What oil does your car take?
Pick your car and get the engine oil grade it wants, cross-checked against the OEM owner's manual and an independent source. We do not print a quart figure: capacities differ between engines in the same car, and the dipstick is a better instrument than any number we could publish because it accounts for however much actually drained out. Your manual's fluids and capacities section has the figure, on the same page as the grade.
Affiliate disclosure: CarCareTruth is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We may also earn commissions from other retailers linked on this page, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate revenue never influences our scores or rankings. Full disclosure
Pick your model year to start.
Which oil should you buy?
The grade is a fact about your car's engine. The jug on the shelf is a choice, and oils inside the same grade are not interchangeable on paper: they differ on certification currency (API SQ and ILSAC GF-7A replaced the older standards most roundups still call new), base stock, and how much evidence sits behind the drain interval printed on the front. We score and rank them on exactly that — see our ranked motor oil picks.
We're confirming oil specs car by car right now. Pick yours above — if we don't have it cross-confirmed yet, we'll point you straight to your owner's manual and the right grade on Amazon instead of guessing.
Engine oil questions
- How do I find what oil my car takes?
- Pick your year, make, and model above. For cars we've confirmed, you get the recommended viscosity grade, cross-checked against the OEM owner's manual plus an independent source. We deliberately do not print a quart figure: capacities vary by engine, and the dipstick is a better measure than any number because it accounts for how much actually drained out. Your manual's fluids and capacities section gives the figure, and the grade is also printed on the oil filler cap on top of the engine.
- Does the oil capacity include the filter?
- It matters. The capacity you should follow is the one with a fresh filter installed, because you change the filter with the oil. A 'dry' figure (engine fully drained, no filter) runs a little higher. We do not print either number, so read it off your manual and then fill to the dipstick, which settles the difference for you.
- Can I run a different grade than the recommended one?
- Sometimes. Many manuals sanction an alternate grade for hotter or colder climates — we list those OEM-approved alternates when a car has them. Stick to a grade your manufacturer actually approves; going off-spec can affect fuel economy, cold starts, and in some cases your warranty.
- Does CarCareTruth rank specific oil brands?
- Not on this page. The grade and capacity are physical facts about your engine, not a brand call, so this tool keeps the two separate. We do rank oils, in our motor oil buying guide, scored on certification currency, additive evidence and the safety data behind each formula. Get your grade here first, then take it there. We never let an affiliate link change which grade we tell you to run.