This is one of the easiest jobs on the 10th-gen Civic. Both the 2.0L K20C2 and the 1.5L turbo L15B7 use a 17 mm hex drain plug in an aluminum pan and the same 65 mm, 14-flute spin-on cartridge filter, both reachable from below once the plastic lower engine cover is off. That cover is the only real chore: 10 mm bolts plus plastic push-clips that snap if you pry them with a screwdriver.
Two things people get wrong. First, reusing the aluminum crush washer or leaning on the drain plug with a breaker bar - 29 ft-lb and a fresh washer is all it wants, and a stripped aluminum pan is an expensive mistake. Second, overfilling: fill short, check the dipstick, then top up. On 1.5T cars also pay attention to oil smell and level, since fuel dilution in cold-climate short-trip driving can raise the level and shorten the useful oil life well before the Maintenance Minder asks for a change.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum Lifts the front of the car to reach the drain plug and filter. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 2 ton pair, pinch-weld pads Supports the car at the front jack points while you work underneath. | Safety | shop |
| Wheel chocks Keeps the car from rolling while raised at the front only. | Safety | shop |
| Socket wrench 3/8 in drive ratchet Drives the splash shield and drain plug sockets. | Required | shop |
| Socket 10 mm 6-point, 3/8 in drive Removes the bolts holding the plastic lower engine cover/splash shield. | Required | shop |
| Trim clip tool Plastic pry / clip removal set Pops the plastic push-clips on the splash shield without breaking them. | Recommended | shop |
| Socket 17 mm 6-point, 3/8 in drive Removes the engine oil drain plug. | Required | shop |
| Oil filter cap wrench 65 mm, 14 flutes, 3/8 in drive Removes and installs the spin-on cartridge filter in tight quarters. | Required | shop |
| Drain pan 6 quart low-profile Catches the old oil from the pan and the filter. | Required | shop |
| Funnel Long-neck Refills through the valve cover filler without spilling. | Required | shop |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 10-80 ft-lb Sets drain plug torque so you don't strip the aluminum pan. | Required | shop |
| Nitrile gloves Keeps hot used oil off your skin. | Safety | shop |
| Shop rags Wipes the sealing surface and catches drips off the subframe. | Consumables | shop |
| Engine oil 0W-20 full synthetic; 2.0L approx 4.4 qt, 1.5T approx 3.7 qt with filter Honda specifies 0W-20 for both engines in this generation. | Parts | shop |
| Oil filter Honda 15400-PLM-A02 (or A01/A02 equivalent), 65 mm 14-flute Same filter fits 2.0L and 1.5T in this generation. | Parts | shop |
| Drain plug crush washer 14 mm ID aluminum, Honda 94109-14000 One-time-use washer; reusing it is the usual cause of a weeping drain plug. | Parts | shop |
| Brake cleaner or degreaser Cleans oil off the pan, subframe and splash shield after the drain. | Consumables | shop |
Tool sizes are identical across the generation: 17 mm drain plug, 65 mm 14-flute filter cap, 10 mm undertray bolts on 2.0L, 1.5T, Si and Type R. Only capacity differs - roughly 3.7 qt with filter on the 1.5T, about 4.4 qt on the 2.0L, and more on the Type R's K20C1 (verify in the owner's manual). All specify 0W-20 full synthetic.
| Engine oil drain plug | 29 ft-lb (39 Nm) |
| Oil filter (spin-on cartridge) | Hand tight then 3/4 turn past gasket contact, about 17 ft-lb (23 Nm) |
| Lower engine cover / splash shield bolts | About 7 ft-lb (9 Nm) - snug only, plastic threads |
The 17 mm drain plug, 65 mm/14-flute filter cap and 10 mm splash-shield bolts are correct across the 10th generation, and 29 ft-lb is the published drain plug spec; verify exact oil capacity for your engine on the underhood label or owner's manual, and fill by dipstick rather than by the bottle.
17 mm, six-point, on a 3/8 in drive. Torque it to 29 ft-lb (39 Nm) with a new 14 mm aluminum crush washer (Honda 94109-14000).
A 65 mm, 14-flute cap-style wrench on a 3/8 in drive. It fits the Honda 15400-PLM-A02-style filter used on both the 2.0L and 1.5L turbo.
Roughly 3.7 US quarts with a filter change on the 1.5L turbo and about 4.4 quarts on the 2.0L, both 0W-20 full synthetic. Fill about half a quart short and top up by dipstick.
Turn the ignition on, use the steering-wheel display buttons to scroll to the Oil Life / Maintenance screen, hold the select button until the reset menu appears, then confirm 100%. No scan tool needed.