How to change the oil not in owners manual

Because they want you to bring it back to the dealer for everything.

I have owned many Fords over the years. The owners manuals never described how to change the oil (like where the oil drain plug is). You would think that would be basic. _______________________________________________

Luckily, the owners manual does tell how much oil to put in, even if it doesn't tell where to let the old oil out. They must expect Ford owners to supply the leap of intelligence.

Rodan.

My guess is that the people who write the Ford manuals assume if you aren't smart enough to figure out where the drain plug is located, you shouldn't be trying to change the oil.

My 1972 Pinto came with a do it yourself manual that included instructions for changing the oil. My SO's RAV4 Owner's Guide doesn't tell you how to change the oil. Neither does the manual for my Nissan Frontier - and changing the oil in that truck is a bitch. It took me 10 minutes to just figure out where the oil filter was located the first time and I still have the scars on my wrist from actually changing it.

For most people that are mechanically inclined figuring out how to change the oil is no big deal.

Ed

Ed gets the gold star..... there's only so much information that they can put in to an owners manual... and any owners manual I have ever seen only ever covers roadside emergencies.....

"Next we'll see "My owners manual doesn't tell me how to change my spark plugs" or "My owners manual doesn't tell me how to overhaul my differential".... as the complaint of the day.

All of these manuals assume previous knowledge for many things...... In my job, there are many times when it is important to consiuder what the manual "doesn't" say along with what it does.... But if we are to do mechanical things, it is very important that we have some sort of a skill set in place to begin with. If not, it is far better to find someone knowledgeable help teach us the rudimentary skills and we can build from that.

For the OP.... community colleges, auto clubs, high schools and even retailers sometimes offer "auto maintenance for beginners" kinds of courses. I heartily recommend taking something like this in order to familiarize ones self with cars in general before they get carried away with wrenches.

A couple of years back, a friend had her son (late teens) change the oil in her Mazda MPV.... when she tried to go to work the next morning, the car wouldn't move and the engine was 5 litres overfull.... The boy had drained the transmission pan by mistake..... Sadly, a "maintenance for neophytes" type class will not teach us to look twice, act once.

They have dealers that change oil for you. And repair manuals that have directions.

Jeff

90% of a modern car owner's manual is legal defense for the manufacturer. As a result, there is little procedural non-emergency maintenance or repair information.

If they can't figure this one out without having it spelled out for them, they should not be fooling with the oil.

Ted

you got your owners manual that tells how things work, and the service manuals that tell howto fix/service .lucas

It *is* basic, which is why it's not in there. When was the last time you purchased a regular light fixture that came with instructions on how to screw in a light bulb? If you have the skills necessary to change the oil, then the procedure is blatantly obvious to you as well.

Ever got a light bulb cross threaded ? I did & broke the glass trying to get it out.

No, but I have run across some old outdoor fixtures with corroded aluminum sockets with aluminum base bulbs in them that were pretty well welded together. I replaced the sockets.

I have owned many Fords over the years. None has had how to change the oil (like where the oil drain plug is) in the owners manual. You would think that would be basic. Fred

It IS basic, which is why it's not in there. When was the last time you purchased a regular light fixture that came with instructions on how to screw in a light bulb? If you have the skills necessary to change the oil, then the procedure is blatantly obvious to you as well. Pete C.

Ever got a light bulb cross threaded ? I did & broke the glass trying to get it out. Shawn

Good point. Don't tell the OP where to find the drain plug. Rodan