If you call a 2021 Kia Telluride your own, you’ll want to make sure you make the most of your investment by keeping up with routine maintenance. If you’re looking to monitor your own oil levels, you’ll need to know your engine oil capacity.

Keeping your Telluride supplied with clean motor oil is one of the most important things you can do to extend its overall lifespan. For drivers who feel comfortable doing so, opting to take care of oil changes themselves can help cut down on car ownership costs.

To do so properly, you’ll need to know what kind of engine oil your 2021 Kia Telluride needs as well as its oil capacity. Here with those answers and more is

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2021 Kia Telluride engine oil capacity

Too much or too little oil could prevent the engine oil from circulating the way that it needs to, which could cause costly damage to your Kia’s engine.

The 2021 Kia Telluride owner’s manual states that its engine oil capacity is 6.87 quarts, or about 6.5 liters.

What kind of oil does a 2021 Kia Telluride need?

Just as important as knowing how much engine oil to use is knowing what kind. Using an incompatible motor oil could end up causing serious damage to your engine or void your vehicle’s warranty.

The 2021 Kia Telluride’s recommended oil is SAE 5W-30 full synthetic engine oil. This number gives you information about the motor oil’s thickness or viscosity. The “5” refers to its viscosity at cold temperatures before engine startup, while the “30” refers to its viscosity once the engine has reached normal operating temperatures.

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How often to change oil on a 2021 Kia Telluride

Finally, knowing when to change your oil is essential—wait too long, and engine parts may not get lubricated as they should, or excess debris in the oil could lead to sludge buildup, filter clogs, and (you guessed it) engine damage.

The 2021 Telluride’s owner’s manual recommends

changing your engine oil

and filter every 7,500 miles or every 12 months, whichever comes first.

However, if you’re frequently driving your Telluride under more strenuous conditions—like, say, for instance, up and down steep mountain inclines, on dusty gravel roads, or you spend extended periods of time idling in traffic—you might need to replace your motor oil more often than you’d otherwise need to.

Under severe usage conditions, it’s recommended you replace your Telluride’s engine oil every 3,750 miles or every six months.

Since when you should actually change your engine’s oil can vary somewhat depending on the conditions your vehicle has been exposed to, it’s important to check your engine oil periodically.

If you notice any of the following signs, your 2021 Kia Telluride might be past due for an oil change:

Engine oil is black or brown, as opposed to light brown

Engine oil has a grainy texture, indicating debris in the oil

Low engine oil level

Unusual new engine noises

Engine doesn’t run as efficiently, or fuel economy declines

Rough-running engine

Oil, smoke, or burning smells

Low oil pressure,

check engine

, or oil change indicator lights turn on

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Are Kias expensive to maintain?

How to change your oil and oil filter

When it’s officially time for an oil change, the first thing you’ll need to do is assemble your supplies. Here are the items you’ll want to have on hand:

A socket wrench

An oil filter wrench

A new washer to use with your drain bolt

Fresh engine oil

A drain pan

A funnel

Gloves

Towel(s) for cleaning up

Once you have all you need, you can get started by running the engine for a few minutes to heat up the engine oil, which will help it drain faster. Then, you can shut off your engine. The following are the general steps involved with an oil change:

Unscrew the oil filter cap

Get underneath the engine, then remove the undercarriage cover or bracket to access the oil drain bolt

Remove the oil drain bolt and washer and let the motor oil empty into the drain pan

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

When the oil finishes draining, replace the oil drain bolt with a new washer

Replace the undercarriage cover

Back at the hood of your Telluride, add fresh engine oil to the correct fill level

Replace the oil filler cap

Once you’ve made it this far, it’s time to look over your work!

Let your engine run a few minutes to allow the new engine oil to circulate

Check around for any leaks

After turning off your engine again, use your dipstick to check your oil level and top it off if necessary

Properly dispose of your used engine oil in a sealed container at a local recycling facility

MORE:

9 questions to ask when comparing car insurance quotes

Remember regular insurance policy maintenance

That’s all there is to it! In addition to those routine oil changes, it’s also helpful to perform some routine car insurance maintenance by checking around for better

Kia insurance costs

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