Oil Change Before Warning Light or Right After?

[Natron]

Does anyone know if we are supposed to get an oil change before the warning light turns on or is it meant to be done right after?

If before, then why didn't they program the light to turn on a couple hundred miles ahead of time (think the low fuel warning light). That was a rhetorical question of course.

Anyway, is the oil supposed to be changed before or after 10,000 miles?

 

[Savoir-Faire]

On both my '09 Corolla and '03 4Runner the *Maintenance* light comes on at around every 4850 miles traveled. Manual recommends changing @ 5000 miles.
On my '15 I don't know when the *Maintenance* light comes on. It *should* come on at around 8500 miles since the manual *recommends* changing every 10000 miles, that's If Toyota calibrated the computer that way (watch it come on at 4850).
So, I would say on my older Toyotas it does kind of work like the *Low Fuel* warning light.
I keep a clip board in my Man Cave (garage) with date of change as a heads up anyway and usually check things before manual *recommendation* times.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Depends on what year your Corolla this is?

 

[Corolla Cop]

Depends on what year your Corolla is?

It must be a 14 or 15 since he is posting here. I think you are to change it every 10,000 miles. My light comes on around every 4800 miles.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Lots of folks make posts in the wrong area. Happens all the time.

 

[Savoir-Faire]

Yeah, ok *recommended* Maintenance light comes on at around every 4800 miles traveled, makes sense. *Check* fluids and top off as needed, rotate tires and adjust floor mats (that one kind of burns me up), etc.
Yeah, it's a *Maintenance* light Not a Time to Change Oil Light.
Really think of All the little light you could have, * Time To Check Floor Mats* light!
Owner has to take some responsibility. For me it makes life a little more interesting.

 

[koby]

Take a minute and check the oil. Bam you know if it needs to be changed.

 

[15BlueRolla]

Oil change every 10k miles with 0w20 oil. At your 5k mile tire rotation, check oil and add as needed.

 

[ToyBoy]

I change mine at 5000 mile intervals. So since I have an 2014 I`m doing every other one with0-20w synthetic.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Maintenance light still flashes at 4500 and stays lit at 5000.

Get the tires rotated every 5k, oil every 10k.

You can change the oil slightly before, on, or after. Doesn't matter. As long as you are within a few hundred miles, most dealers won't sweat it.

 

[15BlueRolla]

I'm going to change my oil today, I have 300 miles. Might do the manual trans fluid too.

 

[fishycomics]

Sounds like breaking oil. Right?

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

I did the same, just old school that way. Plus it never hurts.

 

[ToyBoy]

I'm going to change my oil today, I have 300 miles. Might do the manual trans fluid too.

Probably totally unnecessary but if it makes you feel better.

 

[15BlueRolla]

Probably totally unnecessary but if it makes you feel better.

I actually only did it to see what it looked like and it was dark.. I'll have to check the production date. Maybe the oil was in there for a while.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Possibly. I did mine at around 150 after making sure the rings were set in well and it was relatively clean.