2011 Honda Pilot Engine Oil Capacity
A 2011 Honda Pilot has an oil capacity of 4.2 quarts, and you can easily change your oil at home.
Written by Bee Davis
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
The 2011
Honda
Pilot is known for its durability, lasting users 15 to 20 years with good maintenance. To make the most of your 2011 Honda Pilot, you’ll need to stay up to date on oil changes, which are pretty easy to do yourself. Whether you’re experienced behind the wheel or a new driver, the sight of the oil pressure light on the dashboard is enough to fill all drivers with dread. But an oil change doesn’t have to be a hassle. While you can get your oil changed by a mechanic, it’s pretty easy (and much less expensive) to do it yourself at home.
Jerry
, the car insurance
broker and super app
, has seen a few oil changes, and we’ve got all the information you need to perform your oil change at home. Keep reading to learn about your car’s oil capacity, what kind of oil you need, and how to change the oil on your 2011 Honda Pilot
from the comfort of your own garage. Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
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2011 Honda Pilot engine oil capacity
A 2011 Honda Pilot has an oil capacity of 4.5 quarts.
2011 Honda Pilot engines have a 250-
horsepower
engine—pretty standard for a mid-size SUV. To keep your engine running smoothly and extend its life, you must change the oil when necessary. What kind of oil does a 2011 Honda Pilot need?
Now that we know how much oil a 2011 Honda Pilot needs, we should talk about oil types.
Not all oils are created equal—different engines require different types of oil, and you must get the right oil to make sure your engine runs properly.
For your 2011 Honda Pilot, you’ll want to buy Honda Pilot Engine Oil Genuine SAE 5W-20. That’s what the Honda company recommends, and it’s a good idea to stick to the user manual recommendations when performing DIY maintenance.
But what does 0W-20 mean? Oil ratings can be confusing, so let’s break it down.
Engine oils are rated on their viscosity. The numbers in an oil rating refer to the oil’s viscosity at different temperatures, meaning how well the oil will perform in hot or cold conditions. The lower the number, the better the oil’s viscosity rating.
The “W” in 0W-20 means “winter”, referring to the oil’s winter certification. The number before the W refers to the oil’s performance in cold temperatures. The “0W” means this oil performs extremely well in cold weather and won’t gunk up your engine when the temperature drops. The number after that, “20”, refers to how well the oil can take both the heat of your engine and warmer temperatures outside.
So, a 0W-20 rating means this oil maintains its low viscosity at all sorts of temperatures, whether it’s 0°F or a blazing 212°F.
Or any oil with a 0W-20 rating. 2011 Honda Pilots tend to do better with oils that are fully synthetic because their engines require the low viscosity that only synthetic oils can provide. But you can use partially synthetic oil as long as you check your oil more often and provide needed maintenance.
How often to change oil on a 2011 Honda Pilot
Now that we know what type of oil your 2011 Honda Pilot needs, it’s time to change your oil.
It’s recommended that you change the oil on your 2011 Honda Pilot every 3 years or 3,000 to 5,000 miles. If you don’t drive very often, checking your oil every six months may be sufficient for you since oil will degrade in your engine over time no matter how often you drive.
While you can generally stick to the recommended timeline for oil service, a lot can happen to your car in between oil changes. You may need to change your oil early if you experience any of the following::
- Change in oil color from light brown or amber to dark brown or black
- Coarse or gritty feeling in the motor oil
- Strange noisescoming from the engine
- Unfamiliar smells, especially anything that smells like oil, smoke, or burning
- Changes in your vehicle’s performance
If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can always take your car to your local mechanic to get your oil serviced. Otherwise, it’s pretty simple to do yourself.
Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Get ahead of my car maintenance
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
How to change your oil and oil filter
Changing your oil at home isn’t just for grease monkeys—all you need is a few materials from your local auto parts store to perform an oil change at home.
Get your hands on a socket wrench, a drain pan, and a filter wrench that’s specially designed to remove the old oil filter. And of course, you’ll need 4.2qts of 0W-20 oil to replace the old oil.
The first step in an oil change is to run your engine for a few minutes to get your car up to operating temperature. In normal temperatures, it should only take about five minutes to get your car up to speed. Once you’re there, turn off your engine, pop the hood, and follow these steps to change your oil:
- Remove the oil fill cap
- Get under the engine and take off the oil drain bolt and washer, allowing the old oil to drain into the drain pan
- 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 cap
And that’s all it takes! After you’ve finished, run your engine again for a bit to check for any leaks in your system. If you’ve done everything right, the oil pressure light on your dashboard should turn off within a few minutes.
The last step is cleaning up. This is very important– do not dump the old oil in the garbage or on the ground. Make sure to seal it in a tight container and bring it to your local recycling center to dispose of it.
Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance
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