The Toyota Camry takes 4.5 quarts of oil on the 2.5-L model and 5.7 quarts on the V6 model. Make sure to change your oil every 6 months or 5,000 miles—whichever comes first.

Rising gas prices and inflation sure don’t make being a car owner any easier. To

save on car expenses

, you can do some car maintenance tasks yourself, like oil changes. It may be intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be glad to have learned a new skill and saved some money along the way!

Stick around to learn all about the Toyota Camry’s engine oil capacity. We’ll teach you how much motor oil and what kind of oil the Camry needs, how often to change it, and the process of completing an oil change on your own!

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How to save on Toyota Camry insurance costs

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Toyota Camry engine oil capacity

How much oil a Toyota Camry holds depends on its engine type. A 2.5-L four-cylinder Camry needs 4.8 quarts of oil, while the larger 3.5-L V6 Camry requires almost an entire quart more of oil at 5.7 quarts.

Remember to stick to these numbers when performing an oil change or you risk damaging your vehicle. If you add too much oil, the excess can leak out of the exhaust—but if you add too little, the engine can accumulate buildup and cause your Camry to slow down.

In addition, engine oil capacity is different from

engine displacement

or the volume taken up by an engine’s cylinders.

What kind of oil does a Toyota Camry need?

Don’t pour in just any motor oil in your Camry! Like oil capacity, the type of oil you need will depend on the engine.

The Toyota Camry with a 2.5-L four-cylinder engine needs ILSAC GF-6B multigrade engine oil with a viscosity of SAE 0W-16, such as

Mobil 1™ Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-16

On the other hand, the 3.5-L V6 Camry should get ILSAC GF-6A multigrade engine oil with a viscosity of SAE 0W-20, like

Ultra1Plus SAE 0W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil

How to read engine oil

The engine oil grades and names above may have just looked like a scramble of letters—but we’ll teach you how to make sense of them! Here’s how to read engine oil grade and viscosity:

ILSAC GF-x multigrade engine oil: ILSAC develops the standards for engine oil used in gas-powered vehicles. The number and letter pair followed by “GF” refers to its special feature, from protecting against low-speed pre-ignition wear-and-tear to improving fuel economy.

SAE: Stands for Society of Automotive Engineers and is a mark of approval from the organization that grades engine oil viscosity.

xW: The number preceded by “W” (winter) refers to how thick or thin engine oil is in cold temperatures. Zero is the thinnest, while 25 is the thickest. You’ll want a thin viscosity for an easy start-up in the winter.

xx: The final digits refer to oil viscosity amid hot temperatures, like when the engine is in operation. In this case, 20 is the thinnest viscosity and 60 is the thickest.

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How often to change oil on a Toyota Camry

Motor oil is hydration for your engine. Without that liquid gold, friction builds up in the engine which causes overheating and results in a car that must work harder to get to where it needs. That’s why it’s best to change your oil every six months or 5,000 miles on a Toyota Camry, whichever comes first.

Lost count of how long it’s been since your last oil change? Luckily, your Toyota will flash an “Engine Oil Level Low Add or Replace” message in the multi-information display on your dashboard. Change your oil as soon as possible when you see this message!

If you like to be ahead of the game, it’s best to check your oil every month or every other visit to the gas station. Watch out for these signs that indicate you need a fresh change of oil:

Dark, cola-colored oil (clean oil is translucent like tea)

Sludgy, gritty, or coarse-textured oil

Unfamiliar noises coming from the engine

Smoky or burning smells coming from the engine

Vehicle is performing poorly

MORE:

What to do if you have black and gritty engine oil

How to change your oil and oil filter

Changing your oil means changing your filter, too—you’ll want a squeaky clean start after all!

Here are the tools you need to perform an oil change:

2 jack stands

Socket wrench

Drain pan

Filter wrench

Replacement filter

Funnel

4.8 or 5.7 quarts of motor oil

Sealable container for used oil

To begin, you’ll need to park your Camry on level ground and warm up the engine for 5 or more minutes. Then, follow these steps:

Raise your vehicle to get easy access underneath the engine.

Get under the vehicle and remove the four-bolt access panel to the oil pan and oil filter using a socket wrench.

Position the drain pan under the oil drain.

Remove the oil drain plug and allow the oil to pour into the drain pan. Be careful as the oil may be hot! You can also twist off the engine oil filler cap to speed up the drainage.

While waiting for the oil to drain, use a filter wrench to remove the old filter and let it drain.

When oil is no longer pouring out, replace the oil drain plug and tighten it closed with a wrench. Similarly, install a replacement filter and tighten it closed with your hand (not too tight!).

You can now reinstall the access panel.

Now it’s time for the oil change! Use a funnel and pour in 4.8 or 5.7 quarts of motor oil.

Check the oil levels with the dipstick. The oil should not exceed the second notch on the dipstick.

Warm up your engine for 5 minutes or more and you’re done!

Finally, don’t forget to properly dispose of the used oil at a recycling center or your local auto shop and reset your maintenance reminder system!

With your car on, use your steering wheel controls to navigate to the Settings option (a gear icon) of the multi-information display. Select it and scroll to the second last menu item (a car with a gear icon) and hold OK. Select “Scheduled Maintenance” and select “Yes” to reset the system.

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was the ideal choice for getting things done without long phone calls and waiting periods.” —Rosa G.