Prius oil filter stories

I cant speak for the 2010, but in the 2005 model you'll see all the warning lights on the dash come on very briefly just as you hit the power button. If you look carefully one of these is an oil pressure light. I've never seen mine come on during operation though.

I assume that the oil pressure light doesn't get enabled unless fuel injection is occurring, otherwise it would be on all the time when you're low speed gliding. I suspect that since the prius MG1 gets the engine spinning good and fast before fuel injection occurs that most people will never see the light in operation. A good thing no doubt.

 

Run it real low on oil and you will.

 

Yep, that's what it's there for.

 

I never noticed an oil pressure light (assuming its the traditional dripping oil can icon), but thats ok- I dont ever want to see it anyways!! lol

 

Edit. Whoops, you're right. There is no oil pressure light on the instrument panel, the "dripping oil can" I was thinking of is displayed on the MFD screen.

On low oil pressure you will get the "Multifunction Indicator Lamp" (engine icon) on the instrument panel AND the dripping oil can on the MFD.

 

I agree with the OP's findings. People are brainwashed to buy more expensive aftermarket filters with better filtration, but are not told all the problems with increased restriction. Fortunately, it's easier to see it in cartridge filters. Compare the used "premium" pureone filter ($10) to the new OEM for RAV4 ($4):

 

I always use Toyota oil filter and never had a problem with them, the nice part is the same one fits all four of my cars. 2 xb's 1 Prius and 1 Camry.

 

I am shocked when I read such threads that people want to believe their engine problems are being caused by the oil or oil-filter brand being used. It's the classic faulty correlation logic. It's not any different than saying my engine broke down because Chicago Cubs won the World Series that day.

OP then goes frantic about oil filters, changing one after the other and performing crude nonscientific inspections and experiments on them, changing his oil every few hundred miles and spending a small fortune on oil and oil filters as well as a ton of leisure time.

Needless to say, it's not the brand or even the viscosity of the oil used or the brand of the oil filter used. There have been Toyota TSBs issued on VVTi actuator problems, the only remedy being to replace the actuator.