I thought 10,000 was the recommendation for synthetic oil.
Aris said:
I thought 10,000 was the recommendation for synthetic oil.
My mechanic told me to stick to 10k using synthetic for my Highlander. It’s been over a decade, and my Highlander runs fine with just regular maintenance.
I went for an oil change at 5,000 miles and they said not to worry. They showed me the oil in my car and new synthetic oil, and it looked the same. This was for my '21 hybrid limited.
I’m planning to keep my '21 Tundra and '24 4Runner for a long time. So I’ll do everything at half the recommended intervals. My 100k transmission service will be at 50k.
Teo said:
I’m planning to keep my '21 Tundra and '24 4Runner for a long time. So I’ll do everything at half the recommended intervals. My 100k transmission service will be at 50k.
I changed the transmission fluid at 30,000 miles. It’s smart if you have AWD since the front differential shares fluid with the transmission. So if you’re changing the rear and front differentials, you’ll also need to do the transmission fluid.
@SophyGenesis
My front differential doesn’t share fluid with my transmission… or maybe I messed up last weekend! I have a '22 XLE V6 with an 8-speed UA80 transmission. I used the same gear oil in the rear differential and the front transfer case, Valvoline 75W90.
edit: used OEM Toyota ATF WS for the transmission.
Don’t do it. Stick to 5k, use quality synthetic, and change the filter at the same time. The ultra-thin oils today and longer service intervals are all about efficiency targets. It’s not about how long your vehicle lasts.
It won’t fail within the 50k powertrain warranty, LOL.
I would still do 5k. The Car Care Nut has a YouTube video on this and he recommends it.
Keagan said:
I would still do 5k. The Car Care Nut has a YouTube video on this and he recommends it.
I came here to recommend that video too. He mentions some interesting points in it. All his videos are worth watching.
Some conspiracy theorists think this is to make your engine fail earlier so you’ll buy another Toyota. Personally, I believe in changing oil every 5,000 miles, even with synthetic. My conspiracy theory is that 10k changes mean more oil changes at the dealership. If it’s 5k, maybe people will opt for quick oil changes or do it every 25k miles since every few months is too much hassle.
I got a new Toyota a few weeks back and the maintenance department said 10k. I want to do 5k. Will they cover the cost since it’s part of the 2-year maintenance plan? My last Toyota had oil changes covered every 5k until the plan ended.
@Zyler
Just change it at 5k and let them do it at 10k. They won’t cover double the oil changes. I had the same issue with a Jetta; they only do their initial maintenance every 10k.
It might be anecdotal, but I did 10k oil changes on my 2013 Camry. At 115k miles, it now burns a quart every 4,000 miles. Not sure if it’s normal for a higher mileage engine, but it seems to burn more oil now. For my new 2024 Highlander, I plan to stick with 5,000 mile changes. Seems like cheap insurance, especially with the turbo.
Synthetic oil doesn’t need to be changed every 5,000 miles like non-synthetic did. Changing it every 5,000 miles is just wasting your money unless you are really using the vehicle hard.
Tai said:
Synthetic oil doesn’t need to be changed every 5,000 miles like non-synthetic did. Changing it every 5,000 miles is just wasting your money unless you are really using the vehicle hard.
Last oil change cost me $15 doing it myself. I’ll keep spending that money.
10k for full synthetic is fine, but for direct injection engines, I still suggest 5,000 miles since they’re rough on oil.
Looking back, oil is cheap.