The 2018 Nissan Sentra offers a smooth, spacious ride—but if you want to enjoy it for the long haul, it might help if you know its engine oil capacity.

One of the most important things you can do to ensure your car lasts as long as possible is to keep up with basic maintenance tasks like oil changes. If you’re taking care of an oil change yourself at home, you’ll need to know your engine oil capacity and what kind of oil your Sentra needs.

Here with those answers—plus more oil change tips—is

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2018 Nissan Sentra engine oil capacity

So, first things first: just how much engine oil does a 2018 Nissan Sentra need?

Certain vehicles can have different engine oil capacities based on their engine type, even within the same make and model year—which is the case for the 2018 Nissan Sentra.

The 2018 Nissan Sentra’s 1.8-liter MRA8DE engine has an oil capacity of 4.25 quarts or about 4 liters. The 1.6-liter MR16DDT engine has an oil capacity of about 4.6 quarts, or about 4.4 liters.

If you’re not sure which engine your Nissan Sentra has, you can check your owner’s manual, your vehicle purchase or registration papers, or the information on the engine itself.

MORE: How much should an oil change cost?

What kind of oil does a 2018 Nissan Sentra need?

In addition to knowing how much engine oil your Nissan Sentra needs, it’s essential to know what kind it requires. After all, using the wrong kind of engine oil can result in extensive and costly engine damage.

The 2018 Nissan Sentra uses synthetic 0W-20 engine oil.

Here’s a breakdown of what those numbers mean. The “0” refers to the engine oil’s viscosity or thickness at colder temperatures before your engine has heated up. The “20” refers to its thickness at normal engine operating temperatures.

Using an engine oil with the correct viscosity grade ensures the oil can properly circulate through the system the way that it needs to. You’ll also want to verify the engine oil you pick has an API certification seal to confirm it’s met the necessary quality standards.

As you explore your engine oil options, here are several worth looking into:

Nissan’s recommendation: Your 2018 Nissan Sentra owner’s manual will recommend opting for

Genuine Nissan Motor Oil

as a first choice.

Other full synthetic options: A few more full synthetic engine oils you could pick up at an auto parts store include

Valvoline Advanced

Castrol Edge

, and

STP Dexos

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change oil on a 2018 Nissan Sentra

Once you know your Sentra’s oil capacity and type, you can pick out a product for your oil change—but when should that oil change take place?

The 2018 Nissan Sentra owner’s manual recommends changing your engine oil about every 5,000 miles. If you drive more infrequently, you might still want to change your engine oil every six months to keep it clean and free of excess buildup.

That said, if you’re driving in more severe conditions, like extensive idling, repeated short trips of five miles or less, or on dusty dirt roads, you might need to change your engine oil even sooner.

That’s why it’s a good idea to periodically monitor your engine oil about once a month or whenever you’re refueling. If your Nissan Sentra is ready for an oil change, here are some signs you might notice:

Engine oil is dark brown or black in color (new engine oil is a light brown)

Engine oil has a thick or gritty consistency

The engine is making strange noises

You notice oil or burning scents coming from the engine

You notice worsening vehicle performance

MORE:

Car loans for Nissan 2022

How to change your oil and oil filter

When you’ve decided your Sentra is ready for an oil change, it’s time to gather some essential tools and supplies. Just some of the materials you’ll want to have on hand include:

A socket wrench

An oil filter wrench (tool used to remove oil filters)

A new washer for your drain bolt

A new oil filter

Fresh engine oil

Funnel

Towel(s) for cleaning up

Once you have everything you need, you can get started by letting your engine run for just a few minutes—this will heat up the engine oil, making it easier to drain.

Then, here’s how you can proceed:

Under the hood, remove the oil fill cap

Underneath the vehicle, remove the drain bolt and washer and allow the engine oil to empty into the drain pan

Remove the old oil filter and replace it with a new one

Once the oil has completely finished draining, replace the oil drain bolt with a new washer

Add fresh engine oil to the proper level and replace the oil fill cap

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.

From here, you can let the engine run for a few more minutes and check around for any leaks. After you turn it off, let the engine cool and check the oil level one last time, topping it off if necessary.

One final step—be sure to properly dispose of that used engine oil. It’s environmentally hazardous, so you can’t just dump it out or throw it out with your regular trash. Instead, you can drop it off at your city’s designated location. Certain car repair shops and dealerships accept used oil, too.

MORE:

Remember regular insurance policy maintenance

Now that’s one less car maintenance item to worry about for a while! While you keep tabs on other maintenance tasks,

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