2018 Toyota Corolla Oil Change Interval?

[tiredguy]

Hello

My mom has a 2018 Toyota Corolla, she bought it from Hertz rental cars sales division in 2020.

She is a senior and only drives a couple of times a week, usually about a mile each way to and from the super market and about the same to go to church. Every other week she might drive it 10-20 miles on the freeway.

I last changed the oil in April of 2022 with full synthetic, I checked it this past weekend and it is very clean and at the correct level.

With such low mileage how often should I change the oil?

Thanks

 

[SureshR]

Fill ch

Hello

My mom has a 2018 Toyota Corolla, she bought it from Hertz rental cars sales division in 2020.

She is a senior and only drives a couple of times a week, usually about a mile each way to and from the super market and about the same to go to church. Every other week she might drive it 10-20 miles on the freeway.

I last changed the oil in April of 2022 with full synthetic, I checked it this past weekend and it is very clean and at the correct level.

With such low mileage how often should I change the oil?

Thanks

Fill cheap conventional that meets the requirements once a year

 

[atikovi]

If it still looks clean, I'd stretch it out to 3 years or 3,000 miles.

 

[UG_Passat]

Hello

My mom has a 2018 Toyota Corolla, she bought it from Hertz rental cars sales division in 2020.

She is a senior and only drives a couple of times a week, usually about a mile each way to and from the super market and about the same to go to church. Every other week she might drive it 10-20 miles on the freeway.

I last changed the oil in April of 2022 with full synthetic, I checked it this past weekend and it is very clean and at the correct level.

With such low mileage how often should I change the oil?

Thanks

It depends. If you insist on the 10,000 mile OCI, then it's 6 months or 10k, whichever comes first.

or 6 months or 5k, whichever comes first.

Toyota Manuals and Warranties | Toyota Owners

Find everything you need to know about your Toyota in the Manuals & Warranties from Toyota Owners.

www.toyota.com

 

[RyanY]

It's a Toyota 4 cyl. With that little driving, the car will last forever regardless of whether you change the oil at 6, 12, or 18 mo. intervals. Unless, of course, she lives in an area where salt is applied to the roads in winter; in that case the car will rust out long before the engine is spent.

 

[bullwinkle]

Go a year or 7500, which ever comes first. Krown or Fluid Film the body, it will outlive us all!

 

[MSCH]

Hello

My mom has a 2018 Toyota Corolla, she bought it from Hertz rental cars sales division in 2020.

She is a senior and only drives a couple of times a week, usually about a mile each way to and from the super market and about the same to go to church. Every other week she might drive it 10-20 miles on the freeway.

I last changed the oil in April of 2022 with full synthetic, I checked it this past weekend and it is very clean and at the correct level.

With such low mileage how often should I change the oil?

Thanks

I tend towards once a year, on lightly driven cars. ( My wife is maybe a 4000 mile a year gal, car sits far more than it is driven)
so do it on Mom's birthday or some easily remembered interval and other wise don't worry about it

 

[Astro14]

Fill ch

Fill cheap conventional that meets the requirements once a year

I wouldn’t. No cheap conventional meets the viscosity requirement for this engine.

But I’d be happy with two years on good oil.

 

[SureshR]

I wouldn’t. No cheap conventional meets the viscosity requirement for this engine.

But I’d be happy with two years on good oil.

0w20 then fine, there are syn blends

 

[Astro14]

0w20 then fine, there are syn blends

Which wouldn’t be a cheap conventional, then. Look, the guy is in California. Mild climate. Run the oil longer. It’s not getting excess condensation, or extreme temps, like much of the country.

 

[MSCH]

Astro, define "good oil"? I dare you.

 

[JavierH19]

What does the olm say.

The 2018 has d4s and it can cause fuel dilution. I'd use whatever cheap 5w-20 and dump it in a year. It's being short tripped a lot. 20 miles on the freeway isn't enough to heat the oil up. Don't think it needs anything thicker.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Change it every year.

 

[millerbl00]

Toyota Severe service is 6 months OR 5000 miles.

those short trips qualify as severe service. change it every 6 months.

oil is cheap. repairs not

 

[JeffKeryk]

I would service it about every 1.5 years.

 

[UG_Passat]

It depends. If you insist on the 10,000 mile OCI, then it's 6 months or 10k, whichever comes first.

or 6 months or 5k, whichever comes first.

Toyota Manuals and Warranties | Toyota Owners

Find everything you need to know about your Toyota in the Manuals & Warranties from Toyota Owners.

www.toyota.com

meant 12 months or 10k if you mirror the 10k OCI

 

[Shel_B]

Which wouldn’t be a cheap conventional, then. Look, the guy is in California. Mild climate. Run the oil longer. It’s not getting excess condensation, or extreme temps, like much of the country.

A few things to consider. The OP is in California, but where is the car located? Most likely in CA, but we don't know.

California is a big state. There are areas where the climate is not so mild such as in the Sierras and several northern counties.

 

[Astro14]

A few things to consider. The OP is in California, but where is the car located? Most likely in CA, but we don't know.

California is a big state. There are areas where the climate is not so mild such as in the Sierras and several northern counties.

View attachment 179382 View attachment 179383

I know it is.

But this guy was Bay Area.

And he didn’t mention his mom going up to Tahoe for skiing, or down to Death Valley for hiking. He said she doesn’t drive much.

Ergo - Mild climate. If she’s coastal, like Santa Cruz, then I would go with an annual change because of the humidity. But for most of the state - mild.

 

[DavidJones]

Since Covid started, my wife works from home. Her 2012 Highlander (currently at about 135,000 miles) went from driving 50 miles round trip on the freeway every day (to a parking deck) to 2 trips to church every week (6 miles week) and a 5 mile round trip grocery shopping once a week. Once or twice a month she might run across town and actually get the car up to operating temp. Before Covid I changed the oil every 10K miles with Mobil1. Since Covid, the change interval hasn't really been on a regular schedule, but once every couple of years is close. I don't think the car cares. We drive my Ridgeline if we get out and her Highlander will end up in the Smithsonian as the newest looking 2012 Highlander remaining.

 

[Bill7]

Hello

My mom has a 2018 Toyota Corolla, she bought it from Hertz rental cars sales division in 2020.

She is a senior and only drives a couple of times a week, usually about a mile each way to and from the super market and about the same to go to church. Every other week she might drive it 10-20 miles on the freeway.

I last changed the oil in April of 2022 with full synthetic, I checked it this past weekend and it is very clean and at the correct level.

With such low mileage how often should I change the oil?

Thanks

Her oil should be changed every 6 months, regardless of low miles. Oil accumulates moisture, and your mom's usage patterns create an ideal environment for sludge to form from the unburned moisture in the oil.