Who Actually Follows 10,000 mile oil change schedule?

[OUTRNNR]

Good to hear so many people are actually running the entire first 10K on the original oil. I plan on doing the same even though I have towed one time through the mountains with alot of redlining. I also run it up into the high country once or twice per month (lots of high engine speed as well - this thing doesn't even think about making power until 4k rpm in the mountains). All of the other driving is 50/50 city/highway.

I plan on taking an oil sample and sending to Blackstone Labs for analysis. This is a very popular lab I've seen across many auto forums. The results of this analysis should be very telling on if the initial 10K intervals are appropriate.

 

[Quentin]

Then they change the OCI to 10K but all of the manuals and coupon books (at least the early '10 4Runner) are printed with 5K.
Don't forget the cars are programmed to have the Maintenance light come on at 5K.
What else? I'm sure I'm missing something.

My January '10 build 4Runner shows 10k intervals for oil changes in the manual.

The maintenance light isn't only for oil changes, too. You still have tire rotations, visual inspections, bolt tightening, and prop shaft greasing to do at 5k intervals. Plus, if you tow regularly or drive in dirty environments, there is a recommendation to do add'l services at 5k intervals. The light is there for people that don't do their own maintenance. Basically, it reminds those people to stop by the dealer and get those necessary 5k interval items done.

 

[Curt Sauve]

With all the problems that Toyota has had in the past with engine sludging, I would bet that their engineers have done an oil analasys or two before recommending the 10K service. Old school thinking on oil is inefficient and bad for the environment.

 

[TOYSTRY]

I follow......Synthetic is rated for higher miles, and being an Amsoil user of the past, I know the benefits that come with it.

 

[Batang.Gapo]

I just checked "Owner's Manual supplement" and there is no mentioning about 10,000miles service interval. It pretty much says that oil should be changed at 5,000 miles / 6 months. I wonder if I misssed somehting, or US 4runners require less maintenence?

I agree with you scanny, we Canadians are asked to do oil change every 5,000 miles!!!

 

[WFO_Racer]

10K just hit on my TE. Just had the oil changed. I flip my cars every 3 or 4 years so I'm not changing the oil more often to benefit the next owner.

I have bigger things to worry about then oil changes.

Kudos to the OCD types who change more often or if you plan on driving it into the ground.

 

[Grape Ape]

I follow the scheduled maintenance per the engineers who designed the engine. I trust them more than the bro science others provide.

 

[harper7]

I question who made the call and their motive on the 10k oil changes on the US models and why it wasn't made when the dual vvt-i was introduced. Was it the engineers,bean counters,politicians or the groupies from Green Day that changed it from 5k to 10k?

Another ,what the..........My maintenance manual says 5k oil changes and then they send me a revision almost 5 months later to make it 10k at the same time they offer a free 2 year maintenance program . :wtf:
Did they have some new synthetic oil revelation from the oil Gods all of a sudden?Or is that why they say it's allowable for the engine to consume a quart every 600 miles?

And why is still 5k in Canada with the EXACT same engine? Do you Canucks have the free 2 year maintenance plan and do they change yours for free every 5k miles or 8k km's?

Why is still 5k on the hundreds of thousands of 2009 and before 1GR-FE V6's with the less complicated lower revving vvt-i design?

I change mine when I think it needs changed according to my driving habits,climate and where she's taken me. Right now at 6k+ miles it's black as night and has the consistency of water from a long hot dusty summer.Drive it all winter like that to til 10k miles to save $50....... Not

My oil will be in the recycle barrel very soon.
My 2 cents and YMMV:hatsoff:

 

[1000MPH]

My January '10 build 4Runner shows 10k intervals for oil changes in the manual.

The maintenance light isn't only for oil changes, too. You still have tire rotations, visual inspections, bolt tightening, and prop shaft greasing to do at 5k intervals. Plus, if you tow regularly or drive in dirty environments, there is a recommendation to do add'l services at 5k intervals. The light is there for people that don't do their own maintenance. Basically, it reminds those people to stop by the dealer and get those necessary 5k interval items done.

Strange. Mine is a January build and the owner's manual says 5k oil changes. What is the date on your OM?
BTW, My dealer put a sticker on my car that says my next service is in 10k miles. No mention of tire rotations or anything else in the interim.
...and here's a pic of my service agreement (i'm too lazy to get a pic of my manual)

 

[1000MPH]

I follow the scheduled maintenance per the engineers who designed the engine. I trust them more than the bro science others provide.

Which one?

 

[Japsfinest]

I must be the paranoid one on here. I did my first oil change at 1100, and have done it at every 5K since. I have paid for some and used my coupns for some. my truck is at 22 0r 23K now and its almost time for my 6th oil change.

