Tools you need for oil change on a 2012-2016 Honda CR-V

This is about as easy as modern oil changes get. The K24 in the 4th-gen CR-V has a 17 mm drain plug on an aluminum pan and a conventional spin-on filter low on the front of the block, so you don't need to deal with a cartridge housing or an oil cooler. Most of the work is jacking the front end up high enough to get your shoulders under there.

The things people get wrong: reusing the aluminum crush washer (it seeps), gorilla-tightening the drain plug into the aluminum pan, and cranking the new filter down with the cap wrench so the next person needs a hammer and screwdriver. Also check that the old filter's gasket didn't stay behind on the block - that mistake empties the sump in under a minute. Finally, reset the maintenance minder, otherwise the oil life percentage keeps counting down from where the last change left it.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2012-2016 generation

Every 2012-2016 CR-V sold in North America uses the 2.4L K24 four-cylinder (K24Z6 for 2012-2014, Earth Dreams K24W for 2015-2016), and the tooling is identical: 17 mm drain plug, 14 mm crush washer, 65 mm 14-flute filter cap wrench, 0W-20 oil. The only real difference is that 2015-2016 models more often have a full plastic lower undertray held by 10 mm bolts and Phillips screws.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Run the engine 3-5 minutes so the oil is warm but not scalding, then shut it off and set the parking brake.
2. Chock the rear wheels, jack the front at the center subframe jack point and lower onto jack stands under the reinforced pinch weld points. Never work under the jack alone.
3. Open the hood and loosen the oil fill cap on the valve cover so the pan drains freely.
4. If your trim has the full lower engine undertray, remove the 10 mm bolts and Phillips screws and set it aside. Many CR-Vs have an access hole that lets you reach the drain plug without removing it.
5. Position the drain pan under the drain plug on the rear-passenger side of the oil pan and break the 17 mm plug loose with the ratchet, then finish by hand.
6. Let it drain 5-10 minutes. Wipe the plug and pan boss clean, fit a NEW 14 mm aluminum crush washer, and torque the plug to 29 ft-lb. Do not go by feel - the pan is aluminum.
7. Move the drain pan under the oil filter at the lower front of the block, passenger side. Fit the 65 mm 14-flute cap wrench on an extension and break the filter loose, then spin it off by hand and let it drain while keeping it upright as best you can.
8. Check that the old filter's rubber gasket came off with it and is not stuck to the block. Wipe the mounting surface clean.
9. Smear fresh oil on the new filter's gasket, thread it on by hand until the gasket contacts the base, then tighten 7/8 of a turn (about 17 ft-lb). Do not use the cap wrench to crank it tight.
10. Reinstall the undertray if you removed it, lower the vehicle to level ground.
11. Add about 4 quarts of 0W-20 through the fill hole, install the cap, wait a minute, then check the dipstick and top up to the upper mark. Total with filter is roughly 4.2-4.4 qt.
12. Start the engine, confirm the oil pressure light goes out within a couple of seconds, and let it idle a minute. Shut off, wait 3 minutes, recheck the level and look for leaks at the plug and filter.
13. Reset the maintenance minder: with the ignition on, press SEL/RESET on the steering wheel or dash to reach the oil life display, hold it until it blinks, then hold again to reset to 100%.
14. Take the used oil and filter to a recycling center.

Watch out

The 17 mm drain plug, 14 mm crush washer, 65 mm 14-flute filter wrench and 29 ft-lb plug torque are correct for all 2012-2016 CR-V 2.4L; confirm exact oil capacity against the dipstick and your owner's manual, since the 2015-2016 Earth Dreams K24 can differ slightly from the 2012-2014 K24Z6.

Other jobs on the 2012-2016 Honda CR-V

Oil Change on other vehicles