🔧 Tucson - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

You’ll drain the old engine oil, replace the oil filter, and refill with the correct oil. Fresh oil protects your turbo engine from wear and heat, and the new filter traps harmful debris.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 0.5-1.5 hours

Assumptions: 5W-30 full synthetic, ~4.5 qt (4.3 L) with filter; drain plug torque ~39 Nm (29 ft-lbs). Verify in your owner’s manual if available.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground; use wheel chocks and jack stands before going under the Tucson.
• 🛑 Let the engine cool 15–30 minutes; hot oil can burn you.
• 🛑 Never rely on a floor jack alone—support with jack stands.
• 🛑 Wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses; oil can irritate skin and eyes.

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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
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Drain pan (at least 7-quart)
• Socket wrench (3/8" drive)
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (3/8" drive, 10–100 Nm range)
• Oil filter wrench (cap or strap style)
• Funnel
• Trim clip removal tool
• Shop rags

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (5W-30 full synthetic) - Qty: 5 quarts
• Oil filter - Qty: 1
• Drain plug gasket/crush washer - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧰 Drive 5 minutes, then shut off and let the engine rest 15–30 minutes so oil drains well but isn’t dangerously hot.
• 🧰 Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• 🧰 Chock the rear wheels with wheel chocks.
• 🧰 If your Tucson has an engine under-cover (splash shield), plan to remove it using a trim clip removal tool (a small pry tool for plastic clips).

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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 2-ton minimum) to lift the front at the proper center jack point.
• Place jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) under the left and right front support points and lower onto the stands.
• Give the Tucson a gentle push to confirm it is stable before crawling underneath.

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

• Use a trim clip removal tool to pop the plastic retainers out.
• Use a socket wrench (3/8" drive) with the correct socket (commonly 10mm socket on some covers) to remove any bolts if present.
• Set the cover and clips/bolts aside in a small pile so nothing gets lost.

Step 3: Drain the old oil

• Position a drain pan (at least 7-quart) under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 17mm socket with a socket wrench (3/8" drive) to loosen the drain plug, then finish removing it by hand.
• Let the oil drain until it slows to an occasional drip (usually 5–10 minutes).
• Clean the drain plug with shop rags and replace the 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 torque wrench (3/8" drive, 10–100 Nm range) with a 17mm socket to tighten the drain plug.
• Torque to 39 Nm (29 ft-lbs).
• Hand-starting the plug prevents expensive pan damage.

Step 5: Remove the oil filter

• Move the drain pan (at least 7-quart) under the oil filter area; some oil will spill.
• Use an oil filter wrench (cap or strap style) to loosen the filter, then remove by hand.
• Use shop rags to wipe the filter mounting surface clean.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket isn’t stuck to the engine (double-gasket can cause a major leak).

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Lightly coat the new filter’s rubber gasket with fresh oil (dip a finger in new oil).
• Screw the new filter on by hand until the gasket contacts, then tighten an additional 3/4 turn by hand.
• If your filter brand specifies a torque, use a torque wrench (3/8" drive, 10–100 Nm range) with the correct adapter and follow that spec.
• Hand-tight is usually correct for spin-on filters.

Step 7: Reinstall the lower engine cover (if removed)

• Reposition the cover.
• Reinstall bolts using a socket wrench (3/8" drive) and clips using a trim clip removal tool.

Step 8: Lower the Tucson and refill with oil

• Use the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) to lift slightly, remove the jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum), then lower to the ground.
• Open the hood and remove the oil filler cap.
• Use a funnel to add 4.0 quarts of 5W-30 full synthetic first (this helps prevent overfilling).
• Reinstall the oil filler cap.

Step 9: Start, check for leaks, and set the final level

• Start the engine and let it idle 30–60 seconds.
• Shut the engine off and wait 5 minutes for oil to settle.
• Check underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter using safety glasses and a light.
• Pull the dipstick, wipe it with shop rags, reinsert, then re-check the level.
• Top off slowly as needed (usually ending near ~4.5 quarts total) using the funnel.

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✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Re-check for leaks after your first short drive (5–10 minutes).
• 🧪 Re-check the dipstick the next morning on level ground and top off if needed.
• 🧪 If your Tucson shows a service reminder, reset it in the cluster: Steering wheel buttons > User Settings > Service Interval > Reset (wording can vary by cluster).
• ♻️ Take used oil and the old filter to an oil recycling center or auto parts store that accepts waste oil.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $90-$170 (parts + labor)

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

You Save: $55-$100 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.5-1.0 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.