Scion Oil Requirements

Changing your own oil helps you save money on auto maintenance while ensuring a correctly performed oil change. Scion is a subdivision of the Toyota corporation; and as a result, Scion vehicles use some of the same components as many other Toyota vehicles. Toyota has a standard oil requirement that gives you the ability to select any of the many brands of oil and filters available.

Oil Viscosity

Scion lists its oil requirement as 5w20 for normal climates. If you live in a colder climate, use an oil with a lower viscosity, such as 0w20. This thinner oil will move through your engine more quickly when you attempt to start in cold weather. If you live in a warmer climate, such as the Southwest, use a thicker oil, such as 5w-30 or 10w30. These higher-viscosity oils will not break down as easily as lower-weight oils under high temperatures.

Synthetic or Conventional

Your Scion will work with either type of oil. Synthetic oil, in most cases, costs more per quart. However, you can safely extend the mileage between oil changes when using synthetic. Scion recommends changing the oil in your vehicle every 5,000 miles or three months—whichever comes first. With synthetic oil, you can safely drive up to 7,500 miles between changes.

Tips

If you use synthetic oils with a higher mileage engine, you must shorten your oil-change interval for the next few changes because of the superior detergent qualities of synthetic oils. These oils will clean out the deposits and sludge quickly, which can overwhelm your filter. If you switch from conventional to synthetic on a high-mileage engine, Mobil recommends that you cut your oil-change interval in half, then add an extra 100 miles before each additional oil change until you reach your normal interval.