Hi there Camry aficionados!

I am glad to have found this forum since I know nothing about cars.

To make a long story short I drove my 2007 Camry too long with a check engine light on. This was about three months ago. On the way to my Toyota dealer I could hear the cylinders making noise. Evidently the engine oil was almost totally gone. The service rep told me that because my car was right around 100,000 miles and was a pre 2010 Camry, the engine starts having this problem. He said it actually needs to be replaced but understands that I would not want to do that. From now on, the oil needs to be topped up frequently is what he told me.

My question is how long do you think this car can last in such a state? Today was the first time I had the oil filled up at the dealer since the problem was identified three months ago. I brought it in because the oil indicator flashed a few times.

thanks,
peter

 

Welcome to Camry Forums!

Suggest you review the owners manual for items that a driver can check on the car. The manual will provide a list of items to check or change and a time interval in months or miles driven as to when they need checked or changed. Checking the engine oil is covered in the manual. if you don't have a copy of the cars owners suggest you download one at the link below.

https://www.toyota.com/owners/resour...owners-manuals

You state you took the car to a Toyota dealer, is this correct?

You state the low oil pressure indicator was flashing a few times? Is the oil pressure indicator sill flashing a few times.

The check engine light can be on for a host of issues. Did the dealer state anything about the light being on as to why. Is the light still on?

Hows does the engine run now?

Is the engine a 4-cylinder? Look under the hood and determine if the engine looks like the one in the photos at in link below. The engine is a 2AZFE model.

https://www.google.com/search?client...=toyota+2AZFE+

If a 4 cylinder this model can have issues with using oil.

If the engine runs OK suggest you can learn to check the oil and do so at least once a week. Review the owners manual on how to do this. Keep the oil level between the two marks on the oil checking dipstick.

Running low on oil is not good for the engine. If the engine runs OK now and no oil pressure light flicking suggest you just keep checking the oil and keep it up to the proper level. The alternative is to replace it. You could use a slight higher weight engine oil to try curb the oil consumption.

Make sure you also change the oil filter as specified in owners manual as this keeps the oil clean.

Note also the engine is known for making noise on cold start up.

 

Thanks JoeyP,

Yes took it to my Toyota dealer. They added two large jugs of oil to the engine today and sent me on my way. The oil light is no longer flashing.

As for the check engine light which alarmed me three months ago, that hasn’t appeared since the oil was changed. Three months ago the service rep said the issue was common to all 2007 4cylinder Camry. Said it had used up almost all the oil.

The engine has been running fine. The reason I took it in to be topped up today is because the service rep at Toyota dealer told me to. He never said when specifically so I figured I’d wait until the oil indicator light flashed. That happened this morning.

I am waiting to hear back from this dealer. I want to know when they suggest having the oil changed as opposed to constantly topped up. I asked about the warranty extension which I know Toyota issued back in 2014 I believe.