first time ever seeing low oil warning light?

[Never_shoots_blanks]

Hi folks,

I have a 2012 450H 103K, never missed a beat/best car I've ever owned, today the low oil light flashed up for a couple of seconds and went out, happened twice this week, few days in between, I thought it was just a glitch as window washer low was flashing, I never saw that warning come up before, I always get my oil changes done on schedule, so I checked, and to my great surprise, I was just below the lower notch! Not heavy footed driver here either, so not sure why its got so low, no oil under car ever/next oil change is due December 24, I am going to top it up in morning, but I don't know what the Toyota garage used last oil change, can anybody tell me the recommended? Typically, I need to do a 4 hour drive tomorrow evening. Can I top up with a quality oil, and not worry if it's a slightly different grade, until I can get it booked in soonest for a full oil change? I have a couple of sealed 5L cans of Mobil 5W-40 super 3000 fully synthetic, lying around the garage, a few years old, but should be ok, and 1 x sealed 5L of Halfords part synthetic 10W-40. 

[Steve]

you need to get the grade correct as well as specification. Would not do anything until the correct oil is added.

[The-Acre]

I agree, using an incorrect grade can also cause oil consumption. I've only come to realise the absolute importance of correct oil specifications/grades recently. For the first time, my Volvo oil level had gone down slightly, I discovered that the grade used last was correct, the spec wasn't! Easy to get the info online.

[johnatg]

Well, I disagree. Any oil is better than too low, especially when the car is going to get an oil change in a few months time. The Toyota or Lexus garage will use whatever oil to the correct spec is cheapest - I doubt that they will use Toyota branded oil.

The service sheet in the workshop manual for the Mk 4 GS300h and GS450h has a whole list of acceptable oils:

0W20 SL (which is the preferred grade)

5W20 SN

5W30

10W30

15W40 SL, SM or SN

20W50 SL, SM or SN

I would put in 1/2 a litre of the 5W40 fully synthetic. Once mixed with whatever is in there now the engine won't notice the difference. But it will if it's low on oil. (It's still got 6 litres or so in the sump)

Incidentally, isn't the light for low oil pressure, not low oil level?

[Steve]

2 hours ago, johnatg said:

Well, I disagree. Any oil is better than too low, especially when the car is going to get an oil change in a few months time. The Toyota or Lexus garage will use whatever oil to the correct spec is cheapest - I doubt that they will use Toyota branded oil.

The service sheet in the workshop manual for the Mk 4 GS300h and GS450h has a whole list of acceptable oils:

0W20 SL (which is the preferred grade)

5W20 SN

5W30

10W30

15W40 SL, SM or SN

20W50 SL, SM or SN

I would put in 1/2 a litre of the 5W40 fully synthetic. Once mixed with whatever is in there now the engine won't notice the difference. But it will if it's low on oil. (It's still got 6 litres or so in the sump)

Incidentally, isn't the light for low oil pressure, not low oil level?

if it was a case of me getting home then fair enough, but if I am at home then popping to the shop and getting a 1 litre bottle of the right stuff, I know what i would do.

[Scotlex]

I always use the correct grade (0W-20 I think)

27 minutes ago, Steve said:

if it was a case of me getting home then fair enough, but if I am at home then popping to the shop and getting a 1 litre bottle of the right stuff, I know what i would do.

Agree with this.

I always use the correct grade (0W-20 I think)

[Never_shoots_blanks]

Hi Guys,

 

Thanks for the replies,

 

I checked with a few mechanics and I am told that I can safely top up with 5W-40, synthetic and the engine wont notice it whatsoever, apparently there is a lot of "marketing BS" groomed into the minds of motorists? Anyway, I am booking the car in for a full Lexus oil change next week. Carefully adding 5W-40, will give me peace of mind for next few days driving. I was not in the habit of dipping the stick in between oil changes, but I will be checking it going forwards, it may have always been the case that as you approach next oil change, the levels were always down, (depending on driving) just not enough to flag the electronics. 

 

Hi John, 

It's definitely the low oil warning message that flashes up, for 2 seconds max and then goes, which is why I thought it might have only been a glitch.

