Items you will need
- Car jack
- Jack stands
- Wheel chocks
- Drain pan
- Crescent wrench
- Oil
- 65 mm oil filter wrench
- New oil filter
- Funnel
The only difference between changing oil in a Toyota Prius and a typical gasoline car is the presence of a flap that prevents access to the oil tank. The flap's purpose is to retain heat in the engine-battery region, thus allowing for more battery use than gasoline consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the car several inches before opening the flap. This is optional, but it allows the oil to drain into a drain pan positioned beneath the flap.
Allow the engine to cool so that the oil is no longer too hot to handle.
Place a jack under one of the Prius's wheels and use it to raise the car. Place the jack stands beneath so the jack may be slid out and used to raise the other side to the same height. Place wheel chocks on both sides of one of the rear wheels to prevent motion that could cause the car to become unstable.
Open the oil door beneath the engine. This door will be held in place by three pins. Keep track of which pin goes into which hole, as they cannot be interchanged. Using your fingers, pull and twist these pins out of their holes. If the car is lifted sufficiently off the ground, the access door will open 90 degrees.
Place a drain pan beneath the drain bolt at the oil tank's base. If the oil access door is in the way and you are unable to raise the car, you can either hold the pan over the drain bolt or let the oil splatter on the access door before dripping into the pan.
Using a crescent wrench, take off the drain bolt. The oil will fall into the pan.
Using a 65 mm oil filter wrench, remove the oil filter housing; always replace the filter when changing the oil. The filter is a round part that is in the same place on the passenger side of the car.
Remove the filter and its gasket by rotating it counterclockwise (the rubber O-ring that forms a seal between the filter and the engine). Apply oil to the new gasket, then install it on the filter. Install the replacement filter and replace the housing.
Reinstall the drain bolt. Remember to add the washer. You may need to replace the washer, as it is a "crushable" washer that is not intended to last forever.
Open the hood and add 4.4 quarts of new oil to the oil tank, or enough to bring the dipstick between the minimum and maximum marks. Pour the oil where a black cap is located on the left of a silver metal tank. Use a funnel and don't put too much gas in, because that will hurt your gas mileage and defeat the point of buying a Prius.
Drive the car for 5 minutes. Verify that the oil drain bolt is not leaking.