🔧 Fit - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Replacement

This job drains the old engine oil, replaces the oil filter, and refills your Fit with fresh oil. Clean oil protects the 1.5L engine from wear, helps fuel economy, and keeps the engine running smoothly.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 45-75 minutes

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Let the engine cool until it is warm, not hot. Hot oil can burn skin.
• ⚠️ Always support your Fit with jack stands before working underneath. Never trust a jack by itself.
• ⚠️ Wear safety glasses and gloves. Used engine oil is messy and harmful to skin.
• ⚠️ Keep the parking brake fully engaged and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this oil change.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• 17mm socket
• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• 3/8-inch drive torque wrench
• Oil filter wrench, 65mm 14-flute cup style
• Oil drain pan, 6-quart minimum
• Funnel
• Floor jack, rated 2-ton minimum
• Jack stands, rated 2-ton minimum
• Wheel chocks
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil, SAE 0W-20 full synthetic - Qty: 4 quarts
• Engine oil filter - Qty: 1
• Oil drain plug crush washer - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Fit on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Run the engine for 2-3 minutes, then shut it off. Warm oil drains faster.
• Place wheel chocks behind both rear wheels.
• Lift the front of your Fit with a floor jack and support it with jack stands.
• A crush washer is a soft sealing washer that flattens slightly when tightened. Replace it every oil change.
• A torque wrench is a tool that tightens a bolt to a measured amount so it is not too loose or too tight.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Open the Hood and Remove the Oil Cap

• Open the hood and secure it with the hood prop rod.
• Remove the engine oil fill cap by hand. This helps the oil drain more smoothly.
• Pull the dipstick up slightly by hand to let air enter the crankcase.
• Keep the cap somewhere clean.

Step 2: Position the Drain Pan

• Put on nitrile gloves and safety glasses.
• Slide the 6-quart oil drain pan under the engine oil drain plug.
• The drain plug is on the bottom of the oil pan under the engine.

Step 3: Remove the Oil Drain Plug

• Use a 17mm socket and 3/8-inch drive ratchet to loosen the oil drain plug counterclockwise.
• Finish removing the plug by hand while keeping pressure inward, then pull it away quickly.
• Let the oil drain until it slows to occasional drips.
• Remove the old crush washer from the drain plug by hand.
• Wipe the drain plug clean with shop towels.

Step 4: Reinstall the Drain Plug

• Install the new oil drain plug crush washer onto the drain plug by hand.
• Thread the drain plug into the oil pan by hand first. This prevents cross-threading.
• Use the 17mm socket and 3/8-inch drive torque wrench to tighten the drain plug to Torque to 39 Nm (29 ft-lbs).
• Do not overtighten the drain plug.

Step 5: Remove the Old Oil Filter

• Move the oil drain pan under the oil filter area.
• Use the 65mm 14-flute cup-style oil filter wrench and 3/8-inch drive ratchet to loosen the oil filter counterclockwise.
• Spin the oil filter off by hand. Keep it upright as much as possible to reduce spills.
• Check that the old rubber gasket came off with the old filter.
• A gasket is the rubber sealing ring on the oil filter. If it sticks to the engine, the new filter may leak.
• Wipe the oil filter mounting surface clean with shop towels.

Step 6: Install the New Oil Filter

• Use a clean gloved finger to apply a thin film of fresh 0W-20 oil to the new oil filter gasket.
• Thread the new oil filter onto the engine by hand until the gasket touches the mounting surface.
• Tighten the oil filter by hand an additional 3/4 turn after gasket contact.
• If using the 65mm 14-flute oil filter wrench, tighten gently only. Do not crush the filter.
• Honda oil filter tightening spec is Torque to 12 Nm (9 ft-lbs) if using a torque wrench with the filter cup.

Step 7: Add Fresh Engine Oil

• Place the funnel in the engine oil fill opening.
• Pour in 3.5 quarts of SAE 0W-20 full synthetic engine oil.
• Reinstall the oil fill cap by hand.
• Push the dipstick fully back into place by hand.

Step 8: Start the Engine and Check for Leaks

• Make sure no tools are under your Fit.
• Start the engine and let it idle for 30-60 seconds.
• Look underneath with a flashlight and check the drain plug and oil filter for leaks.
• Shut the engine off and wait 3-5 minutes so oil can settle back into the oil pan.

Step 9: Check and Adjust the Oil Level

• Pull the dipstick out by hand and wipe it clean with a shop towel.
• Reinsert the dipstick fully, then pull it out again by hand.
• Check that the oil level is between the lower and upper marks.
• Add small amounts of 0W-20 oil through the funnel if needed.
• Total refill capacity with filter is about 3.5-3.8 quarts, depending on drain time.
• Do not overfill. Too much oil can cause engine problems.

Step 10: Lower the Vehicle

• Use the floor jack to lift your Fit slightly off the jack stands.
• Remove the jack stands carefully by hand.
• Lower the vehicle slowly with the floor jack.
• Remove the wheel chocks by hand.

Step 11: Reset the Maintenance Minder

• Turn the ignition to ON without starting the engine.
• Use the steering wheel controls to display the oil life screen.
• Press and hold the reset/select knob or button until the oil life display begins to blink.
• Press and hold it again until the oil life resets to 100%.
• If your Fit uses the instrument display menu, use the buttons to select Vehicle Settings > Maintenance Info > Reset.

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✅ After Repair

• Check under your Fit after the first short drive. Look for fresh oil drips.
• Recheck the oil level the next morning on level ground.
• Dispose of used oil and the old oil filter at an approved recycling center or parts store.
• Record the mileage and date of the oil change.
• For normal driving, follow the Maintenance Minder oil life system for the next oil change.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $70-$130 USD equivalent (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $35-$65 USD equivalent (parts only)

You Save: $35-$65 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.3-0.6 hours.

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