While it’s an older sedan, the 2003 Honda Accord is a reliable vehicle that combines comfort and convenience for a worry-free driving experience. To keep your Accord in top shape, you’ll need to know its oil capacity.

While the Honda Accord is a reliable vehicle, routine maintenance tasks and those inevitable surprise trips to your local auto shop add up fast. Oil changes are just one of these tasks, but you can cut back on this cost by doing the job at home. All you need to know is your car’s oil capacity and type to get started.

Whether you’ve misplaced your owner’s manual or you just need an easy-to-follow guide,

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2003 Honda Accord engine oil capacity

First things first—you’ll need to know how much oil your Honda Accord needs to function properly before moving on to other details, like your car’s oil type and how often it needs an oil change.

The 2003 Honda Accord has an oil capacity of 4.4 quarts—the amount it requires to lubricate its engine efficiently and run properly. Make sure you don’t mix up this detail with your car’s engine displacement, or the volume its cylinders occupy. These engine specs can’t be interchanged, so be cautious to keep them separate.

What kind of oil does a 2003 Honda Accord need?

When picking out a new engine oil for your Accord, you can’t just choose the first bottle you see on the shelf at your local auto shop. On the contrary, every car needs a different kind of oil depending on its specific engine specs.

The 2003 Honda Accord needs full synthetic 0W-20 oil for its engine to run smoothly while avoiding wear and tear. Honda recommends this oil type for the 2003 Accord, and it’s important to abide by the owner’s manual when it comes to maintenance tasks.

Oil types are often perplexing to an untrained eye, but they’re easy to read once you understand what each letter and number means. Let’s break it down together:

The sets of numbers in any oil type refer to the oil’s viscosity at different temperatures. In this case, the “W” stands for winter, indicating that it’s a good choice for winter conditions. The first 0 that’s right before W means this oil has a low viscosity when your engine starts, allowing the oil to flow easily through your engine on cold days. The 20 communicates that this oil maintains its low viscosity when your engine reaches its normal running temperature.

Fully synthetic oils are typically a better choice for your engine. These oils can withstand the scalding hot temperatures of your engine for long periods of time and they take a longer time to break down. This means fewer oil changes and more engine protection over time.

Here are our favorite 0W-20 engine oil picks for the 2003 Honda Accord:

The owner’s manual recommendation: use

Genuine Honda 0W-20 Full-Synthetic Motor Oil

to follow the letter of the owner’s manual exactly.

For vehicles with high mileage: choose

MAG1 0W-20 Full-Synthetic motor oil

if your Accord’s odometer has over 100,000 miles.

To improve fuel economy: To save money at the pump while protecting your engine, use

Mobil 1’s Full-Synthetic 0W-20 Advanced Fuel Economy Motor Oil

MORE:

How to test an oil pump

How often to change oil on a 2003 Honda Accord

Before changing your Accord’s oil at home, you need to know one last detail—how often should you change your car’s oil? Every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, or about every six months to a year, is what Honda recommends for the 2003 Accord.

You can generally follow this guideline, although you may have to change your Accord’s oil earlier from time to time, especially after periods of frequent driving. Look for these signs that your car needs fresh oil:

Your engine oil looks dark brown or black

Granular engine oil (like coffee grounds)

Weird sounds coming from under the hood

Strange odors that smell like oil, smoke, or burning

Your engine performance decreases

How to change your oil and oil filter

Once the appropriate amount of time or miles have passed, it’s finally time to change your oil! You’ll need the following tools and materials:

Funnel

Rags

Oil filter

Oil collection pan

4.4 quarts of 0W-20 full-synthetic oil

Start off by running your car’s engine for approximately 5 minutes. Once it hits its regular operating temperature, shut your car off, open the hood cautiously, and follow this process:

Place the oil collection pan underneath your car. Remove the drain plug and allow the old oil to drain into the pan.

Take out the old oil filter and replace it with a new one.

Put the oil drain plug back tightly to avoid any leaks.

Take the engine oil cap off to access the oil reservoir.

Using your funnel, pour 4.4 quarts of 0W-20 full-synthetic oil into the reservoir. Double-check the bottom of your car for leaks while pouring the fresh oil in.

Check out your dipstick to make sure you’ve filled the reservoir to the correct level. You can add more oil if you need to, but avoid overfilling the reservoir.

Once you’re finished, bring your old oil to your local recycling center in a sealed container to get rid of it correctly.

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Completing routine vehicle maintenance tasks, like changing your car’s oil regularly, is an excellent way to keep it running smoothly for years.

Experts recommend that you revisit your insurance policy

every six months

to guarantee you’re getting the best rate on your

Honda Accord car insurance

. If that sounds like a hassle, have no fear—

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