Maintenance ScheduleVehicle
How often should you change engine oil?
The right interval depends on the oil the engine was designed for, how far you drive and what kind of journeys they are. A fixed “every 3 months” is safe but often early; the handbook and the service indicator are the authority.
The answer
Change engine oil every 6 to 12 months or 5,000 to 10,000 miles, whichever comes first, and follow the handbook for your car.
Range: 6 to 12 months · checked 6 November 2026
Typical interval
What changes it
- Full synthetic oil in a modern engine: often 10,000 miles or 12 months.
- Older engines or conventional oil: commonly 5,000 miles or 6 months.
- Short trips, towing, dust and lots of idling count as severe use and shorten the interval.
- The service indicator on the dashboard is there for a reason; do not ignore it.
Do it
- Check the handbook for the oil grade and the interval.
- Check the level monthly and top up with the right grade if needed.
- Change the filter with the oil, not on a separate schedule.
- Keep the receipt or stamp the service book.
Put it in your schedule
The maker opens with Oil Change at every 12 months.
No account. The maker keeps the job in your browser and in the link.
Why this interval
The sources below give the full picture. The factors above are the ones that move the interval for most situations.
The range is a starting point, not a rule for every situation. The factors above are the ones the sources name; if your situation is different, use the range and ask a professional where the job needs one.
If you want the job in a schedule with reminders, open the schedule maker with this job already loaded. The how often index has the other jobs.
Oil Change questions
What changes the interval?
Full synthetic oil in a modern engine: often 10,000 miles or 12 months. Older engines or conventional oil: commonly 5,000 miles or 6 months. Short trips, towing, dust and lots of idling count as severe use and shorten the interval. The service indicator on the dashboard is there for a reason; do not ignore it.
Does the app use this interval?
The app’s ready-made schedule uses every 3 months for “Oil Change”. Set it to every 6 or 12 months if that is what your handbook says.
Where does this come from?
The answer is checked against 2 primary sources, linked under Sources with the date each was read.
Sources
The interval and the factors on this page are checked against these sources.