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Annoying “Oil Maintenance Reqd” screen...warning or nuisance?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by macmaster05, Jun 24, 2018.

  1. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    I bought my 2010 only about 5500 miles ago and at that time the owner did an oil change at the dealership right before he sold it to me. Now whenever I turn on the car, I get the message “Oil Maintenance Required” and it won’t go away until I press Display on my steering wheel. What gives? I thought these cars could go every 10,000 miles before a full synthetic oil change, as I was planning to do. Is this a serious warning or do all gen 3 priuses do this even if everything’s in working order? If I can I ignore it, is there a way to inactivate the message? Thanks!
     
  2. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    Press and hold the OdO Reset button, and press the “Start” twice without touching the brake pedal. Continue to hold down the Trip Odometer Reset button until “000000” MILES appears on the display and the maintenance light turns off.

    I put electrical tape over the tpms light when the tpms sensors die.

    The brake caliper pins freeze and need yearly maintenance.

    Welcome
     
  3. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Synthetic oil is good for 10k miles but the reminder comes up every 5000 for your rotations and such. This is covered in the owner's manual.

    To reset I believe it's

    1. Set your odometer to show trip A, then turn off car.
    2. While pressing the button that changes miles/kilometers, start car and watch the odometer reading reset.
     
  4. malmon

    malmon Junior Member

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    Most gen 3 likely have those warning, my 2013 just say "maintenance required", there's a 3 step cancel in the manual somewhere, some will chime in on that.
    I personally do not heed that warning, used to go 10k per oil change though read a post here they go 7-8k, I would check the dipstick oil level and quality (color, smell, feel) occasionally when and if I remember it...

    SM-G950U ?
     
  5. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    I bet that the word "oil" is NOT in the displayed message.......and it is indicating that you are due for their recommended 5K mile tire rotation.

    If you don't have an owners manual, you might want to get one.
    If you have one already.......you might want to read it. (y)
     
    Tande and kenoarto like this.
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it is just a reminder. reset it and move on. no worries, change your oil a filter every 10k with mobil 1.

    how many miles on her? at some point, you'll want to clean the egr circuit and intake manifold to try and prevent oil burning and a blown head gasket.
    maybe install an oil catch can.
     
    #6 bisco, Jun 24, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2018
  7. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    THanks for the great replies. It definitely says Oil. But I checked the service records online and the last oil and filter change was at 81000. I’m a bit over 86000. I’ll reset the warning as advised.
     
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    When the 2010 Prius was released (I ordered one just a month later), the oil change interval was 5000 miles. Only many months later did Toyota officially and retroactively boost it to 10,000 miles. But there was no reprogramming to change the reminder display, so my 2012 still pops up with the reminder at the same 5k interval.

    The maintenance schedule still calls for (very minimal) service at 5k intervals: tire rotation. I just to my tire rotation with my winter season tire swaps, decoupled from actual miles. This way it takes zero extra time and labor.
     
  9. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    It's just a suggestion. You can change the oil, or not. I mean the worst thing can happen is the beginning of oil consumption, blown head gasket, low oil pressure and engine seizing. It's not new here, it happens all the time on priuschat so it's not a big deal.
     
  10. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    It's a simple reminder that goes off every 5,000 miles since it was last reset. It doesn't know when you changed the oil, what oil you used or whether you drove under harsh conditions. The reason being, Toyota specifies a maintenance check every 5,000 miles in their maintenance schedule. If you last filled with 0W-20, you don't have to change again for 10,000 miles. Anything else, and you're supposed to change at 5,000 mile intervals. Toyota does not specify "synthetic" oil anywhere in the service recommendations. The only specification is for the viscosity.
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just learn how to turn it off, and stick to some maintenance schedule, independent of it.

    Canadian Prius, we don't have it, heehee.
     
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