are essential to keep your little car running. Fortunately, you can do them at home—as long as you know your Civic’s engine oil capacity, which is 3.7 quarts, or about 3.5 liters.

If you’re driving a used car that was built way back for the 2003 model year, it’s safe to say you’re probably pretty thrifty. And a great way to save even more money on your Honda ownership costs? Perform DIY oil changes!

To do so, you’ll first need to know your Civic’s engine oil capacity. That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive guide. Of course, you could always check your owner’s manual, but we’ve collected all of the oil change information you’ll need in one easy-to-read place!

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2003 Honda Civic engine oil capacity

Let’s get straight to the point: your 2003 Honda Civic has an engine oil capacity of 3.7 quarts, which is equal to approximately 3.5 liters.

Keep in mind that this number is different from your engine’s displacement—which is the volume of oil that the engine’s cylinders take up. Instead, oil capacity refers to the amount of oil required for each change. The numbers are never interchangeable, so don’t get them confused!

What kind of oil does a 2003 Honda Civic need?

So can you purchase 3.7 quarts of any old oil? Absolutely not!

Per Honda’s recommendations, your 2003 Civic uses 5W-20 motor oil. It’s essential to follow the manufacturer’s directions for maximum engine performance and overall engine safety, so be careful that you’re purchasing the correct oil.

But what do those numbers and letters even mean? Well, your oil grade is composed of a few components, which tell you pretty detailed information about the product.

The numbers in the oil grade indicate the oil’s viscosity—or, put simply, how thick it is. The “W” stands for “winter,” so the number 5 right before the “W” indicates the oil’s viscosity at winter temperatures, or 0°F (the freezing point of water). The number after the W (in this case, 20) refers to the oil’s viscosity at blazing hot temperatures, or 212°F (the boiling point of water).

5W-20 motor oil performs well under cold weather conditions, while its relatively low viscosity causes very little wear and tear on your Civic’s engine.

Once you find oil with the proper 5W-20 grade, you’ll notice that you have even further options—and we’re not just talking about the various brands.

Generally, all oil comes in three formats:

Conventional oil: Defined from refined crude, this is the classic and timeless original. It’s usually your cheapest option, too.

Full synthetic oil: These oils combine synthetic chemicals with crude oil to create a petroleum product that behaves similarly to conventional oil. Fully synthetic motor oil uses synthetic oil as a base and adds chemicals to keep your car’s engine running at its best. Examples of additives include polyalphaolefin, castor waxes, and paraffinic oils. These are generally the most expensive oils.

Synthetic blend oil: Exactly what it sounds like—synthetic blend oil is a blend between conventional and synthetic options. They’re typically priced more similarly to conventional oil, but add a small amount of additional protection for your engine.

Based on the descriptions, you may assume that full synthetic oil is always the best option. However, some older engines were not built for synthetic oil (because it didn’t exist back then). Additionally, if your Civic has over 75,000 miles on it, conventional oil may be the smarter choice because it tends to flow slower, offering a bit more all-over lubrication.

All in all, it might be best to check with a trusted mechanic or auto supply store employee regarding which type of oil to purchase.

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How often to change the oil on a 2003 Honda Civic

Okay, are you ready to

change your oil

? Are you sure?

If using conventional oil, your 2003 Honda Civic will need an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, or at least every six months (but more frequently if you drive quite a bit).

If you do opt for full-synthetic oil, you can stretch your oil changes out quite a bit, to every 7,500 to 10,000 miles. If you don’t drive too often, this could be as infrequent as once a year!

Either way, these are pretty large ranges, which is why it is essential to check your oil levels regularly. Once a month is best, or every other time you fill up your gas tank.

In addition to low oil, the following signs will indicate that it’s time for an oil change:

Your oil is dark brown or black (like a glass of Pepsi), rather than light brown or amber (like a cup of tea)

Your oil feels coarse or gritty

Your engine is producing

unfamiliar or new noises

You can smell oil, smoke, or burning

You can notice a change in your vehicle’s performance

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How to change your oil and oil filter

Once you determine that it’s finally time for an oil change, gather all of the necessary supplies, including a socket wrench, a drain pan, and a filter wrench designed to remove the old oil filter. You’ll also need to buy a replacement filter and, of course, four quarts of 5W-20 engine oil.

Start things off by turning on your Civic and running the engine for a while, until it reaches normal operating temperature. In comfortable weather, this should take just about five minutes—but you may need to give it more time if it’s quite cold out. Once you’re warmed up, shut off the engine and follow these steps:

Remove the oil fill cap.

Crawl underneath the engine and remove the oil drain bolt and washer, draining the old oil into the drain pan.

Remove the old

oil filter

and continue to let the oil drain.

Install the new filter.

Replace the oil drain bolt using a new washer and tighten it to 29 lb-ft.

Refill the engine with your new oil and replace the fill cap.

Once you’re all done, restart your engine and let it run for a bit. Then, use your dipstick to check your oil levels and add more as needed. Also be sure to check for any leaks, which will occur if you’ve made a mistake somewhere along the way.

If you’ve done the job correctly, your dashboard’s

oil pressure light

should turn off, but you may need to drive your vehicle for a few minutes for this to happen.

Finally, safe and responsible clean-up is essential. Never dump the dirty oil out on the ground or put it in your garbage bin. Instead, place it in a sealed container and bring it to a local recycling center.

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