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September 23, 2026
Toyota Prado TX Engine Oil Guide in Kenya: Petrol and Diesel Specifications
You're at a service station in Kenya, and the attendant asks which oil your Prado takes. "It's a TX" leaves them guessing. Toyota used that badge on different engines, with oil requirements that can change even between two cars built in the same year.
Check the engine code first. For the Japanese-import Prados covered here, that means the 2.7-litre 2TR-FE petrol or the 2.8-litre 1GD-FTV diesel, followed by the month the car was built.
The 2015 petrol and 2020 diesel changes deserve a close look. If you own one of these Prados or need to check an oil top-up during a hire, use the tables below alongside its manual.
A Prado at a service bay. The filter in the foreground is an air filter.
Start with the engine code and production month
Find the identification plate. A 2TR-FE petrol Prado commonly has model code TRJ150W, while the 1GD-FTV diesel uses GDJ150W or GDJ151W. TX tells you the trim level.
Then confirm the production month. A registration date can be later than the build date, so find the matching edition in the Toyota Prado manual directory before buying oil. For other engines or markets, use their own specifications.
Engine oil for the 2.7-litre petrol Prado
Toyota lists 0W-20 as the preferred viscosity for these Japanese 2TR-FE models, but a filter change takes 5.7 litres in the earlier 2015 version and 5.9 litres from June. Check your build month.
| Production period | Preferred viscosity | Oil change with filter | Oil change without filter |
|---|---|---|---|
| January–May 2015 | 0W-20 | 5.7 litres | 5.0 litres |
| June–December 2015 | 0W-20 | 5.9 litres | 5.5 litres |
| 2019 and 2020 | 0W-20 | 5.9 litres | 5.5 litres |
You can check that June change in the HKS Toyota application chart, then compare the later quantities and oil specifications with Toyota's June 2015 manual.
Read the bottle's classification too. The earlier specification includes API SN Resource Conserving and ILSAC GF-5, with backward compatibility available through later categories such as API SP/ILSAC GF-6A and API SQ/ILSAC GF-7A. The viscosity still needs to match. See the API oil category guide for the classifications.
What about 5W-30? Toyota lists it as an alternative in the relevant manuals, so check the edition for your car before choosing a thicker oil because of Kenya's climate.
Buying six litres covers the listed oil-and-filter refill, with a little left over once the correct level is reached. Check the dipstick before adding the last of that six-litre purchase.
Have the 4.0-litre V6? The 1GR-FE needs its own specifications. The earlier Japanese manual, for example, lists 6.1 litres with a filter change, so the 2.7-litre table above doesn't apply.
Engine oil for the 2.8-litre diesel Prado
For a 2020 1GD-FTV diesel, August is the date to check: Toyota's preferred oil changed to ACEA C5 0W-20 for the later production period. The refill quantity stayed the same.
| Production period | Preferred oil | Listed alternative | With filter | Without filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018, 2019 and January–July 2020 | JASO DL-1 0W-30 | JASO DL-1 5W-30 | 7.7 litres | 7.2 litres |
| August–December 2020 | ACEA C5 0W-20 | JASO DL-1 0W-30 or 5W-30 when the preferred oil is unavailable | 7.7 litres | 7.2 litres |
The earlier DL-1 requirement and capacities appear in the HKS oil application catalogue. For the later version, Toyota's August 2020 manual gives the C5 specification and allows the listed DL-1 alternatives when the preferred oil is unavailable.
Check for C5 or DL-1. A petrol-engine 0W-20 can have a different classification, and a bottle labelled 5W-30 still needs an explicit JASO DL-1 specification where the manual requires it. Read the label or the manufacturer's data sheet before using it in the diesel.
Eight litres covers the purchase. The listed filter-change refill is 7.7 litres, so follow the manual and check the dipstick rather than emptying the whole container into the engine.
Which TotalEnergies oil matches these diesel requirements?
At the counter, check the full name on a "Quartz INEO 5W-30" bottle.
Quartz INEO DL-1 5W-30 lists JASO DL-1 in the TotalEnergies product catalogue, making it a match for that classification where your Prado's manual allows DL-1 5W-30. Check the bottle before paying. You'll need to ask your Kenyan supplier if they have this exact product in stock.
Quartz INEO MC3 5W-30 has a different specification. Its product listing gives ACEA C3, which does not establish compliance with the JASO DL-1 or ACEA C5 requirements in the diesel table. Ask Toyota before substituting MC3. Give them your engine code and production details so their answer applies to your car.
Rubia TIR 8800 10W-40 is intended for heavy-duty applications such as trucks and buses, with ACEA E4 and API CI-4/CH-4 specifications. Those don't match these Prado diesel requirements.
Does fully synthetic oil mean a 10,000 km service interval?
Check the maintenance schedule. A "fully synthetic" label alone can't tell you when your particular Prado needs its next oil change, even if someone recommends a flat 10,000 km interval.
Nairobi traffic and dusty access roads also deserve a mention when you discuss servicing with your workshop, especially if the vehicle's use falls under the schedule's severe operating conditions. Follow the schedule for that vehicle.
Keep the service receipt. For a private Prado or a hire car, it should record the oil product and classification, viscosity, quantity, engine code, and whether the filter was replaced. Add the date and mileage so the next workshop can see exactly what went into the engine and when.
Check the level after an oil change
Leave time for the dipstick check. The amounts in Toyota's tables are reference quantities, and oil remaining in the engine can change how much you need to add after draining it.
Toyota's procedure includes warming the engine, stopping it on level ground and waiting at least five minutes before checking the dipstick. Follow your vehicle's manual. Keep the level within the specified range and avoid overfilling, even if there's oil left in the container you bought for the service.
Driving a hired Prado? Before buying top-up oil, send the rental company its registration number so the team can identify the engine and confirm the product for that particular vehicle.
Planning to hire a Prado in Kenya?
For an EliteMotion booking, tell us your passenger count and luggage needs along with your route, so we can discuss a suitable vehicle and fuel type. You can browse the fleet here.
These oil tables cover the stated Japanese-market models. Confirm servicing details with the vehicle's manual or a qualified Toyota workshop, and send EliteMotion your dates and route for a car hire quotation.