While your CR-V’s engine will affect how much oil it needs, it won’t have an effect on the type of oil it needs. For either engine, you should purchase the appropriate amount of premium grade 0W-20 detergent engine oil.

Here’s a breakdown of what 0W-20 means:

The numbers in the oil grade refer to the oil’s viscosity or thickness.

The first number, 0, is attached to a “W” because it articulates the oil’s “winter” viscosity when the engine is operating at very cold temperatures.

The second number, 20, articulates the oil’s viscosity at normal operating temperature.

Detergent oil means there are some additives in the oil that prevent rust, sludge, and oil deterioration.

These are relatively low numbers, designated for thinner, low-friction oil. 0W-20 is commonly used for modern gas-powered vehicles as it is great for everyday use, especially in colder climates.

Honda recommends that you use Honda Genuine Motor Oil, but any SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) rated oil will work just fine. It’s also your choice if you want conventional oil, full synthetic oil, or a synthetic blend.

Keep in mind that the oil you choose will dictate how often you need to change your oil.

How often to change the oil on a 2019 Honda CR-V

Once you’re familiar with the 2019 Honda CR-V oil capacity and type, you’re almost ready to change your oil.

Honda recommends an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles for conventional oil. However, if you drive a lot, an oil change every six months is a good benchmark to ensure your engine oil is clean of debris.

Synthetic oil has a longer service life, so you can probably wait longer between oil changes. Experts generally recommend changing synthetic oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.

If you choose a synthetic blend as an in-between option, you can expect to perform an oil change every 7,000 miles or so with this type of oil. Plus, you get added resistance to oxidation at a slightly lower cost.

With such a big range, it can be hard to gauge the best time to change the engine oil. Check your oil level regularly to confirm that an oil change is needed. These signs indicate that it may be time for some new oil:

The motor oil has turned dark brown or black—clean oil is light brown or amber

Motor oil feels coarse or gritty

The engine is making abnormal sounds

There are unusual smells, such as oil, smoke, or burning

Your vehicle’s performance has deteriorated

It’s wise to keep a log of your mileage every time you perform an oil change so that you can predict when you’ll need to change it again. Your vehicle may also include an oil sensor that alerts you when an oil change is needed.

MORE:

Can you add oil to a hot engine?

How to change your oil and oil filter

The first step is to gather your supplies:

0W-20 engine oil

A socket wrench

A drain pan

A filter wrench

A replacement filter

Materials to keep things clean, such as rags and/or a slab of cardboard

From there, follow these steps:

Park your vehicle in a safe and accessible place, such as your garage or driveway. You may wish to lay down a sheet of cardboard to protect your concrete from any oil drips.

Turn on your vehicle and run the engine for a while. You’ll want to let your CR-V reach normal operating temperature before you proceed, which may take five minutes.

Once the engine is nice and warm, turn the CR-V off, open up your hood, and remove the oil fill cap.

Get underneath the engine and carefully unscrew the oil drain bolt and washer, allowing the old oil to pour out into your drain pan.

Once the draining slows down, remove the old oil filter. Additional oil will likely continue to drain.

Once draining is complete, you can install the new oil filter and replace the oil drain bolt using a new washer and tightening it to 29 lb-ft.

Crawl out from beneath your CR-V and refill the engine with new oil, then replace the cap.

Check your work by using the dipstick to ensure you’ve added enough oil. 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.

Check for any leaks.

If the process went well,

your car's oil pressure light

on your dashboard will switch off.

Lastly, clean up carefully. Never pour dirty oil out onto the ground, down a drain, or into a standard garbage can. Instead, pour the oil into a sealed container and drop it off at a nearby recycling center for safe disposal.

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