🔧 CX-50 - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

You’ll drain the old engine oil, replace the oil filter, then refill with the correct oil for your CX-50. This keeps the engine lubricated, helps fuel economy, and prevents premature wear.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 0.8-1.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a cool-to-warm engine, not hot (oil can burn you).
• ⚠️ Always support your CX-50 with jack stands before going underneath.
• ⚠️ Chock the rear wheels and keep the shifter in Park.
• ⚠️ Wipe spills immediately; oil on exhaust parts can smoke.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Drain pan (at least 10-quart)
• Funnel
• Shop rags
• Ratchet
• 10mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-80 Nm range)
• Oil filter wrench, adjustable (specialty)
• Trim clip removal tool

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (0W-20 full synthetic) - Qty: 5 quarts
• Oil filter - Qty: 1
• Oil drain plug crush washer - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park your CX-50 on level ground and apply the parking brake.
• Let the engine run 2-3 minutes to warm the oil slightly, then shut it off.
• Open the hood and remove the oil fill cap to help the oil drain faster.
• Lift the front with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) and set it on jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) at the proper support points.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the front under cover (splash shield)

• Put on safety glasses and nitrile gloves.
• Place the drain pan (at least 10-quart) nearby.
• Use a trim clip removal tool to pop out the plastic clips.
• Use a 10mm socket with a ratchet to remove any 10mm bolts holding the access panel/under cover.
• Lower the cover enough to reach the drain plug and oil filter.

Step 2: Drain the old engine oil

• Position the drain pan (at least 10-quart) under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 17mm socket with a ratchet to loosen the drain plug counterclockwise.
• Finish removing the plug by hand, then pull it away quickly so the oil streams into the pan.
• Let it drain until it slows to an occasional drip (usually 5-10 minutes).

Step 3: Reinstall the drain plug with a new crush washer

• Remove the old washer from the drain plug and install the new oil drain plug crush washer.
• Thread the drain plug in by hand first (this prevents cross-threading).
• Use a torque wrench (10-80 Nm range) with a 17mm socket to tighten the drain plug: Torque to 30-41 Nm (22-30 ft-lbs).
• Hand-start threads before using any wrench.

Step 4: Remove the oil filter

• Move the drain pan (at least 10-quart) under the oil filter area (some oil will spill).
• Use an oil filter wrench, adjustable (specialty) to loosen the oil filter counterclockwise.
• Unscrew the filter the rest of the way by hand and tip it upward as you remove it to reduce spills.
• Wipe the sealing surface on the engine with shop rags.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket came off with the filter (double-gasket can cause a major leak).

Step 5: Install the new oil filter

• Put a thin film of fresh oil on the new filter’s rubber gasket (use a little from the new oil and a clean finger).
• Spin the new filter on by hand until the gasket touches the engine.
• Tighten the filter by hand an additional 3/4 turn, or use a torque wrench (10-80 Nm range) with the correct adapter if available: Torque to 12-16 Nm (9-12 ft-lbs).
• Hand-tight is usually safest for beginners.

Step 6: Reinstall the under cover

• Lift the cover back into place.
• Reinstall bolts using a 10mm socket with a ratchet.
• Reinstall clips by pressing them in by hand (use the trim clip removal tool if you need to align them).

Step 7: Refill with new engine oil

• Lower your CX-50 off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Insert a funnel into the oil fill hole.
• Pour in about 4.5 quarts first, then pause.
• Reinstall the oil fill cap.

Step 8: Start, check for leaks, and set the oil level

• Start the engine and let it idle 30-60 seconds.
• Shut the engine off and wait 3-5 minutes for oil to drain back into the pan.
• Pull the dipstick, wipe it with shop rags, reinsert fully, then check level again.
• Add oil in small amounts using the funnel until it reaches the upper mark (do not overfill).
• Look underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter.

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✅ After Repair

• Recheck the dipstick level after a short 5-10 minute drive and top off if needed.
• Reset the oil maintenance reminder on the center screen:
  • Path A: Home > Information > Vehicle Status Monitor > Maintenance > Oil Change > Reset
  • Path B: Home > Settings > Vehicle > Maintenance > Oil Change > Reset
• Pour used oil into a sealed container and take it (and the old filter) to an oil recycling drop-off.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $120-$220 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $35-$75 (parts only)

You Save: $45-$185 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.6-1.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.