Question about Maint Required message and oil

No, this is not about resetting it. When you get this message is it simply referencing what they want to see for maintenance based off of their guide? I'm at 33k miles and I see there is some maintenance they recommend at 35k miles.

Also - is there a way to check your oil levels on the instrument panel? I know I can check the dipstick but I was wondering if there was a way to see estimated life on current oil. I bought my car used from the dealership and I forgot to ask when the last oil change was and there was no sticker on it. Do you guys prefer a certain type/brand of oil?

 

There is no advanced oil gauge functionality that gives useful life, levels, etc. The maintenance light doesn't have anything to do with your current mileage or Toyota's recommended services either. It starts blinking at 4500 miles since it was last reset and stays lit at 5000 miles.

 

35k isn’t a big service. I’d go ahead and do the air filter and change the oil since you have no record of it. Spark plugs and all fluids at 60k.

 

I don't do the 5000K services. Tires rotated and balanced at DT, and Oil/filter changes on the tens. Heading in for my 60K next week and will have them do the plugs and air filter per the manual.

G.

 

Over the weekend, I hit 15k and the maintenance light came on. Yesterday I took it in for the 15k maintenance service. Today the maintenance light came on and is orange instead of yellow. Thoughts on this?

Also, my body damage estimate from the dealership is $1,800.00

 

I dunno. It would appear that way.

 

The reset is in the manual. It usually goes off about 400 miles prior. Not sure about the color change. You are talking about the triangle with the ! Right? On the speedometer side?

G.

 

The icon on the screen between the tach and speedometer.

 

The one in the pic is the basic warning light. It is the one the mileage reset will set off. If that's not what we are talking about, I'd go back to the dealer.

G.

 

Is it normal for this to come on and stay on? Before it would just show when I started the truck and then shut off but it just turned on and stayed on when I was in a parking lot with it running.

 

I completed my first oil change the other day and used the 0w-20 shown below. I'm probably just imagining it, however seems the engine runs a little quieter at ideal with the Mobil1 then with the break-in oil.

 

If that is the only light on, try a reset. It’s in the manual. It should stay off for about 4500 miles.

G.

 

No such thing as "break-in" oil in the Tacoma. It's your imagination. If you think it's better, then it is! Enjoy.

G.

 

At 4500 miles from the last reset it will come on for the first few second and go out and at 5000 it will stay lit up.

 

The light on speedometer and then the one in the display unit that you can scroll through has one on to. Thinking I must have just hit the miles “threshold” but of course my mind wanders because it’s a new to me vehicle so the idea of something being wrong sucks. The number of miles doesn’t make mathematical sense to be at 5k though unless it’s only after resets.

 

The reset is good for 5k because that’s when Toyota wants you in for service.

G.