My owner’s manual doesn’t have this information. Does anyone know the non-severe service recommended oil change interval for a 2003 Toyota Avalon?
I believe that Toyota specifies a 5k interval, but you can verify this by doing a Google/Bing search for Toyota’s corporate site that lists maintenance schedules for all of their vehicles. When you find the right site, you simply enter the model & model year of your car, and it will give you the full maintenance schedule.
Thanks. It’s 7500 for non-severe.
@melott Toyota had a lot of sludge problems when they had an 8000 miles interval. They later cut that back to 5000 and the problem has disappeared. I would go with 5000 miles if I were you. My 2007 Toyota states 5000 miles for all service.
I agree. It was a tough sell for me years ago to go from 2500 to 3k to now 5k. 5k seems like a good spot. IMHO, it depends on the number of miles you put on a car. If I put 20 to 30k a year on my cars and cars warmed up sufficiently, I would have no problem stretching it out to 7500 miles. Short trips, cold sludge inducing conditions and fewer then 10k to 15 k miles, 5 k seems about right.
Or 6 months. Don’t forget that 6 months.
The Owner’s Manual and the Maintenance Minder Light specify a 5k interval for my wife’s O6 Toyota Sienna.
Ed B.
every 5K miles. Toyota have a maintenance book that is separate from the owner’s manual for cars of that era. It seems the maintenance book has been lost.
There are many viewpoints on oil changes. The one absolute rule is during warranty you MUST change at least as often as required by the manufacturer’s warranty rules. Period. And, if your car is recommended for synthetic oil, you use that, too.
And, in doubt use the severe usage rules. Many people underestimate how harsh their driving patterns really are.
Some people in very cold weather with short trips to work, etc. change the oil in half the usual distance. Cold starts in cold weather is hardest on the car.
After warranty the engine is yours, not the company’s and you can do whatever you want, including never changing it. However, it is much cheaper to replace the oil correctly than to buy a new car or motor.
I did an extensive search for sludging several years ago, and every mechanic said synthetic oil has much greater resistance to sludging than so-called dino oil. For that reason, I personally recommend synthetics for all cars, that is my opinion. That is all it is. Others disagree as is their right.
In my case, after years of the constant bickering on this forum about oil changes, I let my Sienna (warranty long expired) go over 8,000 miles with Mobil-1 Extended Performance oil, and had the oil tested.
With long distance highway driving outside the snow belt, my oil was still very good with the 8800 miles, and indicated it would be good until at least 10,000 miles. So, with the same driving pattern, I tend to change around 8,000 miles for some safety margin. I note with interest that Mobil says EP should run 15,000 miles. I would not want to do that.
If you do not wish to have your oil lab tested, it makes sense to follow the same change pattern you do during warranty.
Even though I tend to push mine a little beyond factory recommendations, because of using a better oil, and ideal driving conditions, no one need apologize for changing oil a bit sooner. Though even there I have been taken to task by a person who thinks used oil is wiping out the planet, sigh.
Another thing I tend to agree with other people, even as I made my own decision on when to change it, is that oil, even changing it too often, is much cheaper than cars or motors.
The important thing is you make your decision and take responsibility for your decision. Which is true in all parts of life, IMO.