This morning our 2010 Prius [not in signature because I don't service it] had its 190K service. When complete the dealer made several written recommendations for the 200K service, including a tune up, engine coolant flush, inverter coolant flush, and a motor oil flush. When asked about the latter, they said they would change the oil, run a motor flush, then change the oil again. Is this a normal service for a Toyota at 200K, or is someone trying to pull a fast one?
Toyota Dealer Recommends Oil Flush???
- Thread starter Astro_Guy
- Start date
All recommendations are solid,except for the motor flush. The motor flush probably isn't really needed. But wouldn't put it in the category of they are "trying to rip you off". The flush isn't really any different from the "BITOG money flush" that takes place on this forum. Cautious but not needed.
Considering how much oil these engines typically burn, an oil flush isn't a completely unreasonable service. Any effort to clean the rings is not a complete money waste, however, the cost of their "oil flush" is probably ridiculous.
With that said, the best thing to do with a 10-15 Prius with that many miles is to get rid of it before you have to invest in a head gasket job or hybrid battery.
With that said, the best thing to do with a 10-15 Prius with that many miles is to get rid of it before you have to invest in a head gasket job or hybrid battery.
Does the toyota dealership push BG products?
Did the Toyota dealership do any diagnosis that would recommend an engine flush additive? Or did they just speculate based on the mileage?
Sounds like the latter.
I'll put money on it that Toyota* never recommends or requires an oil flush.
* Your Toyota dealer is NOT "Toyota" either, they are a privately-owned company that sells/services Toyotas
Just dump a half can of Kreen into the oil 1,000 miles before the next oil change.
Unless you know the engine is slugged, otherwise frequent oil change is enough to keep the engine clean.
If you've done regular low mileage oil and filter changes, there is no need for an, "engine flush".
I should have mentioned that the car has seen mostly 10K OCIs after the initial 30K. More recently it's been an annual thing because the car doesn't see 10K per year. It doesn't consume oil and what I see on the dipstick looks surprisingly clean at the end of the OCI.
Aside from that, I haven't used an engine flush since the mid eighties days of Castrol GTX.
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You could also just throw in a bottle of Marvel Mystery Oil, or Sea Foam into the crankcase a couple of hundred miles before your next oil change. Both are good solvents.
Something to keep in mind. These services may leave no evidence they were actually done.
Yep-according to BITOG every dealer is there to rip you off. I find other wise....
Oil flush = NO, never, not a chance. 
It's called "drinking the Kool-Aid". There is a thread on here about somebody who actually worked at a Dealership. He said the errors ran 1% in real world numbers. He also stated that claims they actually had to pay (just verses just "making it right") were less than 1/2%. So yea....He also stated that 1% is inline with what other service providers (carpet washers, dry cleaners, plumbers etc.) error rate is.
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Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
Yes like the double oil change for one.
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