1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Oil % - where to check it?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by andreimontreal, Oct 15, 2019.

  1. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    325
    107
    28
    Location:
    Montreal
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    On civic and other cars, I had some % indicator for the life of the oil. Usually, when the oil is changed, there's a reset done and the car starts to count by distance. Been looking in my Prius/menus, no such thing found? There's nothing like that???
     
  2. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2012
    1,555
    659
    0
    Location:
    Central MO
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    II
    If it’s dark on dipstick replace
     
    andreimontreal likes this.
  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,686
    6,375
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Prius doesn’t include an oil quality measurement system as is common on GM products. Oil change intervals are dictated by calendar and odometer. The car does have a maintenance reminder system capable of alerting you via dashboard text prompts if you set it up and re-set it at each oil change. Full details in the owners manuals. Free pdfs from Toyota if your car didn’t come with any.

    …and as @tankyuong points out, what you find on the dipstick matters most.
     
  4. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    325
    107
    28
    Location:
    Montreal
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I suppose that works by odometer too ... ?

    I think I have the manual - will check. The stick was pretty clear ... I think ...
     
  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,686
    6,375
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    In my car it trips a bit before a 5000 mile interval. Not sure about your model but I expect it’ll be similar. It’s easy to reset the system with a secret handshake button sequence when you do your oil changes. All the garages know how, and it’s not really secret, the manual tells you how.
     
  6. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    325
    107
    28
    Location:
    Montreal
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Of course. I never know it - but uncle Google does.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Canadian Prius don't have the maintenance reminder. No great loss.
     
  8. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,686
    6,375
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Really?? And you still bought the car? :eek:
     
    andreimontreal likes this.
  9. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    325
    107
    28
    Location:
    Montreal
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Right? I'll take it back ...
     
  10. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2019
    325
    107
    28
    Location:
    Montreal
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    It's all relative :D. Why would they do such a silly thing? I'm glad they left the wheels on ... unless they switched the hoover tech for those ...
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Honda has a "Maintenance Minder", which is actually useful. It is apparently not simply counting kilometers, as evidenced by owners with different driving patterns having the percent-to-next-service count down at varying rates. I'd speculate it might be monitoring miles (of course), but also start ups, coolant temps, mean rpms??

    It drops in 10% increments, always displayable, so you know where you are, until it's down to 20% remaining. Then it goes to 15%, and starts displaying a warning, and continues down to zero percent, in 5% increments.

    Also, from 15% down, it displays an alphanumeric code, which you can look up in the maintenance booklet, which explains specifically what needs to be done. This is good for owners, and hopefully keeps the dealerships more honest.

    The Toyota reminder (US only), just comes on every 5000 miles, ignores the "months" element of service timing, and is mainly an irritant. I believe there's a stickied thread, on how to reset the dang thing?
     

    Attached Files:

    #11 Mendel Leisk, Oct 16, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2019
  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It is also a two-stage irritant: a gentler reminder starting at 4500 miles, converting to a harsher and more-difficult-to-hide version at 5000 miles.
    No initial setup required, it is hard-coded and you cannot get rid of it. The only thing the consumer can do is to reset the mileage counter to 0 to banish these warnings for the next 4500 miles.

    The reset procedure involves setting it to Trip A, turning car off, then restarting while holding down the steering wheel button the clears Trip A. Done right, it clears only the maintenance minder counter. Done wrong or fumble-fingered, it clears Trip A instead, which is why using Trip A as a lifetime MPG meter is risky. The shop techs occasionally clear it by accident.

    Look up the actual reset procedure, I probably didn't give the full sequence here.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  13. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    5,834
    3,136
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Gee, I remember the days when you just REMEMBER when the oil needs changing.
    You know, by using the math you should have learned in elementary school.(n)
     
    RMB, frodoz737 and Grit like this.
  14. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I've done only a few oil changes DIY on my and now my son's HONDAs. I can not figure out what really causes oil % decline and eventual maintenance reminder warning. Miles driven definitely plays a role, but something else for sure. I always look for "A-1" maintenance code, since that's the easiest and cheapest one. LOL

    What happens if I reset the mileage counter before the 4500 miles? Does it reset the counter to 0 at that point, or does it ignore it until the warning starts?
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  15. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    On my Gen3, it resets at that point.
     
  16. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I will have to try that on my PRIME. I did not do the 30K maintenance until 32K. The car is now at 35K. If I reset it now, it should not bother me until 40K when I need to do next oil change. 35K maintenance which is now scheduled at 37K for my car is just tire rotation. I will be doing that when I change to snow tires in next month or so.
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    If you want to open another can-o-worms, divulge what the A stands for... :whistle:
     
  18. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2017
    6,103
    4,032
    1
    Location:
    Wilkes Land
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    There are also websites you can sign up using your VIN # and enter the miles driven. It will then send you email reminders when registration, oil changes and etc are due soon and passed + enter diy maintenance performed. I used to give out that website out but no one ever replied that they used it :p
     
  19. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    5,834
    3,136
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    A 1, A 2, A 1, 2, 3, 4....... And the music begins!

     
    #19 ASRDogman, Oct 17, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2019
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  20. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    5,834
    3,136
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I still think the sticker on the windshield is dumb. :)
    Just keep track of your miles. Add 3000, 5000, 10,000 miles to whenever it was changed.

    But some people need help with reminders...