Toyota May be Changing Oil Change Intervals Soon.
09-17-09, 11:45 AM
#16
You need to work on your research a bit more. The Prius came to market initially in Japan in 1997, and that was years before the Insight, which only came to market in 1999. The Prius was the first mass-produced hybrid.
Enthusiasts are grossly misinformed on this because lazy automotive media personnel always talk about how the Insight came out a few months before the Prius *in the US*, but they almost never mention when the Prius originally debuted.
Enthusiasts are grossly misinformed on this because lazy automotive media personnel always talk about how the Insight came out a few months before the Prius *in the US*, but they almost never mention when the Prius originally debuted.
The Insight was the first mass-produced hybrid automobile sold in the United States, achieving 70 miles per US gallon (3.4 L/100 km; 84 mpg-imp) per its then current United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highway rating
09-17-09, 12:00 PM
#17
Lexus Test Driver
Audi manufactured the third generation hybrid vehicle Audi duo, then based on the A4 Avant in 1997 as well.
Last edited by The G Man; 09-17-09 at 12:07 PM.
09-17-09, 12:13 PM
#19
Lexus Test Driver
That was my original response in another thread about the reason behind Toyota's frequent oil change and not using sythetic. The lawyers and bean counters are running Toyota and Lexus mow a days. The sludge problems in the pass and the cash incoming from those $300 schedule maintenance every 5000 miles is the reason why.
The 10k intervals should be nice.
09-17-09, 01:14 PM
#22
Lexus Test Driver
The TPMS are bar coded, so if Toyota wants individual tire pressures raed out, it is there. They choose not to spend money on that. And those oil-life monitoring system are not like sending your oil to lab., it only measures certain vehicle parameters to determine when in theory the oil should be change.
09-17-09, 01:30 PM
#23
Lexus Champion
TPMS can detect individual tire pressures - but it does need different software to be coded into the TPMS receiver, the car's multiplexed I/O system(body gateway modules) and the dash cluster. I know Honda, BMW and GM have the option to display individual tire pressures - the Odyssey/Pilot Touring does, and I've seen the option field on a Monte Carlo.
BMW, Mercedes, GM and Honda also have identical oil life and maintenance systems. They log engine load, speed/miles traveled, RPM and engine coolant temp. The older BMW/Honda and current Toyota system is a odo-triggered idiot light - but BMW's system does kinda predict as well.
BMW, Mercedes, GM and Honda also have identical oil life and maintenance systems. They log engine load, speed/miles traveled, RPM and engine coolant temp. The older BMW/Honda and current Toyota system is a odo-triggered idiot light - but BMW's system does kinda predict as well.
09-17-09, 02:48 PM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
First, the idea that people are too busy (or too lazy) to open a hood, pull out a dipstick, wipe it, and physically look at the oil level (after giving it a few minutes, in a hot engine, to drain back down into the crankcase). That's one reason (among several) why we see so many cheap prop-rods for the hood instead of nice springs or struts to hold it up.....I've often complained about that in car reviews.
Second, the idea that people, for equally busy (or lazy) reasons, won't get off their fannies and take their cars in regularly for proper oil changes (or, of course, simply change the oil themselves).....in many cases, it's not difficult at all, though the location of some oil filters and drain plugs can make it so. And, a proper used-oil-disposal facility, of course, is not always close at hand.
So, some auto companies, starting with BMW and Mercedes, came up with the idea of not involving the car owner at all......long-life synthetic oil would be used, computer sensors would record the number of cold starts, stop-and-go trips, average oil temperature, number of warm-ups/cool-downs, break-in factors (for new cars), overall mileage, etc..... and all the other factors that the engineers figured would affect the deterioration of the oil, and, when a certain set or paramater was reached, a "Service" light would tell Mr. or Ms. Joe-Blow that it was time for fresh oil and filter.
It's a fine system, at least in theory, and exactly what a lot of busy ca rowners wanted. But, in actuality, it doesn't always protect the engine like it should. BMW, for instance, has had to replace some fairly new engines because of sludge/gel problems, even when the sensor-system was working properly and the owners brought the cars in as required.....it simply let the oil go too long (in other words, the engineers who design the system don't always guess right).
So, as far as I'm concerned, I'll take an old-fashioned dipstick, a car that is easy to check things underhood (I also comment on underhood accessability in car reviews), have a look at the oil myself every now and then, and change the oil every 3-4 months. It's simple, foolproof, and, potentially, IMO, a lot safer.
09-17-09, 03:26 PM
#25
The TPMS are bar coded, so if Toyota wants individual tire pressures raed out, it is there. They choose not to spend money on that. And those oil-life monitoring system are not like sending your oil to lab., it only measures certain vehicle parameters to determine when in theory the oil should be change.
09-17-09, 03:31 PM
#26
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Toyota is about 50 years late when it comes to the electric game.
09-17-09, 05:41 PM
#27
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09-18-09, 05:51 AM
#28
Lexus Test Driver
But wouldn't that at least tell (or inform) people that it's time to change their oil? I mean I'm sure we've all come across people who said "yeah but i haven't done 5,000 miles yet. The interval is every 5,000 miles isn't it?". They clearly forget the "6 months or 5k whichever is first" bit and thus put off the oil change and.. well that can potentially lead to other issues. With an oil life meter, at least the boneheads have some idea that "oh.. short city driving and time can actually break down the oil just as fast as highway driving"
So, as far as I'm concerned, I'll take an old-fashioned dipstick, a car that is easy to check things underhood (I also comment on underhood accessability in car reviews), have a look at the oil myself every now and then, and change the oil every 3-4 months. It's simple, foolproof, and, potentially, IMO, a lot safer.
If Toyota is going to go with a 10K mile oil change interval, they better start putting in low oil level warning in their new cars.
09-18-09, 09:33 AM
#29
I'm kind of worried what this will do to oil change/service prices for those who actually get these done at the dealer... haha People are going to be looking at $200 oil changes soon and the pitch will be that they are getting synthetic oil, only going to need 1/2 as many changes, and it's "better" for their engine. Those poor, poor, people... 
09-18-09, 10:05 AM
#30
We are in a technologically advanced world now.. It's the 21st century!! Hell, hospitals rely more so on computers than in the past to check human vitals why not for a car?? Computers are more precise than the humans when it comes to parameters. I actually applaud auto makers that are with the program..