Mechanic said I waited too long and it burned through 2 quarts

Yes and No...
I agree Toyota does not want to tarnish their reputation, but in the end, its a company that wants to make money. If the car wears out at 100-200k, just outside of warranty, and the owner is, for lack of a better word, "forced" to buy another vehicle. Then they achieved what their intensions were. Sell a car that makes it past its warranty and gives the owner a sense that it was a good investment so they buy the same brand.

Toyota's business model is a balance of longevity and volume. Big 3 companies are mainly by volume. Flood the market to make as much money from first time customers. Hense the reason you hear the F-150 is the "most sold truck in America." Its accuracy by volume!

The engineers design and test everything and recommend whatever service interval. But ultimately, its the money men that will have the overall say...

But like you said, do what makes you feel comfortable.

 

I figured they designed the frames to rust through to force us to buy new ones.

Seriously, though, I just don't see what's in it for Toyota if they intentionally recommend too long of an interval. I've been doing 10K intervals with everything I run synthetic in (aside from the '19). My previous 4Runner was running excellent at 257K when I traded it in 2017. I would bet that it is still running right now, as long as the next owner took care of it.

My current 4Runner is an exception, as the manual recommends 5K for my use. And, if you really go by the manual, it has a lot of people going with a 5K interval.

So, I'm not arguing against 5K intervals. I'm just saying that 10K is fine for some drivers.

 

it used to be called

built in obsolescence

 

Agreed. I got in the habit of doing this after owning an oil swilling Subaru. The 4Runner never seems to use any but checking it takes a minute or so. Cheap insurance.

 

YOU DID THE OIL TOYOTA TECH , THEN I INSPECTED IT OF THE OIL STICK !!!
MY FAMILY MEMBER IS THE 4RUNNER IN THE DEALERSHIP THE OIL CHANGE WAS , THEN THE OIL IS NOT USING THE STICK .....
THE Toyota is the synthetic oil 0-20wt SN PLUS .....MY 4runner is 7K miles changed the oil and the oil stick is 1/3 of the spec qt ...
I was doing my oil changes 7K miles and then the drive shafts and the yokes grease it ....

I was looking up the oil change the oil is very yellow oil engine ...

 

Why can't I understand a word of this...?

 

YOU'RE NOT READING LOUD ENOUGH!!!

 

I wish I could do 10 likes...

 

These days it's not about what you say, but how loud you say it lol

 

Agree, do whatever you want.

The video indicates the owner had long commute, was a Dr, and the shop is in the Chicago suburbs (Homer Glen) so unlikely driven on dirt roads. So to me, seems pretty normal/average usage but that can be debatable.

Also the guy is a Toyota Master Diagnostic Technician with lots of experience at dealerships before opening his own shop last year. So to me he has a bit more credibility than a “YouTube personality”. Anyway each can make up their own mind. I have been doing 5K/6 Months for decades on my T4Rs and with high mileage never experienced problems.

The guy also has some interesting takes on diffs, transfer cases, transmissions and coolant if interested.

 

Just for fun I asked ChatGTP, "Is it OK to change my 2020 4 Runner engine oil every 10000 miles?"

Chat GTP's answer

The recommended oil change interval for a 2020 4 Runner depends on several factors, including the type of driving you do, the conditions you drive in, and the type of oil you use.

According to Toyota's recommended maintenance schedule for the 2020 4 Runner, if you are using conventional motor oil, the oil should be changed every 5,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. If you are using synthetic motor oil, the oil should be changed every 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.

If you are only driving under ideal conditions, such as on the highway at a steady speed, it may be okay to follow the 10,000-mile recommendation for synthetic oil. However, if you frequently drive in severe conditions, such as stop-and-go traffic, extreme temperatures, or dusty environments, it may be better to change the oil more frequently, such as every 5,000 miles, to ensure that your engine is properly protected.

Ultimately, it is important to follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your vehicle's owner's manual to ensure optimal performance and longevity of your engine. If you are unsure about the recommended oil change interval for your specific driving conditions, it is always best to consult with a qualified mechanic or the dealership for advice.

 

I bought mine used, the front skids were missing. When I finally got around to installing some RCIs that I bought, I found out why. All of the holes had bolts broken off in them. I had to drill, tap, and helicoil most of them.

 

speaking with Massachusetts accent

 

That could be twice the volume, and I still couldn't make any sense of it...

 

I don't think the oil is supposed to use the stick. Also, if yellow oil engine it might be a pollen issue. And then except with exuberant reticulation.

 

I have been at a 5000 OCI on my ‘21 Venture and never contemplated doing a 10k one. Just felt wrong.

Oddly, when I lived in Humboldt (Eureka), Mid City Toyota did the 10k one gratis, but upon moving to Hawaii, I did pay for the 15k oil change and they covered the 20k one I just had.

 

https://www.blackstone-labs.com

 

You're not the only one.

 

shame on you following recommendations for 10k oil change and not checking level periodically - bad practice, as discussed here many times. now your engine will burn oil constantly.
and you cannot make complains, as Toyota "allowed" to burn 1qt for 1000 miles (for guys like you, to come back and buy another vehicle a.s.a.p). driving cold engine (less than 120 F) also plays role.

 

Actually, I dont. I dont think the programmers have chat gpt referencing the correct sources. Toyota recommends only synthetic right?

I asked chatgpt if it accepts responsibility for incorrect information which leads to damage or harm if followed. The program could not generate a response. Lol. Well, at least the first time I asked.

Chat gpt can bite my shiny metal ass

 

Sounds good, 7,000 oil change intervals is a good compromise, along with greasing the u-joints. Thanks!

 

As discussed in another thread, I'm going to steal someone else's response...

10k change? 5k change? 500 mile change? Screw that, I leave the drain plug out and have a 55 gallon drum strapped to the roof rack constantly pumping fresh oil in!

Mine? I did the recommended 10k and 20k changes since they were free and I was just putting a ton of highway miles when I first bought it. Since then, the dealers 5k services always include an oil change. Because I do a lot of short in-town driving now rather than highway miles I don't mind but personally think they do it to increase the price of service - not once have I been asked how I drive the vehicle to see if it needed 5k changes rather than 10k. But hey, we've got an endless supply of oil so where's the harm in constantly changing it whether its needed or not, right?

If your 4runner burned 2 qts of oil in 10k miles you have major issues with your vehicle that changing oil at 5k is not going to fix. I'm with the others here, I suspect it was underfilled at the previous service. I am also suspect of this mechanics recommendation. Just like people who keep fucking up 4wd because they don't read the manual - read and follow the manual. This drive train has been used now for at least a decade or more and the people following those recommendations have enjoyed one of the most reliable vehicles on the road

 

Haha!

Well, 0W-20 is only available in synthetic, so they only recommend synthetic in the US, I guess.

 

I don’t run through 2 quarts of oil in my 02 is300 with a 2JZ know to consume oil. 235k and I usually get 1qt low around 5k.

 

I have been doing the 10k and 20k freebies but paying for 5K and 15k in between.

 

Maybe a dumb question, but did your oil light not come on before you were missing two quarts? Sounds like you have a lying mechanic.

 

Yeah, your 21 4Runner didn't burn oil, and definitely not because you did 10k oil changes. They must have underfilled or did something really bad to your 4Runner.

 

I thought most oil lights were based on oil pressure, not level. My wife’s Subaru has an oil level light that comes on when 1 qt low (due to an oil consumption lawsuit), but I don’t know of any other vehicles out there that have that. At two quarts low in the 4R, there would still be 4 qts+ in the pan and likely would not have set off an oil pressure DTC.