🔧 Highlander - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

This service drains the old engine oil, replaces the oil filter, and refills with fresh oil to protect your engine from wear. On your Highlander, the oil filter is a cartridge element inside a reusable housing, so you replace the paper filter and O-rings, not a whole spin-on can.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 1.0-1.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Let the engine cool 20-30 minutes; hot oil can burn you.
• ⚠️ Support the vehicle with jack stands (never only a jack).
• ⚠️ Keep oil off the exhaust and belts; wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ No battery disconnect is 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 (10-quart minimum)
• Funnel
• Shop towels
• 10mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 6" extension (3/8" drive)
• Torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range)
• 64mm 14-flute oil filter cap wrench (specialty)
• Small flat pick tool

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (SAE 0W-20 full synthetic) - Qty: 7 quarts
• Oil filter cartridge kit (includes O-rings) - Qty: 1
• Oil drain plug gasket/crush washer - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Warm the engine for 2-3 minutes, then shut it off. Warm oil drains faster.
• Open the hood and loosen/remove the oil filler cap (this helps oil drain smoothly).
• Raise the front of the vehicle with a floor jack and support it securely on jack stands.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the lower cover access (underbody panel)

• Slide the drain pan (10-quart minimum) under the engine area.
• Use a 10mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the small underbody access panel bolts/clips so you can reach the drain plug and filter housing.

Step 2: Drain the engine oil

• Position the drain pan directly under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 14mm socket, 3/8" drive ratchet, and 6" extension 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 one.

Step 3: Reinstall and torque the drain plug

• Thread the drain plug in by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range) with a 14mm socket to tighten the drain plug.
• Torque to 40 Nm (30 ft-lbs)

Step 4: Drain the oil filter housing (cartridge-style)

• Move the drain pan under the oil filter housing.
• On the bottom of the filter housing is a small drain plug. Use the appropriate socket/bit you have for that plug, and remove it carefully (oil will drain out).
• Aim the stream into the pan. Use shop towels to control splashes.

Step 5: Remove the oil filter housing

• Use the 64mm 14-flute oil filter cap wrench (specialty) with a 3/8" drive ratchet to loosen the housing.
• Finish unthreading by hand and lower it carefully into the drain pan (it will still have oil in it).
• Oil filter cap wrench note: this is a cup-shaped tool that fits over the housing so you don’t crack it.

Step 6: Replace the cartridge filter and O-rings

• Pull the old cartridge filter out of the housing by hand.
• Use a small flat pick tool to remove the old large O-ring from the housing groove. (An O-ring is a rubber sealing ring.)
• Install the new O-ring from the filter kit. Lightly coat it with fresh SAE 0W-20 oil using a gloved finger.
• If your kit includes a small O-ring for the housing drain plug, replace it the same way and lightly oil it.
• Install the new cartridge filter into the housing (it should seat firmly).

Step 7: Reinstall and torque the oil filter housing

• Thread the housing in by hand until the O-ring contacts and it feels snug.
• Use the 64mm 14-flute oil filter cap wrench (specialty) and a torque wrench to tighten the housing.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs)
• Reinstall the small filter-housing drain plug and tighten with a torque wrench if possible.
• Torque to 13 Nm (9 ft-lbs)

Step 8: Reinstall the underbody access panel

• Use a 10mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to reinstall the access panel hardware snugly.

Step 9: Refill with fresh oil

• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Insert a funnel into the oil fill opening.
• Pour in 6.4 quarts of SAE 0W-20 full synthetic to start.
• Reinstall the oil filler cap.
• Start slightly low, then top off.

Step 10: Start, leak-check, and set the final oil level

• Start the engine and let it idle for 30-60 seconds.
• Shut the engine off and wait 5 minutes for oil to settle.
• Check underneath for leaks around the drain plug and filter housing (use safety glasses).
• Check the dipstick, then add oil in small amounts as needed to reach the full mark (typically you’ll end up near 6.4 quarts total with filter).

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✅ After Repair

• Dispose of used oil and the old filter element at an oil recycling drop-off (many parts stores accept it).
• Recheck for leaks after your first short drive.
• Reset the maintenance reminder (if the oil light is on):
• Use this sequence:
  • Use the dash button to set the display to Trip A.
  • Turn ignition OFF.
  • Press and hold the trip reset button, then turn ignition ON (engine off).
  • Keep holding until the reset completes on the display.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $40-$75 (parts only)

You Save: $50-$85 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.