Quick answer: Oil Change on a 2017–2020 Hyundai Elantra is rated Moderate and takes about 30-45 minutes. You'll need 5 tools for this job, and parts cost about $42. This guide walks you through the full job step by step, including the mistakes to avoid.
Oil spec
2.0L I4 (Nu MPI)
Capacity 4.2 qt with filter Viscosity 5W-20, 5W-30 Spec ACEA A5/B5
| Part Name |
Part Number |
Price |
Buy |
| Engine Oil (5W-20 or 5W-30) |
— |
$30.00 |
|
| Oil filter |
— |
$12.00 |
|
| Drain plug washer |
— |
— |
|
About prices: shown prices are typical retail averages and change frequently; cheaper alternatives may be available. Confirm the current price before buying.
💡 Pro tip: Order all parts at once to save on shipping
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps carefully
1
Warm up, chock, and open up
Drive the Elantra for about five minutes to warm the oil, then park on a flat surface, apply the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels. The 2017–2020 Elantra with the 2.0L engine uses a conventional spin-on oil filter underneath the engine — not the cartridge design found on newer Hyundais — so buy a spin-on filter matched to your exact year and engine. Pop the hood, find the oil fill cap on top of the valve cover, and loosen it so the crankcase vents while draining. Confirm the correct oil weight and quantity from your owner’s manual and the stamp on the filler cap; do not guess.
🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado
In my experience, Make sure you buy the SPIN-ON filter — the counter guys love handing you a cartridge for this car because the newer Elantras take one. Double-check the year on the box.
2
Raise the car and find the service points
Lift the front on ramps or a floor jack with rated jack stands on the front subframe or marked pinch-weld points. Locate the oil pan and identify the 17 mm drain plug on it, plus the spin-on filter mounted nearby on the block.
3
Drain the oil
Slide the drain pan under the plug, slightly angled since the oil shoots out at first. Crack the 17 mm plug loose with a socket, then unscrew by hand, pressing inward so it doesn't fall into the hot oil.
4
Remove the old spin-on filter
Loosen the canister counter-clockwise with a 74–76 mm cap-type filter wrench on a 3/8-inch ratchet (the Elantra's small-diameter canister slips inside larger universal wrenches). Wipe the mounting flange clean and confirm the old gasket came off with the filter.
🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado
Use the 74–76 mm cap wrench. A strap wrench will crush that little canister before it breaks loose, and then you're cutting a filter off with a chisel — ask me how I know.
5
Install the new filter
Spin the filter on by hand until the gasket just contacts the engine, then tighten another three-quarters of a turn by hand. Wipe the flange area dry so you can spot any weep afterward.
6
Refit the drain plug
Thread the drain plug in by hand to make sure it starts straight, then tighten with the 17 mm socket to the manual's torque — snug and leak-free, not gorilla-tight; the pan threads are aluminum and strip easily.
7
Check the level, verify for leaks, tidy up
Seat the filler cap firmly. Start the engine, idle a minute, and watch the filter and drain plug area for drips; shut down, recheck the level, and top up if it dropped. Reset the maintenance reminder through the cluster menus if your trim has one.
All Done!
Test your repair before closing everything up. If something doesn't work right, double-check your steps.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- • Buying a cartridge filter — the 2017–2020 Elantra 2.0L uses a spin-on canister, unlike newer Hyundai engines.
- • Using an oversized universal filter wrench that slips on the Elantra’s small-diameter filter.
- • Over-tightening the aluminum oil-pan drain plug and stripping the threads.
- • Reusing the painted-on stock drain plug washer, which then weeps oil.
