With solid fuel economy and a spacious interior, there’s a lot to like about the 2012 Ford Fusion. But to keep enjoying it for years to come, you’ll need to change the oil regularly. The 202 Ford Fusion 2.5L engine has an oil capacity of 5.3 quarts.

Oil changes are a maintenance task that plenty of drivers choose to take care of themselves from the comfort of home—but to avoid unintentionally damaging your engine, you’ll need to make sure you understand your vehicle’s oil specifications, which include your engine oil capacity and type.

Here with these details and more—plus, how you can cut down on

Ford car insurance costs

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2012 Ford Fusion 2.5L engine oil capacity

The 2012 Ford Fusion comes with a few different engine options, and with different engines can come different oil capacities.

If you’re not sure what engine type your 2012 Ford Fusion has, there are a plethora of places you can check to figure it out:

Your owner’s manual

Your driver’s side door jamb label

Details on the engine

Your Ford Fusion’s purchase and registration papers

If you drive a 2012 Ford Fusion with a 2.5-liter engine, your owner’s manual states it has an oil capacity of 5.3 quarts, or 5 liters.

What kind of oil does a 2012 Ford Fusion 2.5L engine need?

In addition to knowing how much oil you need, one of the most important parts of an oil change is making sure you’ve chosen the correct type of motor oil. An incompatible engine oil risks causing serious—and expensive—damage to your engine (which sort of defeats the purpose of taking care of an oil change yourself to save money).

The 2012 Ford Fusion requires premiumsynthetic blend or full synthetic 5W-20 engine oil.

Just what do those numbers mean? They give you information about your engine oil’s viscosity or thickness. The “5” here tells you about the oil’s viscosity at cold temperatures before your engine has had a chance to warm up. The “20” is your oil’s viscosity once the engine has reached normal operating temperatures (about 212 degrees Fahrenheit).

As you browse your options, here are a few engine oil types you could consider:

Ford’s first pick: As a first choice, Ford recommends using

Motorcraft engine oil

with the correct specifications.

A high-mileage option:If your Ford Fusion has collected over 75,000 miles on its odometer, a high-mileage engine oil like

this option

from STP could help improve engine performance and provide extra wear-and-tear protection.

A full synthetic option: For enhanced performance, consider a full synthetic engine oil like

this engine oil

from Valvoline.

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

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How often to change the oil on a 2012 Ford Fusion 2.5L engine

Another important part of oil maintenance is making sure you change it at the right interval.

Ford’s general recommendation is that you change your 2012 Ford Fusion’s oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles. However, if you don’t drive very often, it may still be helpful to change it at a minimum of every six months to ensure it stays free of dirt, dust, metal shavings, or other debris. That prevents your oil from circulating through the engine the way it’s supposed to, which can cause extra wear and tear and shorten your engine’s lifespan over time.

More taxing driving conditions can also require you to change your engine oil even sooner. A few examples would include:

Spending long periods idling in traffic jams

Driving up and down steep mountain roads

Frequently traveling across gravel roads or other dusty environments

This makes it essential to check your engine oil’s condition monthly. If your 2012 Ford Fusion is past due for an oil change, the following are some signs you may start to notice:

Oil level and/or oil pressure levels are too low

Check engine, low oil pressure, or oil change reminder indicator lights have turned on

Burning scents coming from the engine

Knocking or ticking engine sounds

Difficulty switching between gears

Rougher-running engine

Engine oil has become dark brown or black (as opposed to light brown)

Engine oil has a thicker consistency or grainy texture, indicating excess debris buildup

Because some of these symptoms can overlap with other mechanical issues, it may be a good idea to seek out an inspection from a certified mechanic if some of these problems persist after your oil change.

MORE:

Common Ford problems

How to change your oil and oil filter

Is it time to change your Ford Fusion’s oil?

First up on your to-do list should be gathering your supplies. That might include a socket wrench, an oil filter wrench, gloves, a drain pan, and of course, fresh engine oil and a new oil filter. You’ll also want to make sure you have a new washer for your drain bolt when you replace it after draining your oil. A funnel can help you add your new engine oil with ease, and it never hurts to have towels on standby for cleanup.

Before getting started, it’s also a good idea to let your engine run for a few minutes to heat up the oil a little, which will help it drain faster. After a few minutes, you can shut it off, lift up your hood, and get started with your oil change.

When you have all the materials you need, here are eight general steps involved with a typical oil change:

Unscrew the engine oil filler cap

Place the drain pan below the engine oil drain bolt

Unscrew the oil drain bolt and remove the old washer

Let the oil empty into the pan

Replace the old oil filter with the new oil filter, following the filter package’s instructions

Put the drain bolt back in place with a brand-new washeronce the old oil is completely drained

Add new 5W-20 engine oil to the correct fill level (you can use your dipstick to check this)

Replace the oil filler cap

Next, it’s time for a quality assurance check:

Look around for any fluid leaks

Let your engine run a few minutes again to let the oil circulate and ensure all is in working order

After turning off your engine and giving it a few minutes to cool off, check your oil level once more and adjust as needed

Safely dispose of the used engine oil by taking it to a proper recycling location in a sealed container

Remember regular insurance policy maintenance

For many drivers, oil changes are fairly straightforward maintenance tasks. But with the

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