The Honda Accord is one of the most established and dependable names in the world of sedans. If you have a 2002 Honda Accord, you can keep your trusty friend in top shape by knowing its oil capacity—which is either 4.5 or 4.6 quarts, depending on what’s under the hood.

There are fads, and then there are things that are perpetually popular for a reason—and the 2002 Honda Accord definitely falls into the latter category. But even a solidly built, value-packed vehicle like the Honda Accord needs

regular maintenance

, and you can cut your car-related costs by doing simple tasks like changing your oil at home.

But before you dive in, you’ll need to know both the oil type and the oil capacity of your 2002 Honda Accord. As luck would have it, we’ve got all that info right there—and then some!

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2002 Honda Accord engine oil capacity

Let’s talk quantity first: how much oil does a 2002 Honda Accord need?

Depending on the engine, the 2002 Honda Accord has an engine oil capacity of either 4.5 or 4.6 quarts. There were two engine options for the 2002 Accord—the 3.0-liter V6 has an oil capacity of 4.6 quarts, while the 2.3-liter inline-four cylinder has a slightly smaller capacity of 4.5 quarts.

Take note that the “3.0” and “2.3” that you see in those engine specs have nothing to do whatsoever with the oil capacity. Those numbers refer to the engine’s displacement, which is how much volume those four or six cylinders take up.

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What kind of oil does a 2002 Honda Accord need?

On to the next thing—what kind of oil does your 2002 Honda Accord need? The type of oil you’re looking for is a premium grade 5W-20 oil that has the API Certification Seal for Gasoline Engines on it. The owner’s manual recommends

Honda Genuine motor oil

, but if you can’t find that particular brand, any premium grade 5W-20 is fine.

The numbers and letters in the oil’s type are indicators of the oil’s viscosity, or how thick it is, and the “W” stands for winter. The “5” lets us know that this oil will maintain proper viscosity when it’s cold out, and the “20” means that it will also flow nicely when things get hot outside. The owner’s manual for the 2002 Honda Accord allows for 5W-30 oil if 5W-20 isn’t available, but you need to switch back to 5W-20 for your next oil change.

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How often to change the oil on a 2002 Honda Accord

One more vital piece of information—just how often should you

change the oil

on your 2002 Honda Accord? According to the owner’s manual, you need to change your oil every 7,500 miles. If you don’t drive a lot, then once a year should be your marker.

But this is just a guideline—every vehicle is different, and older or high-mileage vehicles typically need more frequent oil changes. Check your oil on a regular basis (once a month is good) and keep an eye out for the following signs that you need an oil change:

Oil that is black or dark brown in color

Oil that feels gritty or coarse

New sounds from your engine

New odors, particularly ones like oil, burning, or smoke

Decreasing performance from your Accord

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How to change your Accord’s oil and oil filter

Enough talk—time to change your oil! You’ll need a drain pain, some shop rags, a socket wrench, and a wrench that’s designed for your oil filter—you can get the latter from a

Honda

dealership. And of course, you’ll need a fresh filter and 4.5 or 4.6 quarts of premium 5W-20 oil.

This task necessitates getting underneath the engine, so make sure you have your Accord safely up on jack stands. If you’ve never put a car on jacks before, make sure you familiarize yourself with the process and ask a trusted mechanic for help.

Here’s how to change the oil on your 2002 Honda Accord:

Run the engine for a few minutes until it gets to normal operating temperature, then shut it off.

Pop the hood and remove the engine oil fill cap. From underneath, remove the oil drain bolt and washer, and let the oil drain into the drain pan.

Remove the old oil filter and continue to let the oil drain out completely.

Install the new filter according to the instructions it came with.

Put a new washer on the drain bolt, and tighten the drain bolt to 33 lb-ft for the V6 engine or 29 lb-ft for the inline-four engine.

Refill the engine with the correct amount of oil needed—a funnel is handy for this.

Replace the oil fill cap and start the engine. Your

oil pressure light

should turn off.

Let the engine run for a few minutes and look for any leaks from the oil drain bolt.

Turn your Accord off, let it sit for a few minutes, and check your oil level with your dipstick. The new oil filter absorbs some of the oil, so you may need to top it off.

And that’s it—almost! Make sure you put your old oil in a proper container (the empty new bottle works well) and take it to a local recycling center. Never dump old oil onto the ground or down the drain. Many auto parts stores accept used oil for free!

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