No oil change for 20K miles - is this a problem?

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blk-betty

New member
So first let me say shame on me for not being diligent and double checking what the dealer did and didn't do.

Scenario: Purchased a new 2016 4Runner from local dealer in Spring 2016. Dealer (supposedly through Toyota) offered free service for the first 25K miles then free oil change for life IF ALL recommended service is performed at the dealership....any deviation from recommended service invalidates the free for life oil change.

Not really an issue as I planned to do most of my service after the 3/36 warranty expires.

I'm at 30K miles and in need of service but because of current living situation can't do it myself so I've found a good local independent Toyota/Lexus shop to do the work.

Problem: In searching through my service invoices, it looks like the dealer only changed the oil once at 20K miles. I have all the invoice for 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, and 25k service but the only one that shows an oil change is at 20K.

Might I have a potential problem if they screwed up and let it go from brand new to 20k miles on the original oil? Any potential damage or possible decrease in normal service life?

I haven't talked with the dealer yet but will do so later this week.

Thoughts?
 
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While its certainly less then ideal, whats done is done, its very unlikely that this is going to noticeable shorten the life span of your engine - other factors like cold starts, remaining oil changes, Towing etc will arguably have a much stronger effect then running 20k with the same oil, 1 time.

I find it hard to believe though that the dealer didn't change it at 10k, which is what Toyota recommends, maybe worth a call to the dealer to see if there is more information in there system then what you see on the invoice.

If my life depending on getting from X to Y I would take your 4runner over a new LR any day.
 
Engineer said:
While its certainly less then ideal, whats done is done, its very unlikely that this is going to noticeable shorten the life span of your engine - other factors like cold starts, remaining oil changes, Towing etc will arguably have a much stronger effect then running 20k with the same oil, 1 time.

I find it hard to believe though that the dealer didn't change it at 10k, which is what Toyota recommends, maybe worth a call to the dealer to see if there is more information in there system then what you see on the invoice.

If my life depending on getting from X to Y I would take your 4runner over a new LR any day.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your insight. Will talk with service department this Friday.
 
Take your invoices back to the dealer and have them go over them with you, line item by line item.

IF in fact they did miss an oil change, then they now owe you one and your 30K service should be on them.
 
blk-betty said:
Problem: In searching through my service invoices, it looks like the dealer only changed the oil once at 20K miles. I have all the invoice for 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, and 25k service but the only one that shows an oil change is at 20K.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

why did you bring to the dealership every 5K miles ?

my 2016 12K on it never has gone back, no problems .. also 10K oil changes for me looks perfect as I do the changes and have seen no oil issues of any kind... 1st oil change @ 3K miles then 7.5K 2nd oil change..
so next oil change will be 10K miles ... 4runner has not used any oil ..
 
catrains said:
why did you bring to the dealership every 5K miles ?

my 2016 12K on it never has gone back, no problems .. also 10K oil changes for me looks perfect as I do the changes and have seen no oil issues of any kind... 1st oil change @ 3K miles then 7.5K 2nd oil change..
so next oil change will be 10K miles ... 4runner has not used any oil ..
Click to expand...

Good question...the service reminder light comes on every 5k miles.

I assumed like my 2003 4Runner that the oil change interval was every 5k miles, so I took it in every 5k miles and thought they were changing the oil.
 
Kudos to SR5Bart.

He was able to confirm that the oil was in fact changed at the 10k service in spite of the fact that my 10k service invoice does not list it as one of the items completed at that service.

My concerns are resolved and we can consider this thread closed.

Thanks for all the help!
 
I will tell you the dealer nearly did the same to me. I don't drive my truck a lot so it is on time and not mileage. I brought it in for "yearly" which included oil change under Toyota Care. I was "very" clear that this was a "yearly" service call when I dropped it off and spoke with the service writer about what was to be done.

I come in to pick the truck up, I am signing the paperwork and thankfully reading what they did and I noticed that an oil change had not been listed. Double check with the service writer, yep no oil change.

The moral of the story, they are all in robot mode, they don't listen to you, they don't give a rats ass except the the payment processing, watch them like a hawk. Not saying all dealers are as bad as the ones I have dealt with, if you have a good one you are in the minority, consider yourself lucky.

