🔧 Camry - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

Changing the engine oil and oil filter keeps your Camry’s engine lubricated and clean, which helps prevent wear and overheating. You’ll drain the old oil, replace the filter, then refill with the correct oil and reset the maintenance reminder (if equipped).

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the car with jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Engine oil can be hot; let the engine cool 15–30 minutes to avoid burns.
• ⚠️ Keep clear of any orange high-voltage cables (hybrid system). This job does not require disconnecting the hybrid battery.
• ⚠️ Wipe spills immediately; oil on exhaust components can smoke.

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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
• 14mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10–80 ft-lbs range)
• 10mm socket
• Oil filter wrench (strap type)
• Drain pan (at least 8-quart capacity)
• Funnel
• Trim clip remover (specialty)
• Shop rags

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

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

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Chock the rear wheels using wheel chocks.
• Run the engine for 2–3 minutes, then shut it off (warm oil drains faster), and wait 15–30 minutes so it’s not too hot.
• Open the hood and remove the oil fill cap (this helps the oil drain faster).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise and support the front of the car

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front of the car at the front center jack point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the proper support points and lower the car onto them.
• Give the car a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable before going underneath.

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

• Position the drain pan (at least 8-quart capacity) under the engine area.
• Use a 10mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to remove any small bolts for the access panel.
• If there are plastic clips, remove them using a trim clip remover (specialty) (a clip remover is a fork-shaped tool that pops plastic fasteners out without breaking them).

Step 3: Drain the engine oil

• Move the drain pan (at least 8-quart capacity) directly under the oil drain plug.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to loosen the drain plug, then finish removing it by hand.
• Let the oil drain until it slows to an occasional drip (typically 5–10 minutes).
• Clean the drain plug with shop rags and replace the old crush washer with the new oil drain plug gasket/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-lbs range) with a 14mm socket to tighten the plug: Torque to 40 Nm (30 ft-lbs).
• Hand-starting prevents expensive thread damage.

Step 5: Remove the oil filter

• Slide the drain pan (at least 8-quart capacity) under the oil filter area (more oil will spill).
• Use an oil filter wrench (strap type) to loosen the filter, then spin it off by hand.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket comes off with the old filter (a stuck gasket can cause a major leak).
• Wipe the filter mounting surface clean with shop rags.

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Lightly coat the new filter’s rubber gasket with fresh oil (use a little oil from your new bottle).
• Spin the new filter on by hand until the gasket touches, then tighten an additional 3/4 turn by hand.
• Do not overtighten; overtightening can make the next change very difficult and may damage the gasket.

Step 7: Reinstall the splash shield access (if removed)

• Reinstall the access panel using the 10mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Reinstall any clips using the trim clip remover (specialty) as needed to align them, then press them in.

Step 8: Refill the engine with oil

• Lower the car back to the ground using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Insert a funnel into the oil fill opening.
• Add 4.0 quarts of SAE 0W-20 full synthetic first.
• Reinstall the oil fill cap.

Step 9: Start, check for leaks, then set the oil level

• Start the engine and let it idle for 30–60 seconds.
• Shut the engine off and wait 5 minutes.
• Check underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter using safety glasses and a shop rag.
• Pull the dipstick, wipe it with shop rags, reinsert fully, then re-check.
• Top off slowly as needed to reach the “full” mark (most oil changes land around 4.2–4.5 quarts total with filter).

Step 10: Reset the maintenance reminder (if equipped)

• Turn the ignition to ON (do not start).
• Use the dash button to select ODO (not Trip A/B).
• Turn ignition OFF.
• Press and hold the trip/odo reset button, then turn ignition to ON while still holding.
• Keep holding until the display shows the reset (dashes/zeros), then release.

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✅ After Repair

• Recheck the oil level after your first short drive (5–10 minutes), then top off if needed.
• Look under the car again for any fresh oil drips around the filter and drain plug.
• Pour used oil into sealed containers and take it (and the old filter) to a recycling center/auto parts store that accepts used oil.

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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 0.8-1.2 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.