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2013 Prius high oil consumption. How bad is that - really?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Beth M., Jul 27, 2021.

  1. Beth M.

    Beth M. New Member

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    I purchased my first Prius about a year ago. It's a 2013 currently with 115K miles (100K miles at purchase). I was told by the salesman to change the oil every 10K miles. About 8000 miles later, after a short road trip on the highway, I would turn a corner and it would beep and display "low engine oil pressure". I checked and the oil level was on the lower dot, so I added a quart and the beep and message stopped. I took it into the dealership for an oil change and told them about the message. The dealer performed the oil consumption test and told me that my engine is over consuming oil and the only thing to fix it is a new (used) engine for $4000! Otherwise, I have no issues at all with the car. As I read here, I'm a little relieved because it seems that it is a common issue that can be resolved by changing the oil more often - especially because I have no other issues. I think the dealership is trying to scare me into buying a new engine when I can just change the oil more often but how do I know for sure? As you see, I don't drive a lot. But I do take short road trips occasionally and now I'm petrified of blowing my head gasket and getting stranded on the highway! So, how do I know how bad it really is? I guess a mechanic is in my future but I am afraid of being ripped off because I'm a female that doesn't know anything about cars. I'm happy to change the oil every 5K miles if that will save me from buying an engine. Need advice. Thx.
     
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Changing your oil every 5k miles is useful but is not likely to resolve the excessive oil burning. Checking the oil every time you fill up and having some oil with you is a good idea. The root cause are flawed pistons and piston rings from 2010-14. Toyota would fix it free if it was still in powertrain warranty (5 years - 60k miles)

    $4,000 for a replacement engine from a dealer is a deal, usually it would be $5k-$7.5k. A LOT depends on how they do it. Most dealers would get a low mile engine and rebuild it with the 2015 pistons and rings. They would rebuild the head and use all new Toyota gaskets. Some older accessories like egr cooler and valve might be replaced. A guarantee of a year or more should be part of the deal. If the dealer was offering all of that, I would do it immediately even if it required a small loan.

    Otherwise it is just a matter of time before all that oil and blowby ruins the engine. That time could be two months or two years. You might get lucky but head gaskets are a frequent and chronic problem on 2010-14 engines.

    Some will say spend $800 and clean the egr and empty the oil out of the intake manifold. Add a catch can to capture some of the oil and blowby. Use more oil flush additives in an attempt to unclog the rings. Some will suggest swapping a later gen4 engine with certain wiring mods and gen3 intake and egr. The dealer knows what it will take to resolve the problem for the next 100k miles and that is rebuild a lower mile gen3 engine.

    Or just cross your fingers and keep filling the oil each change. Rent a car for long trips.
     
    #2 rjparker, Jul 27, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2021
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!
    oil burning is only a pollution problem. look up some threads that advise engine treatments, some may be worth trying.
    second the egr cleaning mentioned above, see @NutzAboutBolts youtube
    you've got a nice car there otherwise, other than the potential brake actuator, but that has a 10 year warranty, so you're good for a couple more.
    try to find a local mech familiar with hybrids, and stay away from the stealership.
    all the best!(y)
     
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  4. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    did you ask how much quarts your burnt through from 8K miles of driving? If you measure the amount burnt from two 5,000 mile oil change and compare it to a 10,000 mile change, you’ll get the same burnt amount.
     
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  5. Beth M.

    Beth M. New Member

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    Thanks RJParker! I will contact my guy at the dealership. He's probably not counting in labor, I suspect. But I will check into it and thanks for the sound advice.

    no I didn't think to ask but I will contact them and find out. thank you!!
     
    #5 Beth M., Jul 27, 2021
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  6. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    only pollution, and not clogging cat converter problem down the road?
     
    #6 Grit, Jul 27, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2021
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  7. Beth M.

    Beth M. New Member

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    I'm not happy about this either. I bought a hybrid to help the environment. Brake actuator? Agree, time to find a mechanic. thx!!
     
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  8. privilege

    privilege Active Member

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    5k mile oil change frequency (5k ofc) vs 10k ocf...

    the longer oil change frequencues mean the amount of oil burnt between oil changes is the same, but the volume in the car is less.

    1 quart burned every 5k miles = 2 quarts missing if the ocf is 10k miles.

    so basically you're just halving the amount of time got the oil burning to take place before it's filled.

    honestly, you should be checking the oil level at every fuel stop anyway. I'm not sure when this fell out of fashion, but I would bet it would coincide with about the same period as when people considered the ability to make the payment as "being about to afford it".

