So here's the story. I've heard WAY to many horror stories of oil changes gone wrong and I have very little faith in ANYONE working on my vehicles. No one will work on your vehicle with the same care and attention to detail as you will, they have no vested interest. I have never had anyone change my oil in my life. In fact, the only vehicle maintenance I have ever had done for me was a timing belt/water pump/idler pulley change I had done by a good friend (who also happens to be a mechanic at a Toyota dealer and does work on the side at his home) who I trust 100%.

That being said, when we picked up our 2013 Trail, we went through the process with out salesman, but when he turned us over to the lady who explained all of the vehicle features, warranty info, etc, she mentioned the two free oil changes we would be given. Nothing against this lady personally (we all know dealership employees are not the most well informed), but here was my question and her response.

Me: "I appreciate the offer for the oil changes, but I usually handle routine maintenance myself in the garage. I assume this would be like the warranty on my 370Z? As long as I document my oil changes with a log of mileage and receipts from materials purchased it will satisfy the warranty requirements should there ever be a problem with the motor correct?"

Friendly Toyota lady: "No. Oil changes must be performed by the dealer or an ASE certified mechanic, otherwise the warranty is void, Toyota won't cover it."

I haven't read all of the warranty documentation (YET!), but this can't be right! So because I want to change my own oil I bought a $40K vehicle with no warranty! What are your thoughts/experiences?

I've seen way to many oil all over the body, spilled under the hood, filter hasn't been touched situations first hand. Not to mention threads with "they broke parts/stripped threads, didn't want to remove skidplate so they sucked it out the dipstick tube" etc.

Any input would be appreciated.

It's BS. Do your own oil changes.

I'm wondering about this too. I have my 30K service coming up, and was looking to save a little time and money by doing some of the fluid stuff at home.

Pure BS!. You can change your own oil and keep receipts for purchases or have it changed anywhere else. If Toyota mandated that it be down by them they would have to do it at no cost. That is covered by Federal Law.

It is BS, I have done all my own maintenance on my last three brand new Toyotas and have never had a problem or even questioned about it. I too passed on the first 2 oil changes, I don't care if I technically paid for them. When I took delivery, I told them not to even wash it or pull the stickers, just give me the keys I will prep my own thank you.

One thing I would advise is to create an account at "toyota Onwers website" --> Toyota Owners Official Web Site: Service Coupons, Owner's Manuals, Service Scheduling And More. You enter you're VIN number and It lets you upload maintenance history or services preformed. It is tracked throughout the life of the vehicle and shows history even when you bring your vehicle to the dealer. They enter the VIN number every time, you are also able to see what they put in the system online, shows all the way back to vehicle purchase, where and who.

I use this for everything so there is no question if something does happen. Tip: in the info box I always add the receipt # for oil/filter as well.

This is from page 34 of the attached warranty manual on-line from Toyota. The 3rd paragraph is for people like us. I like the idea of doing the maintenance updates on-line as mentioned by NorthWest 4R

Maintenance Records
Maintaining your vehicle according to the
recommendations in this booklet is
required to ensure that your warranty
coverage remains intact. You should keep
detailed records of vehicle maintenance,
including date of service, mileage at time
of service and a description of service
and/or parts installation performed. The
scheduled maintenance log in this booklet
can help you document this information. If
you sell your vehicle, be sure to give your
maintenance records to the new owner.

Toyota will not deny a warranty claim
solely because you do not have records to
show that you maintained your vehicle.
However, damage or failure caused by lack
of proper maintenance are not covered
under warranty.

Maintenance Providers
Maintenance and repair services may be
performed by you or by any automotive
service provider you choose. Toyota will
not deny a warranty claim solely because
you used a service provider other than a
Toyota dealership for maintenance and
repairs. However, damage or failure
caused by improper maintenance or
repairs are not covered under warranty

Attached Images

Warranty Guide.pdf (345.5 KB, 785 views)

Excellent idea! It would be hard to argue with that form of documentation. I'm going to do that for sure.

Sweet! I don't have my physical warranty manual in front of me but I would assume it reads word for word just like what you posted. That's EXACTLY what I needed. I knew what she told me had to be BS. Thanks a million guys.

I'm going to printout a copy of the information above and stick it in the warranty manual, create an online account and document everything, THEN I'm going to sleep good at night knowing my oil was changed properly!

This site rocks!

You can do your own just make sure you have the right tools. The 5th gens filters are a pain to get to compared to most other Toyotas and Lexus imo. I suggest getting the filter cup for your Runner, drain plug gasket, Toyota A5 filter and 7qts of 0w 20. That setup is good for 10k miles. If you get a dif oil and/or filter you want to change it every 5k. Some people refuse to go 10k miles between oil changes instead they change every 5k regaurdless and I don't blame them. Up to you but there is no issue with doing your own oil change. We can tell when people dont do them tbh so there would only be an issue if it can be proven that the car wasn't taken care of.

Old thread here, but I have the same worry. I love to do my own maintenance, but also want to keep my warranty intact, no questions asked.

Does anyone happen to have an updated link where you can record self performed maintenance records online?

Many thanks.

This.

Edit: didn't realize this was an old thread. Doh!

Record it however you like - I use a spreadsheet. If a dealer ever gives you a hard time about a warranty repair, do some research on Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. It highly favors the consumer.

My 2020 Owner's Manual on page 396, says:

Do-it-yourself maintenance
You can perform some maintenance procedures by yourself. Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect warranty coverage.

The use of Toyota Repair Manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, refer to the separate “Owner’s Warranty Information Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”

However, the Warranty and Maintenance Guide on page 34 says
Maintenance Providers

Maintenance and repair services may be performed by you or by any automotive service provider you choose. Toyota will not deny a warranty claim solely because you used a service provider other than a Toyota dealership for maintenance and repairs. However, damage or failure caused by improper maintenance or repairs is not covered under warranty.

I found no reference so ASE in either document. But this is for a 2020 so check your documents to be sure.

Even though this all might be BS it's a way for them to cover their butts. They don't want to chase your vibration with some gnarly MTRs on there.

Yeah, the wording is nice and open ended there isn't it? I did locate this link explaining how to add your own service record to the vehicle through Toyota Owners site:

How do I add a service record to Toyota Owners completed by me or a non-Toyota service provider?

They would have to prove you messed it up or the added part messed it up. It's the same with lift kits and other aftermarket parts. The only perk to using the dealer is that it's on record with Carfax. That could mean value to some. Otherwise, go to wal mart and get some Mobil 1 0-20 and a Toyota filter (or Napa Gold/Platinum, walmart is just cheapest for oil) and save yourself a few bucks and enjoy the time spent wrenching on your 4Runner.

With that said, when it's 20 degrees here in NJ and I need an oil change, that dealer looks pretty enticing!