level.

The issues over which oils are used is caused by a European law called "Block exemption" the same law that states that manufacturers can't insist on main dealer servicing, also stops Toyota from insisting what oils are used by anyone wishing to service a car including their own dealer network. All Toyota are allowed to do is list a set of specifications that the oil used must meet they can also list a "preferred" oil. For example I have listed below the requirements Toyota have for the mkiii Prius, a car that has caused a lot of posts over the oils that have been used during servicing. This info is taken from Toyota's Service data sheet for European Prius mkiii only!

Preferred option:

0w20

Other listed options:

5w20

5w30

10w30

15w40

20w50

These grades above are listed by Toyota as they meet the following required specifications:

API grade SL or SM multigrade engine oil

API grade SL “Energy-Conserving”. SM “Energy-Conserving” or ILSAC* multigrade engine oil.

Toyota can only require the oils used meet the minimum specifications above. So long a the oil used meets the above the oil grade is not enforceable.

At present Toyota have "asked" but cannot enforce the dealer network to use the following,

MK3 Prius, Prius plug-in, Prius +, Mk1 Auris HSD, Mk2 Auris HSD & Yaris HSD 0w20

MK1 & MK2 Prius 5w30

Optimal drive petrol models 0w20 or 5w30

Other petrol engines 5w30

Diesel engines incl Optimal drive 5w30

Diesel engines with DPF including optimal drive 0w30 or 5w30 meeting C2 low ash specifications

[FROSTYBALLS]

That explains a lot. Shame that Toyota couldn't have given a similar explanation in response to my written enquiry in November last year.

[alli-wai]

Hi there, I recently changed to 0W20 oil and did a 600+ round trip to Wales.

MPG performance was much improved. Over a 6 - 9 month oil change,

I reckon the oil price difference will be small compared to improved mpg and engine protection.

I have a 56 reg Prius and will now stick to 0W20 as I see no horizon

for fuel prices dropping a lot in the next 5 years.