🔧 CR-V - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

This service drains the old engine oil, replaces the oil filter, and refills with fresh oil to protect your engine from wear and sludge. On your CR-V, the drain plug uses a crush washer that should be replaced each time to prevent leaks.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and chock the rear wheels.
• ⚠️ Never go under a vehicle supported only by a jack—use jack stands or ramps.
• ⚠️ Engine oil and exhaust parts can be hot—let it cool 10-20 minutes.
• ⚠️ Wear gloves and safety glasses; used oil is a skin irritant.
• ⚠️ No battery disconnect is required for this service.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks (pair)
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lb range)
• Oil filter wrench (cap-style or strap-style)
• Oil drain pan (at least 6-quart capacity)
• Funnel
• Shop rags
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (SAE 5W-20) - Qty: 5 quarts
• Oil filter - Qty: 1
• Drain plug crush washer - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧭 Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🌡️ Warm the engine for 2-3 minutes, then shut it off and let it cool 10-20 minutes. Warm oil drains faster.
• 📄 Have a plan to recycle used oil and the old filter (most parts stores accept both).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise and support the front of your CR-V

• Use a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) to lift the front at the correct front jacking point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum) and gently shake the vehicle to confirm it’s stable.
• Slide the oil drain pan (at least 6-quart capacity) under the engine.

Step 2: Remove the oil filler cap and dipstick

• Open the hood and remove the oil filler cap by hand.
• Pull the dipstick out slightly (or remove it). This helps the oil drain smoothly.
• Use shop rags to keep things clean.

Step 3: Drain the engine oil

• Position the oil drain pan (at least 6-quart capacity) under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 17mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet to loosen and remove the drain plug.
• Let the oil fully drain (usually 5-10 minutes).
• Remove the old crush washer from the drain plug and install the new drain plug crush washer.

Step 4: Reinstall and torque the drain plug

• Thread the drain plug in by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lb range) with a 17mm socket to tighten the drain plug.
• Torque to 39 N·m (29 ft-lb).

Step 5: Remove the old oil filter

• Move the oil drain pan (at least 6-quart capacity) under the oil filter area (some oil will spill).
• Use an oil filter wrench (cap-style or strap-style) to loosen the filter, then spin it off by hand.
• Wipe the mounting surface with shop rags.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket came off with the old filter (don’t leave it stuck on the engine).

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Put a thin film of fresh oil on the new filter’s rubber gasket using a gloved finger (nitrile gloves).
• Spin the new oil filter on by hand until the gasket touches, then tighten by hand about 3/4 turn more.
• If you are using a torque method: use a 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lb range) with your oil filter wrench (cap-style or strap-style) and tighten to 12 N·m (9 ft-lb).
• Hand-tight is safest for beginners.

Step 7: Refill with new engine oil

• Place a funnel in the oil fill opening.
• Pour in engine oil (SAE 5W-20): start with about 4.0 quarts.
• Install the oil filler cap by hand.

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

• Start the engine and let it idle 30-60 seconds.
• Shut the engine off and look underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter using safety glasses.
• Wait 3-5 minutes, then check the dipstick and top off as needed.
• Total fill is typically about 4.4 quarts with filter change—add slowly and don’t overfill.

Step 9: Lower the vehicle

• Use the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) to lift slightly, remove the jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum), then lower the vehicle.
• Remove the wheel chocks (pair).

Step 10: Reset the Maintenance Minder (oil life)

• Turn the key to ON (II) without starting the engine.
• Press the SEL/RESET knob on the gauge cluster repeatedly until oil life is shown.
• Press and hold the SEL/RESET knob for about 10 seconds until the display blinks.
• Release, then press and hold the SEL/RESET knob again for about 5 seconds to reset to 100%.

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✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Recheck the dipstick after a short 5-10 minute drive and top off if needed.
• 🔍 Inspect for seepage around the drain plug and oil filter over the next day.
• ♻️ Pour used oil into a sealed container and recycle the oil and filter properly.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $90-$160 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $30-$60 (parts only)

You Save: $60-$100 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.7-1.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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