How to change my engine oil?
The frequency at which you should change your engine oil depends on the car’s year of manufacture, its mileage, and its engine type (gasoline, direct or indirect injection diesel, diesel particulate filter). Always see your vehicle owner’s handbook for exact instructions on when to change the oil.
It is essential to change the engine oil according to the dates or mileage indicated by your vehicle manufacturer or mechanic. Otherwise, the engine may clog or become damaged sooner, its performance will no longer be optimized, and the vehicle will consume more fuel.
Step by Step to change your engine oil:
- As when checking the oil level, make sure that your vehicle is cold and parked on a level surface.
- Open the hood and remove the dipstick and the oil filler cap.
- Position your drain pan beneath the oil drain plug located on the engine block.
- Unscrew the oil drain plug and let the oil drain.
- When all the oil has drained, clean the oil drain plug, replace the crush ring, and screw the plug back on, using a wrench if necessary.
This operation is generally quite messy, so we recommend having rags on hand.
Oil Filter
Before refilling the oil reservoir, you should also replace the oil filter. To do this:
- Unscrew the old filter with an oil filter wrench and install the new one.
- Remove the pan beneath your vehicle and pour the used oil in a sealed container to place it in an oil recovery container at a recycling facility – pouring used engine oil into the sewer system is strictly prohibited.
- Make sure that the oil drain plug is properly screwed on, and pour the new oil into the oil tank, using a funnel to avoid spillage.
- Wait a few minutes to allow the oil to circulate through the engine.
- Check the oil level, topping up if needed.
- Screw the oil filler cap back on, start the engine and let it run for about two minutes to give the oil time to flow uniformly through the engine.
- Let the engine cool, and check that the oil level is below the maximum marker.
If you can’t change your engine oil by yourself, don’t hesitate to use a qualified professional. Contact our team today or view the complete TotalEnergies automotive product catalog for more information on our high-performance oils, lubricants, greases, and fluids, or learn more about engine oil.