    1 quart, or two quarts every 10k miles , is a lot of burning, but not an amount you can't manage. just check it at every fuel stop and you'll probably find that it will drop about 1/4 of the distance between the "full" dot and the "add" dot on the dipstick.
    assuming you fill up the car every 450-550 miles, that should give you a good indicator of your oil usage.

    yes, I totally expect a dealership to take advantage of your lack of car knowledge. they do it every single day. I don't know if you really need a new engine it not, but I suspect you do not. if you monitor your oil usage (each fuel stop) the forum will have a much better idea of whether or not your engine is in poor health. I doubt it is.

    note:
    "low oil pressure" is extremely bad. oil pressure is the only thing keeping your engines crank bearings, pistons, cams, and other close tolerance pieces from destroying each other with friction. never ever run an engine that displays "low oil pressure". always stop asap (now) , turn off the car, and fill the oil until it shows "full" on the dipstick. then run the engine for a minute or three, turn it off again and wait 4-5 minutes to check it's level again.

    oil pressure is extremely important.

    oil LEVEL is just the amount in the engine. keeping it 100% on the "full" dot is much less important than making it it never falls below the minimum dot. that's a range , not a hard number.... if that makes sense.

    while you're stopped at the fuel station, check your coolant also. make a small Mark on the side of the pink tanks where it is hot "h" and where it is cold "c". then whenever you have a doubt you can reference the marks and put yourself at ease.

    these are some incredibly reliable machines, with extremely good histories. if you keep it maintained, you'll see 200-300K miles of service. when you do encounter an issue, don't delay the repair.
     
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  9. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    The oil CHANGE interval is NOT the oil level CHECK interval.

    This has tripped up a great many car owners. Even a brand new car -- of many brands and models -- could completely consume all its oil and run dry before the first change interval, without exceeding the oil burn rate that would trigger a warranty claim. Drivers should check oil frequently. If they don't check, and the oil runs short, the resulting problems and failures can't be pinned on anyone else.
     
  10. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    It seems she has encountered the problem. Low oil does not come on with one quart low. It is more likely there was one quart left. The Toyota oil consumption test fails at one quart every 1200 miles. Serious.
     
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  11. privilege

    privilege Active Member

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    I have no way of knowing what the dealership encountered during their test, if they did a test at all, or if they lied about all of it.

    that's why I suggested checking at every fuel stop.
     
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  12. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    we also said back while ago that if this oil light comes on, it’s curtains for the engine.

    the last 2 people of my signature would like to contest.
     
    #12 Grit, Jul 27, 2021
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  13. Beth M.

    Beth M. New Member

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    Ok Got it

    Correct - I just bought the car so I had no idea and it wasn't bone dry - oil was still up to the lower dot on the dipstick

    Thanks will do!

    Thank you - very good advice!
     
    #13 Beth M., Jul 27, 2021
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  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Signature? I must have that feature turned off, none show up on my browser display.
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Would they, do a block rebuild? I’m guessing they would give it a quick once-over and install. I’d ask, what their procedure is.

    If on phone you have to click on avatar. Hmm, even that not working. (n)

    On a desktop or laptop sigs at bottom of each post for me, using FireFox.

    FWIW @Grit has his profile set to private.

    Viewing on pc now:

    upload_2021-7-27_13-49-51.png
     
    #15 Mendel Leisk, Jul 27, 2021
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  16. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    You are making this MUCH too difficult.
    Just check the oil level more often.
    Maybe every time you put gas in it for a while.
    A quart every 5K miles is NOT excessive.

    My only problem with this whole story is:
    Being only a quart low should NOT cause it to light any warning lights.
    Please make sure that you are looking at the right marks on the dipstick.
     
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  17. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    on mobile device, you have to rotate your device to portrait to see the signatures. I should be posting a new signature soon.
     
  18. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    The first quote was another owner earlier today. I assure he is right, it takes very low oil to make the oil light come on. In his case he had ~1.25 quarts in the engine. My car qualifies as an oil burner as well but it has age as an excuse at 250k. It will never low oil alert on one or even two quarts low. It takes three quarts low on a curve or panic stop.

    Yes the Toyota mechanics I know will ensure a decent block is used, either a new short block or new pistons and rings per Toyota guidance. They are ensuring the engine won't be back before the repair warranty expires. A dealer mechanic has to eat a warranty job. Normally they will not do a head gasket alone by pricing a gasket job high. Of course their replacement engines are $5k-$7.5k depending on how many bolt on parts are also changed. Sadly they are getting highly proficient in gen3 engine out repairs due to a level of repetition never experienced before.
     
    #18 rjparker, Jul 27, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2021
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  19. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Based on the reports of numerous previous PC readers with this same problem, it likely wasn't "a" quart low. It was more than 2 quarts low, maybe 3 quarts. But adding a single quart was enough to turn off the warning indicator.
     
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    she already stated it was at the lower mark on the stick
     
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