🔧 Civic - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Replacement

You’ll drain the old engine oil, replace the oil filter, then refill with the correct oil amount and reset the maintenance reminder. Fresh oil protects your engine from wear and helps it run smoothly.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 0.75-1.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a level surface and support the car with jack stands before going under it.
• ⚠️ Let the engine cool 20-30 minutes; hot oil can burn you.
• ⚠️ Wear gloves and safety glasses; oil will drip unpredictably.
• ⚠️ Never rely on a floor jack alone—use jack stands under solid lift points.
• 🔋 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 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) x2
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 Nm range)
• Oil drain pan (at least 8-quart)
• Funnel
• Oil filter wrench (65/67mm cap type) (specialty)
• Flat trim clip tool
• 10mm socket
• Shop rags

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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 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.
• Gather a drain pan and rags. Oil changes are messy the first time.

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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 center front jack point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) x2 at the left and right front support points.
• Give the car a gentle push to confirm it’s stable before going under.

Step 2: Remove the lower engine cover (undertray), if equipped

• Use a flat trim clip tool to pop out plastic clips (a trim clip tool is a small pry tool made to remove plastic fasteners without breaking them).
• Use a 10mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet to remove any 10mm bolts holding the cover.
• Set the cover and clips aside so you don’t lose them.

Step 3: Drain the old engine oil

• Place the oil drain pan (at least 8-quart) under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 17mm 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 a drip (usually 5-10 minutes).
• Remove the old crush washer from the drain plug and install the new oil drain plug crush washer.

Step 4: Reinstall and torque the drain plug

• Thread the drain plug in by hand first (this prevents cross-threading).
• Use a 17mm socket and 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 Nm range) to tighten the drain plug.
• Torque to 39 Nm (29 ft-lbs)
• Tip: Hand-thread first, always.

Step 5: Remove the old oil filter

• Move the oil drain pan (at least 8-quart) under the oil filter area.
• Use an oil filter wrench (65/67mm cap type) (specialty) with a 3/8" drive ratchet to loosen the filter, then spin it off by hand.
• Wipe the filter mounting surface clean using shop rags.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket came off with the old filter (a stuck gasket can cause a big leak).

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Put a light film of new oil on the new filter’s rubber gasket using a gloved finger.
• Spin the new filter on by hand until the gasket touches the engine, then tighten by hand an additional 3/4 turn.
• If using a torque wrench and adapter, tighten to: Torque to 12 Nm (9 ft-lbs)
• Tip: Over-tightening makes next time harder.

Step 7: Reinstall the lower engine cover (undertray)

• Reposition the cover and start any bolts by hand.
• Use a 10mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet to snug the bolts.
• Reinstall clips using your fingers, and use the flat trim clip tool only if needed to seat them.

Step 8: Refill with new engine oil

• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Open the hood and remove the oil fill cap.
• Insert a funnel and add engine oil (0W-20 full synthetic).
• Add about 4.0 quarts first, then wait 1 minute and check the dipstick.
• Top off to the upper mark on the dipstick. (Typical fill is about 4.4 quarts with filter, but always confirm by dipstick.)

Step 9: Start engine and check for leaks

• Start the engine and let it idle for 30-60 seconds.
• Shut it off and look underneath for leaks around the drain plug and oil filter.
• Wait 2-3 minutes, then re-check the dipstick and top off if needed using the funnel.

Step 10: Reset the oil life / maintenance reminder

• Turn ignition to ON (do not start the engine).
• Use the steering wheel buttons to display the maintenance/oil life screen.
• Press and hold the ENTER button until the reset option appears, then confirm reset.
• Tip: If it won’t reset, cycle ignition and retry.

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✅ After Repair

• Re-check the oil level the next morning on level ground and top off if needed.
• Look under the car after your first short drive for any fresh drips.
• Pour used oil into a sealed container and take it (and the old filter) to an oil recycling drop-off location.

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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.