There's actually a checklist in the service guide...

Check the floor mats... (Uhhm really?), Inspect all fluid levels (again, Uhmmm?), .... Inspect the wiper blades (Uhhm for a third time)….. Rotate tires (I think doing before 5k is unwarranted as no signed of edge wear on mine),.... visually inspect the brake components.

I'll ask exactly what if anything else they do but most of this just sounds like a waste of my time as I already do all this stuff regularly. Again with no oil change recommended before 10k miles I fail to see the need. But I do wonder if there would possibly a reason for refusing warranty service assuming I did not abide by their recommended service checklist.

Also I still am conflicted on waiting for 10k to change the oil. I am thinking if I can justify skipping this visit and then take it in the spring when I get to 5k for prepaid oil service and let them do the checklist at that point. I might drop the skid plate myself before bringing it to avoid the problem others here have reported with stripped bolts.

Thoughts?

JC

Any specific reason for doing it that frequently?

JC

Thanks I'll put this on my list for the 5k service when I get oil changed. I can change oil myself but am unfortunately not set up or educated to check my own alignment. I only worry that the dealer may also not be. I had wheels and Toyo's from Schwabby on my '06 4runner and they screwed up my alignment super bad when they reported to "fix it" after doing the new wheels, tires, brakes. They also screwed up the balancing, and did not release a caliper pin which caused it to rub on the new disc and warp it. Schwab is usually good but this demonstrates you can't trust anyone to do it right all the time... just depends on what recruit they have working on your rig any given day. Anyway that was a BAD experience and royal PITA to get sorted. It's what I prefer to avoid on my new rig and can't imagine a dealer being better than Scwab with that wheel/tire/break/alignment stuff.

JC

JC

Yes it is... very real... That's what I keep telling my wife but she doesn't buy it

JC

Wow I thought I had something to brag about nearing 500k on my collective 4runners.

Cheers

JC

Are you not using full synthetic 0W-20? Changing that frequently is an enormous waste. Do you know something that the engineering team at toyota doesn't?

Change it at 10k and 20k. If you have money to burn, change it every 3k or paypal me so I can buy more mods

i guess changing oil every 3000 miles gives me a warm fuzzy and i use fully synthetic i just cant go 10000 miles

I've been following Toyota's recommended maintenance schedule and haven't had any issues thus far. I've owned my '16 TE since June 2017 and closing in on 57K miles. Knowing Toyota's way of conducting business, I'd imagine that their scheduling intervals are conservative and allow for wiggle room.

Nobody cares about your vehicle as much as you do. Just spend some time studying all the maintenance items in the link in my signature. No one can answer whether or not you should do it yourself. Cos we don’t know your previous experience, competence, confidence, etc. If you decide to do it yourself, great. Just do what your maintenance guide says, when it says. Keep good records and proof of the work with dates, mileages, maybe some pics now and then, I cut out SKUs from parts boxes and stuff too and keep them. And you’ll be fine. I do all my own maintenance, just got warranty work done, and didn’t get the first bit of hassle about it. You might run into somebody that gives you trouble. But by law they can only deny warranty work for something you didn’t do or something you did wrong or a mod to your vehicle that could have actually impacted what broke. And it has to be related. If you don’t rotate your tires, well that can only impact a tire warranty, for example.

If you don’t do it yourself, just find a dealer or shop you trust and just follow the schedule. Just know almost all Toyota dealers are gonna recommend a bunch of extra stuff. Just go by your maintenance guide and don’t let em rook you. If you wanna get a feel for the dealer service department, ask to talk to the shop foremen about your concerns, not the service advisors, you’ll know pretty quick whether it’s a place to avoid or not.

As far as service intervals. Somebody on here had an engine opened up with 180k or something like that, and had done 10k oil changes with 0w-20. It looked amazing. Yes, the intervals are fine. Especially for you doing it based on months instead of mileage, you gonna be doing anything at low miles anyway.

OP's question has been answered with all the angles' of response I can think of, so I'll just ask a question:

3700 miles? I think the real question here is why aren't you driving more? If you don't have a commute, make one up. Tell your wife you need to go buy milk and drive 3 towns over to get it. Take the road less travelled to get to your father in law's house. Anything to spend more time in your rig!

Good luck. I'm confident you'll make the right decision on the service question.

Thanks for the link... and advice , much appreciated.

JC

Fortunate in some respects to live within 7 miles of work. Actually have been using the TRD for weekend recreation and even taken two 500+mile road trips to the mountains and the coast but still just don't drive it far enough with regular commute to make up the miles. I get concerned with 15 minute commute that the rig doesn't have the opportunity to warm up sufficiently and that could play some negative impact on the workings. My mileage on regular basis is crappy 15- but on the road trips normalized to 20+MPG. Also my wife's car is the easier around town choice for kids' activities and other errands as it is small, much better mileage and easy to get around downtown.

I hear you though.

JC

Would Toyota still do that alignment within the first 12 months if you’ve upgraded shocks and coils?

Once again....FPNI