The 2012 Ford F150 is a great pickup truck—it’s a lot of people’s first choice when thinking about reliable trucks. To keep yours running for as long as possible, you need to understand its oil capacity.

With everything getting more expensive nowadays, it’s only a matter of time before car maintenance costs start making a serious dent in your wallet. On top of your regular car insurance payments and the potential for emergency repairs, you might want to save some money by doing an oil change at home.

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2012 Ford F150 5.0 engine oil capacity

First, determine how much oil you need to buy for your 2012 Ford F150 5.0’s oil change.

The 2012 Ford F150 5.0L has an oil capacity of about 7.7 quarts or 7.3 liters. Be careful not to confuse this with the 5.0 L in the name of the car. Your Ford F150 has an engine displacement of 5.0L, which tells us how much space its cylinders take up. Oil capacity, on the other hand, tells you the amount of oil your engine needs to run.

What kind of oil does a 2012 Ford F150 5.0 need?

Next, you need to determine the type of motor oil you should be purchasing for your 2012 Ford F150. According to Ford, you should use SAE 5W-20 motor oil when changing your oil.

Let’s break down what this means. The W stands for winter, meaning that this type of oil works well in colder temperatures. The 5 means that the oil is less viscous at a lower temperature, while the 20 tells you that it flows well at the engine’s normal operating temperature.

You’ll also have to decide between conventional and synthetic oil when shopping around. While convention oil works with your engine, synthetic oil is less intensive on the vehicle, meaning it lasts longer.

The Ford owner's manual specifically recommends using Motorcraft® SAE 5W-20 Premium Synthetic Blend Motor Oil in your vehicle. However, if you are unable to find this specific oil, another brand will do just fine as long as it meets the same standards of quality.

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

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How often to change oil on a 2012 Ford F150 5.0

Ford recommends that drivers of the 2012 Ford F150 should be changing their oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles. However, this range can vary depending on factors like your driving habits and the type of oil you’re using.

To check to see if you need an oil change sooner, look out for the following:

Darker, grimy motor oil: Typically, clean motor oil is lighter in color, and if you notice that your Ford’s oil is dark or brown, or even gritty in texture, that’s a sign that you need an oil change

Unfamiliar noises: If you’re driving and you hear screeching sounds, you might need an oil change

Strange smells: Notice any sudden smells when driving? If you smell something burning, oil or smoke, that might be a sign to change your Ford’s oil

Decrease in performance

MORE:

The most common Ford problems

How to change your oil and oil filter

Now that you know when you need to change your 2012 Ford F150’s oil, have the following items ready:

A socket wrench

A bucket or drain pan to catch the old oil

A filter wrench that can remove the old oil filter

A new filter

5W-20 motor oil

Here are the steps to changing your Ford F150’s oil:

Turn on your engine to warm it up. In normal weather, this should take around five minutes, but in colder temperatures, it might take longer

Once your engine is ready, turn your Ford’s engine off and open the hood

Proceed to remove the oil fill cap

Take a look under your engine to find the oil drain bolt and washer. Take them out, and let the oil drop into your drain pan

Remove the old oil filter, and replace it with the new filter

Tighten the oil drain bolt and washer back on, and add your new oil until the dipstick’s capacity has been reached

You can close your hood and run the engine to double-check for leaks

Clean everything up by bringing the old oil to your recycling depot in a sealed container

After changing your oil, it’s a good idea to turn on your car and let your engine run for about 30 seconds before you check the oil level. This will give you a more accurate measurement, and you’ll be able to top it off if necessary.

Once you’ve finished, a sign of a successful oil change is whether your

oil pressure light

has turned off.

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Congrats! You’ve changed your Ford F150’s oil! Looking to save some more money on car insurance?

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