If you are able to, do the work yourself, no one cares as much about your truck/car as you do.
 
Last edited:
jrandom said:
I will tell you the dealer nearly did the same to me. I don't drive my truck a lot so it is on time and not mileage. I brought it in for "yearly" which included oil change under Toyota Care. I was "very" clear that this was a "yearly" service call when I dropped it off and spoke with the service writer about what was to be done.

I come in to pick the truck up, I am signing the paperwork and thankfully reading what they did and I noticed that an oil change had not been listed. Double check with the service writer, yep no oil change.

The moral of the story, they are all in robot mode, they don't listen to you, they don't give a rats ass except the the payment processing, watch them like a hawk. Not saying all dealers are as bad as the ones I have dealt with, if you have a good one you are in the minority, consider yourself lucky.

If you are able to, do the work yourself, no one cares as much about your truck/car as you do.
Click to expand...

What you just posted is condition DEALERSHIP normal .. since his paper work did NOT indicate any oil changes @10K or 5K miles IMO oil change was not done ..paper work order will have on it what the floor sweeper oil changer must do rotate tires /change oil/ report the $30 air filter or wiper blades need replacing LOL....

so he had 20K on the oil .. I would not worry about that since these engines do work well , oil does not look bad at all @10k miles.
 
catrains said:
What you just posted is condition DEALERSHIP normal .. since his paper work did NOT indicate any oil changes @10K or 5K miles IMO oil change was not done ..paper work order will have on it what the floor sweeper oil changer must do rotate tires /change oil/ report the $30 air filter or wiper blades need replacing LOL....

so he had 20K on the oil .. I would not worry about that since these engines do work well , oil does not look bad at all @10k miles.
Click to expand...

I will double check the invoices when I get home this evening.

It's possible that they did list the oil change at the 10k service as it may be listed as a bundle service with the 10k service. But I know for a fact that it was not separated out on the invoice like it was for the 20k service where they listed 1 quart of oil at $6.95 x 6 quarts and 1 filter at $5.95 with a total cost of around $100 then zeroed the balance because it was a free Toyota Care Plan service.

It could be just a change in reporting or maybe they didn't change it....all I know is SR5Bart was able to run the VIN and it showed according to the computer file that the oil change was done at the 10k service with the number of miles listed, date of service, and dealership address.

In my business, if it's not documented it wasn't done regardless if I say it was done.

It appears that Toyota has documentation that it was done and I have to assume that it was done even if my invoice doesn't list it as a separate line item.
 
blk-betty said:
So first let me say shame on me for not being diligent and double checking what the dealer did and didn't do.

Scenario: Purchased a new 2016 4Runner from local dealer in Spring 2016. Dealer (supposedly through Toyota) offered free service for the first 25K miles then free oil change for life IF ALL recommended service is performed at the dealership....any deviation from recommended service invalidates the free for life oil change.

Not really an issue as I planned to do most of my service after the 3/36 warranty expires.

I'm at 30K miles and in need of service but because of current living situation can't do it myself so I've found a good local independent Toyota/Lexus shop to do the work.

Problem: In searching through my service invoices, it looks like the dealer only changed the oil once at 20K miles. I have all the invoice for 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, and 25k service but the only one that shows an oil change is at 20K.

Might I have a potential problem if they screwed up and let it go from brand new to 20k miles on the original oil? Any potential damage or possible decrease in normal service life?

I haven't talked with the dealer yet but will do so later this week.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

You only need more frequent oil changes when you are paying. When the manufacturers pay, you need them almost never.
 
rzgkane said:
You only need more frequent oil changes when you are paying. When the manufacturers pay, you need them almost never.
Click to expand...
I do them at 6-7500 for the synthetic oil and when it was covered under the Toyota "free maintenance" plan, it was scheduled at every 10k miles. Now that I'm the one paying for it, Toyota "recommends' that I do it every 5k miles.

Odd that.
 
the invoice should have the oil and filter parts listed .. this then is a Toyota oil service plan that the dealership should be compensated ..

no listing of this then it was not done ... work orders must have this .
 
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