I also flip cars every 3 or 4 years but I would like to think that I will keep this truck for a long time. Heck I am waiting for the TRD or URD SC for it.

I have been using Synthetic oil for a long time but I do know that clean oil is key in the longevity of any motor. I cant afford to have a failure in the filter or to have debris in the motor.

or maybe its just peace of mind...

 

[SeattleMike]

I change it every 5-6k, depending on my schedule and/or how well the appointment can be made to coincide with the 5k mileage. I also changed it when she had 1000 miles on her at a dealer in the middle of our vacation because I want her to last forever and her break-in time was up. She's got 36.4k on her right now, and I have yet to have one issue with her. I will continue to change her oil every 5k, and I will use synthetic 0w-20 as the manual recommends.

My last Toyota has 232k miles on her and I am sending it on to my mother so she can get some use out of it. I fully expect that my TE will provide my wife with at least that many miles, if not more. :cheers:

 

[toyslug]

Hey Japsfinest and SeattleMike! Glad to see that I'm not the Only one changing my oil at every 5K rather than Toyota's recommended 10K! My rationale for doing so is b/c I believe "DIRTY" oil is "DIRTY" oil!
Curious as to whether physical comtaminants(eg. products of combustion,etc)shows up/reported in the oil analysis results?

 

[homeyclaus]

Hey Japsfinest and SeattleMike! Glad to see that I'm not the Only one changing my oil at every 5K rather than Toyota's recommended 10K! My rationale for doing so is b/c I believe "DIRTY" oil is "DIRTY" oil!
Curious as to whether physical comtaminants(eg. products of combustion,etc)shows up/reported in the oil analysis results?

It sure does, at least according to the last report from Blackstone I got. I am still looking for that minor vacuum leak that made my other car's oil have 23 ppm of silicon (that's what's in sand, and dirt, if you didn't know).

 

[Batang.Gapo]

And why is still 5k in Canada with the EXACT same engine? Do you Canucks have the free 2 year maintenance plan and do they change yours for free every 5k miles or 8k km's?

Unfortunately it's not free Harper7, I'm also trying to understand why we Canucks have different oil change interval than US. I don't buy severe weather condition as some parts of US do experience the same weather condition.

Even our warranty is covered 60,000 km NOT 60,000 miles. That's 40,000 km difference!!!

I say it is just cash grab :ybrick:

 

[1engineer]

It sure does, at least according to the last report from Blackstone I got. I am still looking for that minor vacuum leak that made my other car's oil have 23 ppm of silicon (that's what's in sand, and dirt, if you didn't know).

If you inadvertantly knocked in a tiny amount of gunk when taking off the filler cap or dipstick that would give you a reading like that.

 

[sandcrawler]

another guy observing the ~5k OCI here. just hit 15k miles and plan to do my 3rd oil change this week. (2nd DIY).

got my Trail in March of 2010 and only drive ~10k miles/year... i can't seem to keep the dust out of my rig's interior... imagine what the engine's inhaled after a year... plus, annual oil changes just freak me out conceptually.

cheap insurance. and now that mobil 1 0w-20 is available in 5 quart jugs for $25 it takes a little of the sting out of it too.

 

[Orlyg1521]

5k not 10k

My Toyota service mechanic just did my first oil change on my used 2010, bought as a second owner in 10/13. He does not trust the 10k recommendation. He swears by a 5k oil change.

I am going to trust his word. I just wanted to put this out .

 

[4ShoreRunner]

My Toyota service mechanic just did my first oil change on my used 2010, bought as a second owner in 10/13. He does not trust the 10k recommendation. He swears by a 5k oil change.

I am going to trust his word. I just wanted to put this out .

Wow the guy you are paying to change your oil swears that you must do it twice as many times as recommended....weird...?

 

[4RunnerStunner]

Back in October, I had my oil changed at 17K miles and it was my last free Oil change that was available on the truck at the dealer. When they completed the oil change, they stuck a sticker on my windshield saying the next oil change is at 22K miles. So I guessing that the 5K mile oil change has some merit. My moto is unless the Oil is an extended life oil that I am placing in my truck like Mobil 1 or Amsoil, I would stay at the 5K mile interval unless the service department can show me the oil and what the manufacturer of that oil says the life of that oil is. Again, it all depends on your driving conditions. In 2 months I would of had my 2011 4runner for 1 year and I have only put almost 6K miles on it. Bought it when it had 13,701 miles on it. Now I am over 19,000 and only had 1 oil change. I will not take my truck back in for an oil change until April as it would be 6 months since the last oil change.