What Exactly Constitutes 'Severe' Driving Conditions in SoCal?

Whatever the Scheduled Maintenance Guide requires until the warranty expires. After that 10k miles should be plenty. Have a used oil analysis done if you're curious.

 

It should be described in the OM. Typically it's things like: frequent stop/starts, short trips, extended idling, dusty conditions, etc.

I think it's ironic that with all the hi-tech bells & whistles that a prius has, it doesn't come with an oil monitor like other makes that adjusts to your driving habits.

 

http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms/T-MMS-11Prius/pdf/MY11%20Toyota%20Prius%20WMG.pdf

The 2011 guide (starting on page 39) is very clear on what needs done when. You may have missed the following footnote:

2 Perform these service items only if you drive primarily under the conditions indicated.

I see no reference to 'Severe' driving

 

If one wants some piece of mind or actual data on the oil's condition after a certain interval, one can get a used oil analysis done at places like Blackstone Labs. There's a sample at http://www.blackstone-labs.com/report-explanation.php under Gas/Diesel Report.

I've had this company do UOA on samples from my Z and Prius before.

But, it isn't that cheap relative to the cost of doing an oil change.

 

I recently purchased prepaid oil analysis through Amsoil for less than $20/kit including TBN.

MB860 ?

 

I have had two used oil analysis performed after 10K miles, using 0W20 oil, and they showed no problems whatever. They are posted, along with others in the DIY oil change thread.

To me "severe conditions" would be short trips in sub zero temperatures, long high speed runs at plus 100 degree temperatures, or a lot of dust. But we have people on this forum that use their Prius(us) in exactly those conditions and have no problems with 0W20 oil and 10K changes.

 

This from the 2003 Charlatan Repair Manual:

Severe Driving Conditions are to be defined as:

Nature has randomly decided to stop supporting life on the planet. Nothing is growing or living. With rapidly dwindling resources humanity has de-evolved to a vicious and competitive state which includes suicidal despair, survival of the fittest manifested in the form of cannibalism and stop and go driving, coupled with excessive idling.
If driving conditions in your area meet these parameters, it is highly recommended you visit your hungry Toyota dealer promptly. Call ahead.

 

I've used them for my first 3 changes in the Prius so far as well. Oil Analyzers Inc, I think is the place. The only item they found in my last change, was higher than expected oxidation in the oil. I did around 8500, but most of my driving is shorter trips, with the periodic longer drive (>25 miles), so I probably should fall around the 5k mark because of my drive requirements.

I might switch to blackstone next time, as I believe I used my last one from OAI, and more people have used Blackstone on here and for longer. Blackstone is a little more expensive, but we might get an Amsoil discount somehow, too.

 

When I saw the topic, I thought it meant something else. Here goes...

Severe driving conditions in So Cal, although not exclusive to the area, include:

A light drizzle to moderate rain
A slight breeze to somewhat gusty winds
(The two items above seem to indicate the oncoming apocalypse to most Southern Californians necessitating near constant news converge, yet somehow drivers still drive the same way thereby causing multiple accidents)

Bricks and rocks thrown from overpasses
Drive-by shootings

Sharing the road with:
Texting drivers
Drunk Drivers
Teenage Drivers
Women drivers putting make up on
Random hobos pushing shopping carts in the middle of the road
Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan

 

You forgot to include the MONSTER Trucks that you can see completely UNDER (and they cannot see you at all)

 

Especially at night, their headlights, HIDs or whatnot are aimed directly at eye level.

Like there is no law mandating that if you lift your truck, then you should then lower your headlights. It's common sense that even big rigs have their headlights low to the ground where they are useful, not a couple feet in the air where they will blind people.

Also this reminds me of a few years ago when a monster truck completely ran over the passenger side of another car while making a turn, killing a woman while injuring her husband who was driving.

 

I would suggest 5000 mile oil change interval, the Toyota USA interval for harsher conditions, regardless of your driving conditions. You asked, that's my suggestion. My reasons:

1. It's your car, not Toyo's. You're the one on the hook down the road if there's an engine failure. Accelerating the oil change interval likely won't make any difference. But it might. So, your call.

2. An extra 4 liters of oil every 5000 miles, responsibly recyled, is a drop in the ecological bucket, compared to the amount of gasoline consumed.