The 2018 Ford Focus 2.0 is equipped with a more powerful engine than the base model, offering a nice blend of power, practicality, and handling. To keep this Focus in tip-top shape, you’ll need to change its oil with 5.7 quarts of synthetic oil every 5,000 miles or six months as part of your basic

car maintenance schedule

Owning a vehicle can cost a pretty penny when you add up expenses like maintenance and

car insurance

. A great way to lower your overall car costs is to change your oil at home. Your owner’s manual can help, but so can we!

Keep reading for the full lowdown on your 2018 Ford Focus 2.0’s engine oil capacity, plus everything else you’ll need to know to successfully change your oil at home.

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2018 Ford Focus 2.0 engine oil capacity

The 2018 Ford Focus 2.0 is powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine, and it has an engine oil capacity of 5.7 quarts (or 5.4 liters).

You don’t want to mix up your Focuss’ engine oil capacity with its

engine displacement

—these are two different things. The Focus’s 2.0-liter volume is the amount of space the engine’s cylinders take up, not the amount of engine oil this Focus needs. (That’s 5.7 quarts in case you weren’t paying attention.)

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What kind of oil does a 2018 Ford Focus 2.0 need?

So you know how much oil the 2018 Ford Focus 2.0 needs, but what kind of oil does it require? The Focus owner’s manual is clear—you should only use

Ford Motorcraft SAE 5W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil

. If you regularly deal with extremely cold temperatures, you can use

Motorcraft SAE 0W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil

. If you’re ever in doubt, check your Focus owner’s manual.

The numbers in the oil’s grade refer to its thickness or viscosity. The W stands for “winter”. The number 5 means this motor oil has a low thickness at 0℉, while the number 20 means this oil stays thin and lively even at extremely hot temperatures. SAE just stands for Society of Automotive Engineers, which means this viscosity is professionally approved.

So, if you’re looking for an oil that will perform even in cold temperatures, these two oil grades will get the job done while exacting the least wear and tear on your engine.

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How often to change oil on a 2018 Ford Focus 2.0

So you know what type of oil your Focus needs, but how often should you change it?

According to the 2018 Ford Focus 2.0 owner’s manual, you should change your oil every 5,000 miles. If you don’t drive very frequently, you will likely be ok to change your oil every six months.

That said, you should make a habit of checking your oil regularly, either every other time you refuel or about once per month. Look out for these signs that tell you it's time to change your oil:

Motor oil is dark brown or black (clean oil is light brown or amber, like a cup of tea).

Motor oil feels coarse or gritty to the touch.

You hear unfamiliar noises emanating from the engine.

Your nose detects unusual smells, especially anything smelling like oil, smoke, or burning.

You notice changes in your Focus’s performance.

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How to change your oil and oil filter

If you want to save yourself a few bucks (or you just can’t stand the sight of your mechanic), gather your gear and read on to learn how to

change your oil and filter

at home!

You’ll need a socket wrench, a drain pan, and a filter wrench, which is designed to remove your old oil filter. Make sure you purchase a replacement filter as well as a bottle of Ford’s recommended oil—Motorcraft SAE 5W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil.

To get started, run your engine for about five minutes to get it up to its normal operating temperature. Once your Focus is up to its normal operating temperature, shut the engine down, pop the hood, and follow these steps:

First, remove the oil fill cap.

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

Remove the old oil filter while allowing the old oil to continue draining out.

Install a new filter.

With a new washer, replace the drain bolt and tighten it to 29 pound-feet of torque.

Fill the engine up with your new oil and put the fill cap back on.

Now, turn the Focus on for about 30 seconds to let the new oil fill the filter before shutting it off again. Make sure you’ve added enough oil by checking it against your Focus’s dipstick, and top it off if you need to.

Now, run the engine for about five minutes and keep an eye out for any oil fluid leakage. If you’ve followed these instructions perfectly, the

oil pressure light

on your dashboard should be off. Feel free to dance a jig in celebration.

The last step is cleanup! Put the old oil into a sealed container and bring it to your old recycling center. Don’t throw old oil or dirty rags into the trash or onto the ground.

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