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Toyota Maintenance and Repair Review

Here is your chance to learn how to maintain your Toyota by following the advice of a popular YouTube channel Toyota mechanic who demonstrates what you need to know and how simple it can be to keep your Toyota performing well and avoid expensive repairs down the road.
Learn How to Be Your Own Mechanic

It’s Time for New Toyota Owners to Begin Preventive Maintenance

If you bought a new 2023 Toyota earlier this year or late last year and have not done any maintenance on your new car to ensure that it stays in like-new running condition, then now is the time to get motivated on taking good care of your car.

Before doing so, here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself:

  • Are you under the impression that today’s Toyotas are too complicated for the owner to do any maintenance of their own?
  • Would you like to avoid lube center scams?
  • How about avoid being overcharged for a repair that you can do yourself and save hundreds of dollars?
  • Are you willing to invest less than $50 for a manual for some guidance?

If so, then you are in luck and are encouraged to read a little further to find out how simple (note the use of “simple” but not always necessarily “easy”) many maintenance and repair tasks are to do-it-yourself.

Related article: The Car Repair That Makes Owners Maddest

DIY Maintenance Basics Instruction

In previous articles we have learned about how that some commercial chain car service centers not only swindle their customers, but also damage their customers’ cars during one of their advertised 10-minute oil and filter change services.

Today, we are going to learn that in many cases, car owners can still do some simple maintenance work on their vehicles---even if they have never even done so much as change or temporarily fix a flat tire.

Car maintenance is becoming a lost art. Part of the blame goes toward just how well engines are designed with some advertised as never needing an engine oil or transmission fluid change for the life of the car!

Another part of the problem is that in some cases cars are over-engineered making access to the oil filter and oil pan drain plug or transmission plug on more modern cars more difficult than it should be. However, while true in some cases, it is not impossible for someone with the right tools, a little attitude, and some good instruction to do their own DIY vehicle maintenance.

In fact, a good start is with a repair manual to help guide you through maintenance and repair.

One example is a Haynes automotive manual that if you check online, you will find there is a printed or online manual available for $34.95; or, get both for just $5 more. Be forewarned however, if you own a 2023 model Corolla for example, the latest manual is dated up to 2019. While not ideal, it’s a matter of manuals typically take a few years to catch-up with the latest models. However, the manual will be mostly relevant and will give you guidance on the very least of where to find what component.

As I’ve recommended several times, it is best for the DIY mechanic to consult multiple sources including videos for the latest repair that you need that someone else has probably already made a video about.

That said, if you are not convinced that you can actually do some simple car maintenance and save a considerable amount of money and headache from an all-too-common scam operation, here is some excellent advice on oil and oil filters by the Car Care Nut that you can follow on your vehicle's next oil and filter change.

And finally…

An addendum to the video: It bears mentioning that as a practice no matter how simple a car maintenance task is, you must always wear protective glasses or goggles whenever working on a car. Been there, seen that, and rushed to the ER for it.

For more about car maintenance and repair with Toyotas, here are two selected articles for your consideration and enjoyment:

 

Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for new and used vehicle news.

COMING UP NEXT: Best of Mechanic Problems and Their Mechanical Nightmares

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Comments

Jim (not verified)    July 8, 2023 - 3:43PM

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Here's a question I have yet to find a direct answer to: I purchased a 2002 Toyota Celica in Europe (Spain) and need to purchase OEM parts for it (new ignition key & lock and door locks as well) . Official dealerships in Spain tell me there are none available, yet I have found them sold in the US on various websites (Toyota 69005-2B730Cylinder Set, Lock). Is there a difference if the part is purchased from the US or Japan? The VIN starts with a "J", made in Japan if I'm not mistaken, but sold in Spain. So it leads me to believe that the parts are the same no matter where the car was sold, and it makes me wonder if my local dealerships are incompetent or just lazy and do not feel like looking any further than their parts department. The OEM parts vendors in the US will only confirm with a VIN#, but they tell me it has to be a US VIN#. I rebuilt my 2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R (also purchased in Spain) after I nearly totaled it in Spain with parts ordered from the US (including the ignition lock & key) and had no issues. It was a risk, but I'm not much of a risk taker as I age and would like to know about Toyota parts before I order and risk wasting time and money... not to mention the hassle of trying to return them. Any help from the experts is greatly appreciated. I'm sure many Toyota owners that need OEM parts will appreciate any information on this topic. Thank you in advance for your help.