With the summer driving season just around the corner, gas prices may not be the only challenge facing road-trippers. It appears we’re also staring down a potential shortage of certain motor oils. While there’s no evidence of an immediate threat to retail motor oil availability, current-generation Toyota hybrid owners (of which there are millions) should take note that their next oil change might not be typical.

 

Toyota reportedly sent a bulletin to its service departments late last month warning them of an impending shortage of certain oil weights. According to the memo, ExxonMobil expects ongoing shortages of 0W-8 and 0W-16 due to the situation in the petrochemical market, and it instructs dealers to substitute heavier oils in order to cover any shortfalls in supply.