🔧 Civic - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

You’ll drain the old engine oil, replace the oil filter, then refill with the correct oil amount. This keeps your engine lubricated and helps prevent wear and sludge buildup.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a level surface and support your Civic with jack stands before going underneath.
• ⚠️ Engine oil can be hot—wear gloves and let the engine cool 15-30 minutes if needed.
• ⚠️ Never rely on a floor jack alone; always use jack stands.
• ⚠️ Keep oil off the drive belt and exhaust to avoid smoke/odor.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• Torque wrench (5-80 Nm range)
• Oil drain pan (at least 6-quart)
• Oil filter wrench (specialty)
• Funnel
• Trim clip tool
• Flathead screwdriver
• Shop rags
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (0W-20 full synthetic) - Qty: 4 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. This helps oil drain faster.
• Open the hood and remove the oil filler cap and dipstick to help the crankcase vent.

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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 2-ton minimum) to lift the front at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) and gently shake the car to confirm it’s stable.

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

• Use a trim clip tool to remove the plastic clips.
• Use a flathead screwdriver for any clips that need a gentle twist to release.
• Set the shield and clips aside where they won’t get oily.

Step 3: Drain the engine oil

• Slide the oil drain pan (at least 6-quart) 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 drain until it slows to an occasional drip (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 torque wrench (5-80 Nm range) with a 17mm socket to tighten the drain plug: Torque to 39 Nm (29 ft-lbs).
• Hand-starting prevents expensive thread damage.

Step 5: Remove the old oil filter

• Reposition the oil drain pan (at least 6-quart) under the oil filter area (some oil will spill).
• Use an oil filter wrench (specialty) to loosen the oil filter, then spin it off by hand.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket came off with the old filter (it sometimes sticks to the engine).
• Oil filter wrench = tool that grips the filter can.

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Dip a clean finger in new oil and lightly oil the new filter’s rubber gasket.
• Spin the new filter on by hand until the gasket contacts the engine, then tighten it an additional 3/4 turn by hand.
• If using a torque wrench, use the torque wrench (5-80 Nm range) and oil filter wrench (specialty): Torque to 12 Nm (9 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Reinstall the splash shield

• Reinstall the shield and clips using the trim clip tool and flathead screwdriver.
• Wipe any oily spots using shop rags.

Step 8: Add new engine oil

• Insert a funnel into the oil fill opening.
• Pour in Engine oil (0W-20 full synthetic): start with about 3.6 quarts.
• Reinstall the oil filler cap and dipstick.

Step 9: Start the engine and check for leaks

• Start the engine and let it idle for 30-60 seconds.
• Look underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter.
• Shut the engine off and wait 3-5 minutes for oil to settle.

Step 10: Set the final oil level

• Pull the dipstick, wipe it with shop rags, reinsert it, then check the level.
• Add oil in small amounts until the level is near the upper mark (do not overfill).
• Total fill is typically about 3.9 quarts with a filter change.

Step 11: Reset the Maintenance Minder (oil life)

• Turn ignition to ON (engine off).
• Use the steering wheel buttons to display the oil life / Maintenance Minder screen on the i-MID.
• Press and hold the ENTER button until the reset screen appears, then select reset and confirm.

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✅ After Repair

• Test drive 5-10 minutes, then recheck for leaks under the car.
• Recheck oil level once more after the test drive (wait 3-5 minutes after shutoff).
• Pour the 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: $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 0.8-1.2 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.