This article was co-authored by Alexander Douglas. Alexander Douglas is a mechanic at Planet Auto in California. He has been a mechanic since 1997 and is ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified. This article has been viewed 1,961,825 times.

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To change the oil in your car, start by parking your car on a level surface and putting on the parking brake. Jack the car up, place the oil drain pan underneath the engine, then give your engine about 10 minutes to cool down. Once it's cool, remove the oil plug underneath your car and allow the oil to drain out into the pan. Then, unscrew the old oil filter and screw in a new, lubricated replacement. Consult your owner's manual to see how much and what kind of oil your car takes, then add the new oil to the fill hole. To learn more from our Mechanic co-author, like how to get rid of your car's old oil, keep reading the article!