Theory on newer cars burning oil

Let's hope and pray that the school kids doing the oil changes at Toyota are smart enough to shut down the Prius. The risk is there though. Easy thing to do with all the fancy push button stuff on cars today. I do try to watch what is being done when ever I release my car. I don't simply wait in the waiting room. I get up and follow it around. It is my car, I want to know what is happening while it is out of my hands.

I recall one time at Discount Tire, the guy checked the odometer on the Gen II. They were doing a balance and rotation for me. Walked out there afterwards and saw the dash lit up. I reached in and powered it down. Went in and asked the guy about it, he said "all I did was push the button twice." Big dumb a** didn't even know that when you do that the Prius is still on and in ignition mode at that time unless you put your foot on the brake when pushing the button the first time. The average person doesn't know how to operate a Prius. IMO, if you care about your Prius, watch what others do and help them when you can. That way everyone is on the same page and the knowledge we have learned can be shared with others.

Ron (dorunron)

 

I have never though about the possibility of someone leaving my car on while changing oil. Luckily the Toyota dealer and me are the only ones to ever change my oil. Of course, that is not to say that the minimum wage guys at the dealership could not leave the car on.

One more reason that I will continue to do my own maintenance on my vehicle !

 

Geesh....
I worry whenever I drop my Prius off into the hands of anyone else.

But I never thought of that scenario.

I'd like to say, I have confidence that a Toyota Dealership Service Department would be competent enough to know how to turn off a Prius, and obviously do so before doing an Oil Change.

But these guys seem to have enough problem filling to the right capacity.

One thing I really hate about most if not all modern dealership service departments, and this goes beyond just Toyota, is the way they separate you from your vehicle.

You talk to the fabled "Service Adviser" who 1/2 the time I don't think knows very much in reality. Then your vehicle is driven away into the unviewable recesses of the service area.

Seriously, I'd love to follow my vehicle in...and be able to watch what is being done or not done, including turning it off and filling the oil to the correct capacity.

The scariest thing about the scenario you outline is that it could so easily happen, and you would never know.

I wonder if I insisted on being allowed to stay with the vehicle and view the oil change what the dealership would say? They would probably cite some liability or insurance reasons I couldn't be in the actual service area.

 

Electric Me,

There is nothing stopping you from walking around outside and observing your car. I do it all the time. Yeah, they talk the insurance stuff, but will let you in if you ask nicely. Done it many times at more than one Toyota dealer. Thing is you need to have a good relationship with them. Its a people thing along with safety and liabilty...

Ron (dorunron)

 

I think this is an issue only with hybrid vehicles like Prius. With a regular car, it is pretty obvious that the engine is running - and if it is not running at the time the car is raised up on the lift, the engine is not going to start running all by itself.

Regardless, the mechanic has to be clueless and unobservant not to notice that the inverter is making a whining sound while the Prius is READY, so I would not be so quick to forgive that behavior. Yet another reason to DIY Prius maintenance.

 

Reason # 432 for:
"Why I do my own maintenance!"

I'm not aware that excessive oil use is a chronic problem for people doing their own maintenance.

I believe that most of the cars that suffer this malady do so chiefly because the oil level is only checked every 10,000 miles.

YMMV

 

Besides being bad for the car (obviously), it's also a huge safety issue for anyone working on the car. If this mechanic doesn't wise up around hybrids then it's only a matter of time before he loses a finger or two in a v-belt or something.

While being a hybrid is clearly the main factor, I wonder if having SKS also contributes this mistake happening? My Prius doesn't have sks btw, so I need to have the key fob in the slot to start. I guess this at least makes it more obvious to a visual inspection that it's unsafe. Personally I never work on the car unless the fob key is somewhere safe (meaning NOT in the slot).

 

It all kind of depends on the configuration of the service department you are taking your vehicle to..and where they happen to station your vehicle. Not always a convenient place or angle to view your vehicle from outside, and most are pretty uptight about actually letting you in or on the floor. I actually think that is by design.

They could design the whole service department with a large window. That way you could sit in the nice Customer Lounge AND watch your vehicle simultaneously. But basically the way most operate right now...they drive it away..then drive it back, You sign the estimate...you pay the bill.

But yeah, next time I think I'll ask.- Nothing to lose.