The 2014 Ford Escape is a do-it-all midsize SUV, great for families, morning commutes, road trips, and everything in between. To make sure your Escape keeps up with your lifestyle, you’ll need to know its engine capacity.

SUV ownership comes with a laundry list of car maintenance tasks that can add up quickly. Interested in cutting down on these costs? If you’re a 2014 Ford Escape owner, you can slash your oil change costs by doing the job at home. You’ll just need to know your car’s oil capacity, oil type, and how long you should wait between oil changes to do it.

Whether you’ve misplaced your owner’s manual or you’re simply looking for an easy-to-follow guide,

Jerry

, the trusted app for

car insurance

savings, is here to help. We’ll cover everything you need to know about changing your Escape’s oil at home.

As a bonus, we’ll even show you how to lower your

Ford Escape insurance costs

. Let’s get started!

Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Get ahead of my car maintenance

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

2014 Ford Escape engine oil capacity

First things first—you need to know how much oil the engine in your Escape needs before moving on to its oil type, or how often you should change the oil.

Your 2014 Ford escape requires 4.3 quarts, or about 4 liters, to run correctly. It’s easy to confuse this number with your car’s engine displacement. Your engine displacement is the volume your engine’s cylinders occupy, so it’s not interchangeable with your oil capacity.

Do your best to keep these numbers separate.

MORE:

How to test an oil pump

What kind of oil does a 2014 Ford Escape need?

Your Ford Escape requires a unique type of oil with a certain consistency to keep it in top shape, so it’s important to fill your engine with this type of oil instead of the first jug you see on the shelf.

When shopping for new oil for your

Ford

, choose 5W-20 synthetic or synthetic-blend oil. Ford recommends this oil type for your car, and it’s best to stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Oil types can seem confusing to read, but they’re very easy to understand once you know what each number and letter stands for. Let’s break it down together.

The “W” at the beginning of the oil type indicates that this oil type is well-suited for winter conditions. The number 5 right before the “W” lets us know that this oil type has a thin consistency at your engine’s starting temperature. Lastly, the number 20 tells us that this oil maintains its thin viscosity when your engine is at running temperature.

So, what do all these details mean? Simply put, this kind of oil is a great choice if you drive in a variety of weather conditions. Its thinner consistency allows it to flow throughout your engine quicker than a thicker oil would, which creates less wear on your engine.

Additionally, synthetic oils last longer than typical conventional oil and they tend to have the best performance under high engine temperatures. It’s possible that you’ll go longer between oil changes with synthetic oil than you’ve gone with conventional.

When it comes to quality 5W-20 synthetic oil, there are lots of great choices on the market. But to adhere to the owner’s manual to a tee, opt for

Motorcraft 5W-20 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change oil on a 2014 Ford Escape

Now that you know your Escape's oil capacity and type, it’s time to

change your car’s oil

! Or is it?

You’re missing one last piece of information before you can change your car’s oil, which is how often you should change its oil. Ford recommends changing your Escape’s oil every time 3,000 to 5,000 miles have elapsed, or roughly once every 6 months—whichever comes first.

Generally, you should be able to rely on this benchmark to change your vehicle’s oil at the right time, but sometimes, you may have to change it before your car collects another 3000 miles on its odometer. Watch out for the following signs that it’s time for an oil change:

Dark black or brown oil in the reservoir

Your oil looks grainy instead of smooth

Strange noises coming from your engine

Oil, smoke, or burning smells while driving your car

Your car is less efficient than it used to be

MORE:

How to find your Ford radio code

How to change your oil and oil filter

If either 3,000 to 5,000 miles have been added to your odometer, or it's been about 6 months since your last oil change, it’s finally time to change your Escape’s oil. Make sure you have these tools and materials on hand before starting this task at home:

Funnel

Rags

Oil filter

Oil collection pan

4.3 quarts of 5W-20 oil

Let your engine run for approximately five minutes, then turn it off, carefully open the hood, and start your DIY oil change by following these easy steps:

Put the collection pan underneath your car, positioned directly under the drain plug. Loosen the drain plug all the way to allow your old oil to empty out into the pan.

Remove your used oil filter and replace it with a new filter.

Put the drain plug back on tightly to safeguard against leaking.

Take the engine oil cap off, which you’ll find under your Escape’s hood.

Pour 5.4 quarts of 5W-20 oil into the oil reservoir, with the help of your funnel.

Take a look at your dipstick to figure out whether you’ve poured enough oil into your engine. Add more if you need to, but don’t overfill the reservoir.

Once you’ve completed all the steps, start your engine again to let the new oil flow through the engine. And that’s it—congrats, you’ve changed your car’s oil at home!

MORE:

What to do if you have black and gritty engine oil

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Completing routine vehicle maintenance tasks, like changing your car’s oil regularly, is an excellent way to keep it running smoothly for years.

Experts recommend that you revisit your insurance policy every six months to guarantee you’re getting the best rate. If that sounds like a hassle, have no fear—

Jerry

is here to help!

Jerry contacts your

car insurance

company to get the details of your current coverage so you don’t have to scale a mountain of questions. You get all the best prices and coverage with none of the legwork. And if that isn’t enough for you, Jerry can even help cancel your old policy.

“When we added a new car to our family, we were shocked at how high our current insurer was going to hike our rates. We used
Jerry
for some comparison shopping and are now saving around $1000 a year. Thank you, Jerry!” —Darius P.