is a sporty, versatile SUV fit for anyone from adventurers to busy families. To keep your Escape in tip-top shape, you’ll need to know its engine oil capacity.

Owning an SUV comes with higher car-related costs, from everything like gas to your regular maintenance fees. But, if you own a 2020 Ford Escape, you can save money on car expenses by changing your vehicle’s oil at home. You’ll just need to know a few key pieces of information—your car’s oil capacity, the type of oil it needs, and how long you should wait between oil changes.

If you’re unsure about this information and you’ve misplaced your owner’s manual, you’ve come to the right place.

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needs, is here with what you need to know for this task. We’ll cover the 2020 Ford Escape’s engine oil capacity, the type of oil it requires, and how long you should wait between oil changes.

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2020 Ford Escape engine oil capacity

Before getting into the nitty-gritty details about your 2020 Ford Escape’s oil, we need to cover the big question—how much oil does the engine in your Escape need?

This sporty SUV’s engine needs 5.4 quarts, or about 5.1 liters, to function properly. This is an important measurement, especially if you’re changing your car’s oil yourself. Be sure to not confuse your oil capacity with your engine displacement, which is a different measurement that describes the volume your engine’s cylinders occupy. These measurements aren’t interchangeable, so it’s important to keep them straight.

What kind of oil does a 2020 Ford Escape need?

Now that you know how much oil your Escape needs to function properly, it’s time to cover what type of oil it requires. Every car requires a different type of oil depending on its engine’s specifications, and the 2020 Ford Escape is no exception.

When visiting your local auto shop to purchase new oil for your Escape, keep an eye out for 5W-20 synthetic or synthetic-blend oil. This is what Ford recommends, and it’s wise to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

If you’ve never read an oil type before, this strange combination of numbers and letters is probably confusing. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to figure out. Let’s walk through what this oil type means together.

The “W” means this oil performs well in winter conditions. The number 5 which directly precedes the “W” tells us that this oil type has a low viscosity when your engine isn’t running, which is great for cold startups. Finally, the number 20 means that this oil also flows thin when your car’s engine has reached its normal operating temperature.

In other words, this oil type performs well in a variety of weather conditions—especially when it gets cold. Its low viscosity creates less

wear and tear on your car

engine, as it’s able to flow through your engine’s parts quickly.

Synthetic oils perform better at high operating temperatures. Plus, they typically last longer than conventional oil, so you may find you’re able to go longer between oil changes than your friends or family who use conventional oil.

There are tons of great 5W-20 synthetic oil options on the market. If you’re not sure where to start, here are our favorite options:

For OEM enthusiasts: if you’d like to stick to the exact manufacturer recommendations, go with

Motorcraft 5W-20 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil

For advanced protection and performance: to protect your engine and go longer between oil changes, opt for the

Mobil 1 5W-20 Advanced Full Synthetic Engine Oil

For high mileage vehicles: If your car is approaching or has surpassed the 100k-mile mark, choose the

Mobil 1 5W-20 High Mileage Engine Oil

, which is designed to extend your engine’s life.

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Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change oil on a 2020 Ford Escape

You’re almost ready to change your Escape’s oil, but we need to cover one more key detail first—how often should you change the oil on a 2020 Ford Escape? Similar to oil types, the answer to this question changes depending on the kind of car you have. In this case, you should aim to change your oil every 3000 to 5000 miles, or about once every 6 months—whichever comes first.

While this is a pretty reliable benchmark, you may find that you need to change your Escape’s oil more frequently than this to ensure it’s performing optimally. Watch out for these signs that your Ford Escape needs an oil change:

Engine oil that looks opaque black or brown

The

engine oil is gritty

or coarse

Weird sounds coming from under the hood

Your car smells like oil, smoke, or burning when it’s running

Your car’s efficiency and performance have slipped

MORE:

Ford lug pattern guide

How to change your oil and oil filter

After about six months or 5000 miles have passed, it’s time to change your Escape’s oil. Before you get started, you’ll need these tools and materials to get the job done:

Funnel

Rags

Oil filter

Oil collection pan

5.4 quarts of 5W-20 oil

You’ll need to run your engine for about five minutes before starting. Then, shut off the engine, open the hood, and begin changing your oil with these steps:

Place the collection pan underneath your car. Unscrew the drain plug all the way to let the old oil flow out of the reservoir.

Take the old oil filter out and install a new one.

Screw the drain plug back on tightly to avoid any leaks.

Remove the engine oil cap under your Escape’s hood.

Use your funnel to pour 5.4 quarts of 5W-20 oil into the oil reservoir.

Look closely at the oil dipstick to ensure you’ve poured enough oil into your engine. Add more if needed, but don’t overfill the reservoir.

Start your engine for a few extra minutes to let the oil flow through the engine. Watch out for any leaks while it’s running.

MORE:

Ford common problems

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Doing routine maintenance on your Escape, like changing the oil on a regular basis, is a great way to keep it running well for years.

Experts say that you should look over your

car insurance

policy every six months to make sure you are getting the best rates for your Escape. If that sounds like a lot of trouble, don't worry—

Jerry

is here to help!

Jerry contacts your insurance company to find out about your current coverage so you don't have to ask a million questions yourself. You get the best prices and coverage without having to do any work to find them. If that's not enough, Jerry can also help you cancel your old policy!

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