recommends changing your oil with this amount of SAE 5W-20 synthetic blend oil every 5,000 miles or according to your Focus’s Intelligent Oil Life Monitor (IOLM).

Keeping up with a basic

car maintenance schedule

can get expensive, but not if you tackle that car maintenance at home! Your car’s owner manual can help, but so can this guide to changing the oil in your 2012 Ford Focus 2.0-L engine—from its oil capacity to a step-by-step breakdown.

Roll up your sleeves, grab your filter wrench, and let’s get started!

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2012 Ford Focus 2.0 engine oil capacity

The four-cylinder engine in a 2012 Ford Focus may have an

engine displacement

of 2.0 liters, but its oil capacity is much larger at 4.5 quarts (or 4.3 liters). Let’s break down why that may be.

Engine displacement measures the total volume that your engine’s cylinders take up. This can give you a rough idea of how powerful your car could be, but not much else. Engine oil capacity, on the other hand, tells you how much oil your engine needs to circulate and keep everything properly lubricated. Mistaking displacement for oil capacity could have serious consequences.

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What kind of oil does a 2012 Ford Focus 2.0 engine need?

So you’ll need 4.5 quarts of engine oil whenever you

change the oil and filter

in your 2012 Ford Focus, but just what kind of oil are you supposed to buy at the store?

This one is pretty straightforward: Ford recommends using

Motorcraft® SAE 5W-20 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil

. The SAE designation tells us that this oil is certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The 5W-20 tells us this oil’s viscosity grade across a range of temperatures from zero (the “W” stands for winter) to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. In this case, the oil is fairly thin at all temperatures—which is good for optimal performance.

At the end of the day, you can use whatever brand and blend of conventional or synthetic oil that you want. Just make sure it’s got the SAE 5W-20 designation.

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How often to change the oil on a 2012 Ford Focus 2.0 engine

Your 2012 Ford Focus is equipped with an Intelligent Oil Life Monitor (IOLM) that will let you know when it’s time for an oil change. This will display an ENGINE OIL CHANGE DUE or OIL CHANGE REQUIRED message in the message center when needed.

It’s important to change your oil within two weeks or 500 miles of this message activating; otherwise, your Ford could undergo some serious engine damage. The IOLM message should never exceed 10,000 miles or one year—and neither should you when it comes to changing your oil.

If your IOLM system gets reset or stops working properly, you should stick to a schedule of changing your oil every 5,000 miles. You should also check your oil once a month, or every other fill-up. Use your car’s dipstick to make sure the oil level isn’t too low, and keep an eye out for gritty, coarse, or black oil, as these could be indicators that your oil needs changing.

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How to change your oil and oil filter

You can take your Focus to a mechanic to change your oil once that message turns on—or you can tackle this task at home to

save money on your car expenses

! All you need is a socket wrench, filter wrench, drain pan, and new filter, which you can easily find at your local auto parts store. Don’t forget to grab 4.5 quarts of your preferred SAE 5W-20 engine oil!

You’ll want the engine to be a little warm, so it’s best to perform an oil change after your car’s been running for a few minutes. Turn the car off on level ground,

open the car hood

, and follow these steps:

Drain the oil into a pan by removing the oil fill cap inside the hood and undoing the oil drain bolt and washer on the underside of your Focus.

Remove the old filter with your filter wrench and install your replacement filter.

Tighten the oil drain bolt with a new washer to 29 lb-ft of torque.

Pour 4.5 quarts of SAE 5W-20 engine oil through the oil fill and use the dipstick to make sure you’ve poured in enough.

Screw the oil fill cap back on and let your car run for a while to circulate the new engine oil.

Check for any leaks as your car is running. If everything is looking good, turn your Focus’s engine off, but keep your key in the ON position for accessory mode. Hold down the brake and gas pedal for 30 seconds to reset the IOLM system. You should see the message: “Service: Oil reset complete”.

Engine oil is a hazardous waste material, so you’ll need to dispose of it properly in a sealed container at your local recycling center.

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