The 2018 Nissan Altima 2.5 has it all: good gas mileage, a comfortable interior, and great safety features. But to keep your Altima running at its best, it might help to know its oil capacity.

It’s no secret that one of the most effective things you can do to extend your vehicle’s life is to keep up with routine maintenance tasks like oil changes. If you opt to do so at home, you can save a decent amount of time and money—but you’ll need to know your Altima’s oil capacity and oil type to get the job done right.

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2018 Nissan Altima 2.5L engine oil capacity

Even within the same make and model year, certain vehicles can come with different engine options, and that’s the case for the 2018 Nissan Altima. The type of engine your Altima has will affect its oil capacity.

The 2018 Nissan Altima 2.5-liter engine has an oil capacity of 4.9 quarts, or about 4.6 liters. It also has an

engine displacement

of 2.5 liters—but this isn’t your oil capacity, it’s the collective volume of the engine’s cylinders.

What kind of oil does a 2018 Nissan Altima 2.5 need?

It’s not enough to know your engine’s oil capacity—you’ll also need to know what kind of oil it requires.

The 2018 Nissan Altima 2.5-liter engine uses synthetic 0W-20 SN motor oil. Just what does that mean? The “0” here refers to the engine oil’s viscosity or thickness at colder temperatures before you’ve started your Alimta’s engine, while the “20” refers to its viscosity at normal engine operating temperatures.

Having the correct viscosity grade is essential for ensuring the motor oil can circulate through the engine properly—and the wrong kind could cause severe damage to your engine. The “SN” is an oil classification code from the American Petroleum Institute (API).

Nissan’s top pick:

Genuine Nissan Motor Oil 0W-20

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change oil on a 2018 Nissan Altima 2.5

Now you know what kind of engine oil your Altima needs and how much—but how often should you

change the oil and filter

in your Nissan?

Generally, you should change your vehicle’s oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles when using conventional oil or every 7,500 to 10,000 miles if you use synthetic oil.

However, when you need to change your oil might vary depending on your typical driving conditions. If you’ve been driving on dusty dirt roads, in stop-and-go traffic, or up and down steep inclines, you might require an oil change sooner than expected.

That’s why vehicle experts recommend periodically checking your engine oil’s condition—about once a month or whenever you’re refueling. If your Altima is due for an oil change, here are some signs you might notice:

Your motor oil is dark brown or black (fresh engine oil is light brown)

The motor oil has a grainy texture, indicating debris buildup

You hear strange noises coming from the engine

You smell oil or burning scents coming from the engine

You notice your vehicle performance has worsened

MORE:

Basic car maintenance schedule

How to change your oil and oil filter

When it’s time for your Altima’s engine oil change, you’ll need to have some supplies on hand. That will include:

A socket wrench

An oil filter wrench (tool used to remove oil filters)

New washer for your drain bolt

New oil filter

Fresh 0W-20 engine oil

Towel(s) for cleanup

Drain pan

Funnel

Once you have the materials, you can begin by running your engine for a few minutes to warm the oil for easy draining. Then, shut your engine off,

open the hood of your car

, and proceed:

Remove the oil fill cap

Underneath the vehicle, remove the drain bolt and washer and allow the engine oil to empty into the drain pan

Remove the old oil filter and replace it with the new one

Once the oil has finished draining, replace the drain bolt with a new washer

With the help of your funnel, add fresh engine oil to the proper level, then replace the fill cap

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.

Once you’ve gotten this far, you can run your engine a few minutes again and check around for any leaks. Then, after the engine has cooled off, you can check the oil level one last time to ensure it’s still where it should be, topping it off if you need to.

One final step! You’ll need to properly dispose of your old engine oil, since it’s an environmentally hazardous material. Many cities will have recycling locations that accept it, and so do certain auto shops and car dealerships.

MORE:

Are Nissans expensive to maintain?

Remember regular insurance policy maintenance

Considering all the maintenance and repair costs that come with car ownership, it’s a good idea to do whatever you can to

save money on car epxneses

—like changing your oil at home and regularly reviwing your car insurance costs!

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