Don’t know your 2014 Ford Explorer’s oil capacity? Not to worry—Jerry has all the info you need, plus a walkthrough of how to change your oil at home.

Written by Bee Davis

Reviewed by Melanie Reiff

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Table of Contents

2014 Ford Explorer engine oil capacity
Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

A 2014 Ford Explorer with a 3.5L V6 engine has an oil capacity of 6 quarts. You can change your engine oil easily at home by following this simple guide.

Keeping up with your car’s maintenance can be a pain, especially with how pricey mechanic bills can be. But you don’t have to be a grease monkey to change your oil at home. Performing an oil change on your 2014 Ford Explorer is not only easy to do yourself, but it’s also much less expensive than bringing your car to an auto shop.

Jerry

, the expert driving app and

car insurance

savings tool, has all the information you need to change your oil at home. Keep reading to learn about your 2014 Ford Explorer’s oil capacity, how to know if you need an oil change, and how to change your oil from the comfort of your own garage.

And if you want to lower your

Ford Explorer insurance costs

(or explore insurance for any other vehicle), Jerry’s got you covered there, too!

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

2014 Ford Explorer engine oil capacity

So, just how much oil does a 2014 Ford Explorer need?

A 2014 Ford Explorer with a 3.5L V6 engine has an oil capacity of 6 quarts, or 5.7 liters. 2014 Ford Explorers tend to clock in at about 170 to 230 horsepower—that’s pretty standard for a compact SUV, but it still packs a punch in your engine if you don’t have proper lubrication.

MORE: How to do summer car maintenance

What kind of oil does a 2014 Ford Explorer need?

Now that we know how much oil a 2014 Ford Explorer needs, let’s talk oil types.

Different engines will require different types of oils. It’s important to get the oil your engine was built for in order to keep everything working smoothly.

For the 2014 Explorer,

Ford

recommends Motorcraft® SAE 5W-20 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil. It’s good to stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations when performing car maintenance at home.

Oil ratings can be a bit confusing, so let’s break down what SAE 5W-20 actually means.

MORE:

How to know if a mechanic is taking too long with car repairs

Oils are rated based on how well they maintain their viscosity at different temperatures. Oils should have as thin a viscosity as possible to keep your engine from clogging up—the lower the numbers in an oil’s rating, the lower its viscosity.

The “W” in 5W-20 stands for winter, referring to the oil’s performance in winter temperatures. Since this oil has a rating of “5W,” we know that it will perform better in the cold than, say, a 10W oil would.

The second number, the “20” is the oil’s rating at high temperatures, from a hot summer climate to the intense heat of your engine. With an oil rating of 5W-20, we can tell that this oil maintains its thin viscosity in both hot and cold temperatures.

Key Takeaway As per the manual’s instructions, you should try to get

Motorcraft® SAE 5W-20 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil

if you can.

How often to change oil on a 2014 Ford Explorer

Sticking to a regular

maintenance schedule

is the best way to make sure your engine is working properly. But how often do you need to check your engine’s oil?

In general, you should aim to change your 2014 Ford Explorer’s oil every 3 months or 3,000 to 5,000 miles, whichever comes first.

If you don’t drive that often, get in the habit of

changing your oil

every 6 months or so, since oil will naturally degrade in your engine no matter how often you drive.

While you can usually stick to the recommended oil maintenance schedule, a lot can happen to your car between oil changes. You may need to change your engine oil before your scheduled maintenance time if you experience any of the following symptoms in your car:

Change in oil color from light brown or amber to dark brown or black

Gritty, coarse, or sandy feeling in the motor oil

Strange sounds coming from the engine, such as screeching or squeaking noises

Unfamiliar smells, especially anything that smells like oil, smoke, or burning

Changes in your vehicle’s performance

MORE:

Mechanical breakdown insurance: what is it, and do I need it?

How to change your oil and oil filter

Congratulations! You’re now an expert on your 2014 Ford Explorer’s oil capacity. But you’ll need to know a bit more than that before you change your oil at home.

Before you start, you’ll need some supplies. Grab a socket wrench, a drain pan, and a filter wrench that’s specially designed to remove your old oil filter. You’ll also need a replacement filter and, of course, 6 quarts of SAE 5W-20 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil to replace your oil.

The first step in your oil change is to let your engine run for a bit to get it up to operating speed. In normal temperatures, this should only take a few minutes. Once you’re there, turn off your engine, pop the hood, and follow these steps to perform your oil change.

Remove the oil fill cap next to the yellow-handled dipstick in front of your engine

Get under the engine and remove the oil drain bolt and washer with your socket wrench, letting the old oil drain 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

And there you have it! You’ve changed your engine oil. Check your oil level with the dipstick to make sure you’ve added the right amount, and let your engine run for a few minutes to check for any leaks.

After changing your oil, it’s a good idea to turn on your car and let your engine run for about 30 seconds before you check the oil level. This will give you a more accurate measurement, and you’ll be able to top it off if necessary.

Keeping up with regular engine oil maintenance doesn’t just make driving safer and easier—it extends the life of your 2014 Ford Explorer’s engine, helping you avoid pricey mechanic bills down the line.

MORE:

How do I get car insurance for about $50 a month?

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Trips to the mechanic for regular maintenance can hurt your wallet, but it isn’t the most expensive part of car ownership. That title goes to car insurance, which costs U.S. drivers an average of around $1,771 per year. Finding quality coverage at affordable rates can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be!

Jerry

is a

car insurance

expert and

trusted comparison tool

. No need to sit across from him at a desk: Jerry is an app! It takes less than a minute to sign up, and you’ll be presented with competitive rates from dozens of top providers. Don’t lose coverage—find savings with Jerry.

“Using
Jerry
is a super straightforward process, and at each step, you can see exactly what coverage you’re paying for. Thanks to Jerry, I’m paying $900 less each year while keeping full coverage for my new car!” —Martin H.