Toyota is one of the leading car manufacturers on the market with a great track record of producing quality vehicles over many decades. Toyotas are some of the most reliable vehicles out there with an emphasis on quality parts. Who makes Toyota oil filters though? This is the question we are going to answer in this article as well as look at other alternatives that are available and whether you should use them on your Toyota or not.
In short, The company that manufactures OEM oil filters for Toyota is a Japanese company called Denso (also known as Nippon Denso). When you see a Denso oil filter, you have naturally seen a Toyota oil filter.
Since Toyota is such a big brand worldwide, it is natural that other players on the market would want to take their piece of the pie that Toyota commands in the vehicle market. Replacement parts are big business worldwide with the biggest and best-grossing hundreds of millions and billions of dollars annually.
You have a wide spectrum ranging from top-notch players all the way down to some shady ones offering cheap products both in terms of price and quality. You want to make sure that you get the best option for your car that guarantees a good engine reliability for the long term.
Importance of Oil Filters
The job of an oil filter is to keep your oil clean as it does its job of lubrication the engine. As it passes through the engine, oil picks up a lot of waste residue from the internal combustion process as well as debris from other parts of the vehicle’s engine.
These are filtered out by the oil filter as it makes its way back through the system. A good filter, therefore, ensures that the oil is kept in a tip-top condition which in turn leads to an engine that functions well.
This in turn leads to engine longevity meaning that you get a lot more mileage out of your vehicle. I guess that’s where the idea of a “well-oiled machine” comes from. We hope you see the importance of a fully functional oil filter. This takes us to the next point:
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Toyota Fake Oil Filters vs Original
Oil Filters There are a lot of filters on the market that are priced lower and, in other cases, look just the same as a genuine oil filter. Most novices will be tempted to get the more affordable alternative but we hope that you at least understand why this isn’t the best idea based on our previous explanation.
To get a better appreciation though, let’s look at how an oil filter functions. When you open a filter, you will see paper-like material inside it.
The job of that material is to catch and sieve out any particles in the oil. To do this effectively, the filter paper has to have big enough perforations to allow thick oil to pass through with relative ease while catching any residue in the process.
Though the process looks simple enough looking at it from the outside, it takes good engineering to get the process right. This is the difference between fake and genuine Toyota oil filters. Knock-off filters on the market have bigger holes in them that do not do a good job of filtering the engine oil.
This leads to engine damage down the line which significantly decreases engine longevity. Some of the fake products available today are really hard to tell apart from the original as they look and feel the same as the original ones when looks at with the naked eye. For this reason, it’s important to deal with reputable parts dealers.
Who Manufactures Toyota Oil Filter?
The company that manufactures Toyota’s OEM oil filters, as well as aftermarket ones, is called Denso or Nippondenso. This company is not a subsidiary of Toyota but Toyota does own a stake in the company believed to be about 25%.
In true Japanese fashion, Toyota takes pride in offering superior quality products. The fact that they use Denso oil in their vehicle manufacturing process is a stamp of approval on the quality that they offer. Denso is also a Japanese company that takes pride in providing only the best quality possible.
Where Should You Buy Toyota Oil Filters?
When it comes to Toyota oil filters, the best place to go is to recognized parts dealers. These days there are a lot of knock-offs on the market. They look just like the real deal but they fall short when it comes to performance. You may strike a bargain buying one but the long-term cost is expensive. If you have a trusted and experienced mechanic, they can recommend the right product. Alternatively, talk to your dealer and have them recommend trusted vendors that they know.
Robert Anderson is a world class motorhead who rebuilt his first carb at age 10, his first engine at age 15, and completed his first full hotrod build when he was just 18! Previously, he has ran a part warehouse, delivered pizzas, and managed the service department for a $20 million/year revenue dealership. Robert knows cars like few others and he is passionate about sharing his knowledge.
