2015-2018 Avensis D4D Service Guide

Parts Needed:

Engine Oil - Toyota 5W-30 1WW/2WW oil, 08880-83478 (do NOT use regular 5W-30 for this fussy delicate engine) 5.2 L needed, so 5L and 1L is your best combo.

Engine Oil Filter - Toyota 04152-WA010

Engine Air Filter - Toyota 17801-YV020

Cabin / Pollen / Interior Filter - Toyota 87139-0D070

If you don't buy genuine, ensure the parts you do buy cite these official Toyota numbers so you know they'll fit! I bought a kit for £94.99 that included all the genuine Toyota parts from a site called eHybrid, fast shipping and no fee to Northern Ireland too. So I'd recommend that if you can - they do it for various Toyota models.

Changing the Oil

1. Wait for the car to cool down and park it on a flat surface ideally in a garage or driveway or somewhere nobody will bother you!

2. Optional: Jack the car up at the front and use axel stands so it doesn't turn you into a pancake...  I actually didn't jack it up, I was able to slide under and do the job without needing to, it was tight going but if you're thin / flexibile enough you might just get away with it.

3. Under the bonnet, unscrew the oil cap lid

4. Under the car, toward the passenger side of the centre, feel for a little door. There are three bolts - a small socket set and some trial and error should get this off. You DON'T need to remove the whole platic cover piece thankfully.

5. Prepare your oil basin under, and feel for the bolt which is the drain plug. I believe it is a 17mm (don't quote me on that). Try to avoid it falling into your oil. Remember, the engine beig cooled down will save you from being scalded here so wait if you need to.

6. Go make a cup of tea to let the oil drain out until it stops dripping - this can take a while.

7. Refit the sump bolt / plug with a NEW WASHER. This comes with the genuine oil filter kit. It should be a little copper ring. Remove the old one from the bolt, if you need to, put it in a vice and use a large flat head screwdriver to get it off. It can be tricky. Don't over tighten the sump plug bolt, one last gentle push after it gets tough is plenty.

8. Refit the little plastic panel on the plastic cover under the car.

9. Now get out from under the car and look for the oil filter housing on the front of the engine. It's a round plastic lid with a bolt shaped bit to unscrew it. Put a bunch of paper towels stuffed under this to stop your oil from dripping all over the front of your enine. Gently unscrew it.

10. Pull the old filter out and disgard it.

11. Put the new rubber seal on the oil filter housing lid. Remove the old one, of course.

12. Pop the new oil filter on to the engine / slot and ensure the little stick out bit is pushed into its hole, you can look into the engine direct on and see where this needs to slot into.

13. Refit the filter lid, pushing it onto the filter until it is snug into the paper end. Screw it back in. Again, don't over tighten it. Once it starts getting hard to do, give it one more gentle but firm twist and you're good to go.

14. Double check your engine sump plug / cover, and engine oil filter are all secure before filling the car with oil!

15. The 1.6 D4D has an engine oil capacity of 5.2 litres. I would put the 5L bottle in slowly with a funnel at the top of the engine.

16. Run the engine for a few minutes for the oil to circulate. Some gentle revving might help this. After about 5 minutes switch it off.

1.7. Recheck the oil level. You can add another 200ml of oil now, or give it a couple of days of driving to see exactly what is needed since some old oil might have been left, and you want to avoid over filling it.

Changing the Engine Air Filter

1. Under the bonnet, look for the air box. This is on the right of the main engine cover. It is behind the battery and is a square plastic lid. If you look closely, you'll see a tiny (likely) orange tab from the filter inside poking out.

2. You'll see two shiny metal tabs. Pop the left one back toward the car itself. Pop the right one towards yourself.

3. The airbox lid is now loose, you can see and pull out the old engine air filter and slip the new one in ensuring the stick out tab is pointed toward you.

4. Reposition and fasten the two shiny metal clips on either side. Job done!

Changing the Cabin Filter

1. Inside the car, open the glovebox.

2. On outside of the glovebox (left side for RHD cars in the UK) there is a soft open / close tube that clips onto the glovebox. You'll want to pop the bottom of this (closest to you) off in the direction of away from the glovebox. (to the left / toward the door).

3. Now, squeeze the glovebox sides so that you can allow it to fall down farther than it usually opens.

4. As you allow it to fall, try to pull it gently from the bottom in various directions to pop it off its hinges. It will then pop out and be free.

5. Look for a wide letterbox like platic lid behind it. Open this by popping it off.

6. Slide out the old cabin filter noticing the direction of the lines - longways / lines oriented from front to back.

7. Insert the new filter, with the arrows pointing UP on it. Ensure the lines are going longways / front to back.

8. Refit the plastic letterbox like cover

9. Refit the glovebox, hinges first then squeeze it back so it sits how it should when closed.

10. Reconnect the little soft close / opening tube on the left side of it.

11. Job done. No more steamy windows on a wet or cold day!

Resetting the Service Light

1. Hold the TRIP button on the steering wheel

2. Turn on your ignition a few times and continue to hold.

3. As your ignition comes on, you should see a message similar to 'Resetting oil maintenance data'. Keep holding until this completes.

4. The service info is now complete.

A word on the D4D service indicator: Toyota issued a notice explaining how on these engines, there is a 'dynamic' service schedule. This means the car can somehow sense suit levels in the oil, or poor quality oil from heavy use / city driving and indicate when an oil change is needed - sometimes sooner than the 12,500 or so they recommend in the book. This must stem from BMW, and it German over-engineering as its finest!  But if you don't quite make the 12,000 or so miles, then this is why. Personally I recommend changing your oil every 6,000 miles or 6 months as I intend to with the genine stuff to keep this engine happy. There are mixed opinions on its longevity and doubt over whether it will perform and last up to usual Toyota standards. It is a good idea to change the oil early if the system tells you to, but I would not depend on it or trust that 12,500 is a decent interval. Good luck.