🔧 Tacoma - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

Changing the oil and filter keeps your engine lubricated and removes contaminants that cause wear. On your Tacoma, you’ll drain the old oil from the oil pan, replace the filter, then refill with the correct oil and verify the level.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 45-90 minutes

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the truck with jack stands (never the jack alone).
• ⚠️ Engine oil can be hot—let it cool 10-20 minutes if you just drove.
• ⚠️ Use wheel chocks so the truck can’t roll.
• ⚠️ Keep oil off belts/exhaust; wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this service.

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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 8-quart)
• Funnel
• Shop rags
• Ratchet
• 14mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-80 ft-lb range)
• Oil filter wrench (band-style or cap-style)
• Flat trim clip tool
• 10mm socket

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (SAE 5W-30, API SP / ILSAC GF-6) - Qty: 6 quarts
• Engine oil filter - Qty: 1
• Oil drain plug crush washer/gasket - 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 2-3 minutes, then shut it off. (Warm oil drains faster.)
• Gather a drain pan and rags—oil will drip when you remove the filter.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise and support the front

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front of the truck at the front jacking point.
• Set it down securely on jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Give the truck a firm push to confirm it’s stable before going underneath.

Step 2: Remove the lower splash shield (if equipped)

• Use a 10mm socket to remove the bolts.
• Use a flat trim clip tool to pop any plastic clips. (A trim clip tool is a small pry tool that removes plastic fasteners without breaking them.)
• Set the shield and hardware aside in a safe spot.

Step 3: Drain the old engine oil

• Position the drain pan (at least 8-quart) under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to loosen and remove the drain plug.
• Let the oil drain until it slows to an occasional drip (usually 5-10 minutes).
• Tip: Push the drain pan slightly back as it drains.

Step 4: Reinstall the drain plug with a new crush washer

• Remove the old crush washer from the drain plug and install the new oil drain plug crush washer/gasket.
• Thread the drain plug in by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a torque wrench (10-80 ft-lb range) with a 14mm socket and Torque to 40 Nm (30 ft-lbs).

Step 5: Remove the old oil filter

• Move the drain pan (at least 8-quart) under the oil filter area.
• Use an oil filter wrench (band-style or cap-style) to loosen the filter, then spin it off by hand.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket came off with the filter (don’t leave it stuck to the engine).

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Put a small dab of new oil on your finger (from the new bottle) and wipe it onto the new filter’s rubber gasket. This helps it seal and makes removal easier next time.
• Spin the new filter on by hand until the gasket touches, then tighten an additional 3/4 turn by hand.
• If you must use the oil filter wrench (band-style or cap-style), use it lightly—don’t crush the filter.

Step 7: Reinstall the splash shield (if removed)

• Reposition the shield.
• Use a 10mm socket to reinstall bolts and reinstall clips by hand pressure.

Step 8: Refill with fresh oil

• Lower the truck off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Open the hood and remove the oil fill cap.
• Use a funnel and add about 5.5 quarts of SAE 5W-30 to start.
• Reinstall the oil fill cap.

Step 9: Start, leak-check, and set the final oil level

• Start the engine and let it idle for 30-45 seconds.
• Shut the engine off and wait 5 minutes for oil to drain back to the pan.
• Check underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter. Wipe with shop rags and recheck.
• Pull the dipstick, wipe it, reinsert fully, then check the level again.
• Add oil in small amounts until it’s at the full mark (do not overfill). Total capacity is typically about 5.5 quarts with filter.

Step 10: Reset the maintenance reminder light (if it’s on)

• Turn the key to OFF.
• Press and hold the trip/ODO button.
• While holding the button, turn the key to ON (do not start).
• Keep holding until the display shows the reset/zeros, then release.

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✅ After Repair

• Recheck the dipstick once more after a short drive (5-10 minutes) and top off if needed.
• Look for fresh drips under the truck the next morning (drain plug and filter area).
• Dispose of used oil and the old filter at an oil-recycling drop-off (most parts stores/service centers accept it).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $35-$70 (parts only)

You Save: $55-$90 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?

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.