🔧 Accent - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Replacement

Changing your oil and filter keeps your engine lubricated, cool, and protected from wear. You’ll drain the old oil, replace the filter, then refill with fresh oil to the correct level.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the car with jack stands or ramps, not just a jack.
• ⚠️ Engine oil can be hot. Let the engine cool 10-20 minutes before draining.
• ⚠️ Chock the rear wheels and set the parking brake before lifting the front.
• ⚠️ Keep oil off belts and exhaust parts to reduce smoke/odor after startup.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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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 6-quart)
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• Torque wrench (3/8" drive, 10-100 ft-lbs range)
• Oil filter wrench (adjustable strap type)
• Flat trim clip tool
• 10mm socket
• Funnel
• Shop rags

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (SAE 5W-20 full synthetic) - Qty: 4 quarts
• Oil filter - Qty: 1
• Oil drain plug 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 tires.
• Warm the engine 2-3 minutes, then shut it off. Warm oil drains faster.
• Open the hood and remove the oil fill cap (this helps the oil drain smoothly).
• Assumption: Your Accent uses a spin-on oil filter and a 17mm drain plug; specs below are typical for this engine family.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise and secure the front

• Use a floor jack to lift the front at the correct jacking point.
• Place jack stands under the front support points and lower the car onto them.
• Give the car a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

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

• Use a 10mm socket to remove the bolts.
• Use a flat trim clip tool to pop out any plastic clips (pry the center pin up first, then remove the clip).
• Set the shield and fasteners aside.

Step 3: Drain the old engine oil

• Place the drain pan under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 17mm socket with a 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 (usually 5-10 minutes).
• Remove the old crush washer from the drain plug and install the new one.

Step 4: Reinstall and torque the drain plug

• Thread the drain plug in by hand first (prevents cross-threading).
• Use a torque wrench with a 17mm socket to tighten the drain plug.
• Torque to 39 Nm (29 ft-lbs)
• Do not overtighten—oil pans can strip.

Step 5: Remove the old oil filter

• Move the drain pan
• Use an oil filter wrench (adjustable strap type) to loosen the filter, then spin it off by hand.
• Wipe the engine’s filter mounting surface with shop rags.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket came off with the old filter (a stuck gasket can cause a major leak).

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Put a light film of new oil on the new filter’s rubber gasket (use a gloved finger).
• Spin the filter on by hand until the gasket touches, then tighten by hand an additional 3/4 turn.
• If you use a torque wrench and adapter: Torque to 18 Nm (13 ft-lbs)

Step 7: Reinstall the splash shield (if removed)

• Reposition the shield and install fasteners by hand first.
• Use a 10mm socket to snug the bolts (do not overtighten into plastic).

Step 8: Refill with new engine oil

• Lower the car from the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Insert a funnel into the oil fill opening.
• Pour in 3.5 quarts of SAE 5W-20 first.
• Reinstall the oil fill cap.

Step 9: Start, check for leaks, and set 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 drain back to the pan.
• Check underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter.
• Use the dipstick to check the oil level; add oil as needed to reach the full mark.
• Typical total fill is about 3.8 quarts with filter (always trust the dipstick as the final authority).

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✅ After Repair

• Recheck the dipstick the next morning (cold engine) and top off if needed.
• Dispose of used oil and the filter at an oil recycling location (many parts stores accept it).
• If your cluster has a service interval reminder, reset it:
  • Use steering wheel buttons: User Settings > Service Interval > Reset (if equipped).
  • If no service menu exists, your Accent may not have a resettable reminder.

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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 0.7-1.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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