According to the Toyota district service manager for this part of the country, I can run 5w-30 in my Rav4 without hurting my warranty. However, doing the "Toyota Care" services, the Toyota 0w-16 will have to be used. I don't give a hoot about the Toyota Care services. I whited out names and e-mail addresses.
2025 Toyota Rav4 engine oil update, 5w-30
- Thread starter GI_GRIFF
- Start date
They never have. The owners manual simply states that a higher viscosity may be suitable under certain operating conditions.
The manuals I’ve seen word it something like “a higher viscosity may be better for towing or high speeds.”
Lord help us. OP has been legitimately fretting over this for months. And, I’m not sure how that email helps them sleep any better at night vs what the manual says.
OP should pick a viscosity so we can move on to answering their redundant follow-up questions about which 16/20/30 is best, and comforting them in their “I swear my engine is making more/less noise than the last oil I used” threads.
And realize that engines rarely wear out, and any improvements will be academic at best.
It basically says if you are using a 5w-30 oil, you could see a small drop in fuel milage, and it may be harder to start in cold weather. It does not say you shouldn't use 5w-30. However, another section says 0w-16 is recommended for best performance and fuel milage. It does mention using 5w-30 for towing or something like that. All I know is, I can use 5w-30. A stronger film strength, better protection, and won't alter or void my Toyota warranty.
Since I bought this car, I have been trying to get a straight answer from Toyota about using a higher viscosity oil than the 0w-16 they "recommend". I finally have my answer, 5w-30 it will be. I guess I have now entered the Bitog "Thickie" club! LOL!
Nope. Too thin. Never going to get to more than 300k miles with that thin 5w30 water....
Toyota Corporate (forget some district manager) is NEVER going to answer you in the way you might think this forum would. Why? Because Toyota is too scared of the government catching them recommending a higher viscosity oil in an email when they filed the paperwork with the US government (EPA) to a lower viscosity oil.
They rely on the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards they are not going to jeopardize that, ever.
The best you can do is to look at other countries that don't have that paperwork and favoritism built into law, see what those say.. most likely you'll find that same exact engine in the same climate (temperature, etc) as the US and it'll say 5w-30 is safe to use.
They rely on the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards they are not going to jeopardize that, ever.
The best you can do is to look at other countries that don't have that paperwork and favoritism built into law, see what those say.. most likely you'll find that same exact engine in the same climate (temperature, etc) as the US and it'll say 5w-30 is safe to use.
I already have. The e-mail from this guy is as close as I am going to get for the reasons you say. At least it won't void the warranty. 5w-30 is the recommended viscosity oil for the same exact engine. Thanks for your response.
Now you know the big question we on this forum will ask..... WHICH 5w-30? Mobil 1? HPL? PP? uh oh.. the rabbit hole just got deeper!
Yeah, been doing that all night! I will probably go with a 0w-30 actually, 3.5 hths, vis at 100c of 12 or higher, and ash at .8 % or less. Right now, I am glancing at Motul 8100 X-Clean EFE 0w-30. Liqui Moly Top Tec 4210 and Castrol Edge Extended Performance are also contenders. Castrol is kind of like Mobil, not real open with their PDS information, tight lipped. There are too many choices, especially when I could just use Super Tec 5w-30 and be fine. But this is actually kind of fun. I have been screwing around with this for months now, since I bought the car. I still have the 0w-16 Schaeffer 9000 in it, I have to use more of that up, so I still have time to torture you guys! LOL!Now you know the big question we on this forum will ask..... WHICH 5w-30? Mobil 1? HPL? PP? uh oh.. the rabbit hole just got deeper!
haha... thanks for being honest with that update! I was thinking of a 0w-30 for my friend's direct injection CX-5 2.5L engine, for the fuel dilution. so I can see why you were thinking that. The specs on a lot of 0W-30 looks really good lately! Oh ya there's an insane amount of choices but that is a nice thing to have. cool more toture, no no.. stop.. don't talk about motor oil.. no don't do that to us!! not on an oil forum! lol.
We forgot to ask if he changed the factory fill at 329 miles or before. If he went longer than that, just end the discussion. That engine is toast...no way it's going to hit a million miles...Now you know the big question we on this forum will ask..... WHICH 5w-30? Mobil 1? HPL? PP? uh oh.. the rabbit hole just got deeper!
It says nothing about 5W30. It says the owner's manual will be the last word so 0W16. Kiss that warranty goodbye but RIP anyway if you didn't change it at 232 miles with M1 0W40...too bad...would have been a great cute-ute...another engine ruined by CAFE...
but RIP anyway if you didn't change it at 232 miles with M1 0W40...too bad...would have been a great cute-ute...another engine ruined by CAFE...Actually, the owner's manual does talk about 5w-30, saying if you are using it, it could make the engine harder to start in cold weather. It doesn't say you can't use 5w-30 or you have to use 0w-16. Neither is required that you do or don't. As the district guy said, he has nothing on it. The only thing that does matter is if I want the Toyota Care services, the dealer will have to install their 0w-16, unless I want 5w-30. If their 5w-30 is the same price or cheaper, the oil change will still be free, otherwise I will have to pay the difference in price. There is a lot of "preferred" or "recommended" wording in the owner's manual, there is nothing "required" when it comes to engine oil. As the district guy said, "I have nothing on this, use 0w-16, 5w-30, or something in between. It has no effect on your Toyota warranty." Now, this is just me talking now, but I think if I was dumb enough to go and put in say 20w-60 or something stupid like that, it would likely break something, that would be my fault, not Toyota's. And also, as I was informed today, these same exact 2025 engines in different parts of the world do actually "recommend" or "prefer" the owner use 5w-30. That is not made up. Anyhow, it is 5w-30 or 0w-30 for me. If my gas milage drops too much, maybe I will go back to the 0w-16. I doubt it will though, I went through this with my previous SUV, milage didn't drop enough to notice.
Did the manager mention how it affects the electric oil pump? I hear those things are finicky.
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