4 hours ago, johnatg said:

Well, I disagree. Any oil is better than too low, especially when the car is going to get an oil change in a few months time. The Toyota or Lexus garage will use whatever oil to the correct spec is cheapest - I doubt that they will use Toyota branded oil.

The service sheet in the workshop manual for the Mk 4 GS300h and GS450h has a whole list of acceptable oils:

0W20 SL (which is the preferred grade)

5W20 SN

5W30

10W30

15W40 SL, SM or SN

20W50 SL, SM or SN

I would put in 1/2 a litre of the 5W40 fully synthetic. Once mixed with whatever is in there now the engine won't notice the difference. But it will if it's low on oil. (It's still got 6 litres or so in the sump)

Incidentally, isn't the light for low oil pressure, not low oil level?

 

[johnatg]

4 hours ago, Never_shoots_blanks said:

It's definitely the low oil warning message that flashes up, for 2 seconds max and then goes, which is why I thought it might have only been a glitch.

 

Ah yes - here's a nerd! Lexus RX Dashboard Warning Lights (All Models 2001 to 2024) - Dashboard Warning Lights

[Notamech]

On 9/19/2024 at 1:47 PM, johnatg said:

Well, I disagree. Any oil is better than too low, especially when the car is going to get an oil change in a few months time. The Toyota or Lexus garage will use whatever oil to the correct spec is cheapest - I doubt that they will use Toyota branded oil.

The service sheet in the workshop manual for the Mk 4 GS300h and GS450h has a whole list of acceptable oils:

0W20 SL (which is the preferred grade)

5W20 SN

5W30

10W30

15W40 SL, SM or SN

20W50 SL, SM or SN

I would put in 1/2 a litre of the 5W40 fully synthetic. Once mixed with whatever is in there now the engine won't notice the difference. But it will if it's low on oil. (It's still got 6 litres or so in the sump)

Incidentally, isn't the light for low oil pressure, not low oil level?

I agree with this. As its just a top up that too for around a week 5w40 fully synthetic is fine. I think the manual also states that its fine to use other specified grades temporarily but then to revert to 0w20 as soon as possible.

As far as why your engine oil was low. I guess it could be a multitude of reasons including the fact that some amount of oil consumption would be normal and fall within spec. I think ~1l per 1000 miles or so if the car has over 50k miles.

[Never_shoots_blanks]

Just for the record guys, I've always stuck to the manufactures standards for my cars over the years, so in the end, I searched around and got hold of OW-30, the mechanic at an independent, told me its good for a top up on a car running OW-20, so I put a litre in and that Brough it up to perfect. It's getting a full oil serivce by Toyota, shortly, I'm too far from Lexus. Thanks.

[GSLV6]

My RX's have never used much oil between services.  I would be slightly concerned if they started to.  Have you checked underneath for signs of possible leaks?  If all looks ok, then obviously the engine may be using/burning a little but that might signify worn valve guides or similar which I wouldn't expect on a sub 100K mile car.

[YvesD]

Dealer has over filled mine both times its been serviced by them.

Owners manual says 5.4 litres fill inc oil filter but I've found nearly 6 litres both times having drained it out to check😉

Dipstick is very hard to read accurately on fresh oil as its so clear. A bit easier as it colours up

[johnatg]

Since most services involve just changing the oil and filter and giving the car a coat of looking at, why don't you just change the oil yourself?

That's an awful lot of effort just because the dipstick is a bit hard to read - it's not that impossible if you make sure it's clean and dry when you insert it then look for a difference in reflectivity between the wet and dry parts when you extract it

[VFR]

Mine is going in tomorrow for it’s 10th year service at Snows of Exeter (just an oil filter etc service)

It has though not used a drop of oil in the years that I have had it although I still have the litre of Mobile 1 I bought to top it up some many years ago. 

Each time I pull the dipstick the colour never changes by much but (!) i do not drive it hard for the most part., “if” i did throw up an Oil Light I would want to know why !, and would not rest until I knew why.