Who Is Running Heavier Weight Oil In Their New Camry?
 

My new 2018 2.5L 4-Cylinder calls for 0W-16 oil. I can't find it anywhere except at Toyota dealers, and they want a fortune for it. The owners manual also says that 0W-20 is acceptable. That is available most everywhere, so that is what I used. (Mobil 1 Extended Service 0W-20). It also say's something about using a heavier weight oil for sustained high speed driving in high temperatures. (I'm sure Summer in Arizona qualifies).

Now the part that is confusing. It say's if you use 0W-20 you should change back to 0W-16 at the next oil change. That doesn't make much sense. Either 0W-20 is OK to run or it isn't. I'm reading a lot of people who do their own oil changes are using 0W-30 in warm weather. I starting to think they're pushing all of this thin oil because of CAFE requirements, and not because the engine requires it mechanically. What are you guys running in your new Camry's?

The 0W-16 oil has been used with great success in regional cars in Asia for decades. Given US CAFE standards the oil is working its way into the US Toyota car market starting with selected US Toyota models. While the US Toyota dealers are stocking this oil, third party vendors are lagging and the price is high.

This oil offers improved MPG and better cold start performance. However this oil has limitations for durability under extreme conditions which for your car is where 0W-20 comes in.

The oil is NOT OK for all years, makes and models of cars, just those specified by the car maker.

When it comes to motor oil, a higher weight oil may or may not be better or needed. It depends on the engine, its operational RPM and environment.

Would "assume" Toyota wants the default oil to be 0W-16, and with this meet the CAFE standard the car was certified to. As the manual states, if the car is driven at sustained high speeds in high temps then 0W-20 is specified. This could be a Toyota CYA due to 0W-16 limitations under extreme conditions. Just what is sustained high speed and high temps appears to be the owners call.

Using 0W-20 however may result in up to 2% less MPG.

In addition check the owners manual and determine if there is a oil weight versus outside air temp chart. This being 0W-16 is recommended up to XX temp and 0W-20 to XY temp, the XY being a higher temp.

I think I will stick with 0W-20. I can live with 2% less fuel economy. Here in Arizona we have lots of very high temperatures, and very few cold one's. (In the morning from November to April it can get down into the 40's right before dawn). But as soon as the Sun rises, it's up to the 60's and 70's very quickly. From June until October it's very common to have temperatures 115 F+ or hotter. Even 0W-20 is a bit thin for those temps.

Today for example, (Sept. 18), we're supposed to hit 108 F. Yesterday it got up to 111 F on my thermometer. So for my application 0W-16 seems way too thin.

Sounds good.