Does Changing Your Own Oil Void Warranty? (You Should Know)

Oil changing isn’t a hard job to do. Almost every car owner knows how to do an oil change. But when you change your engine oil by yourself, you may think, Does changing your own oil void warranty? 

The answer is negative. If you know to change the engine oil correctly, and if you change the oil the way the manufacturer told you to, it will not void your car’s warranty. 

But if you do something wrong, such as using another type of engine oil, using the wrong oil, doing damage while changing oil, etc., these things can void your car’s warranty. In the article, we are going to discuss it deeply.

Does changing your oil void warranty?

You don’t need a mechanic to change your oil. It’s a 20 to 30-minute job, and you can easily do it independently. If you do change the oil correctly, that will not void your warranty. But if you make some mess and make wrong steps, that can void the warranty. 

So be careful while changing the oil. You need to be careful about when you need to change your oil and which oil you should use. These two things are most important to make your warranty valid.

How to avoid voiding the car’s warranty?

There are a lot of reasons that can make your warranty void. But if you follow some simple steps, that can help you avoid voiding your car’s warranty. Here they are.

• Use the exactly recommended oil: 

Firstly, use the recommended oil. Buy the oil which is recommended for the car and the engine. In your user manual, the manufacturer mentions which engine oil is needed for your car. 

Only use that oil. Like, if your car needs 5w 30, but you are using 5w 40, that may void your warranty. If you use the wrong one, that will impact the engine and may cause some engine problems that may void your warranty. That’s why always buy the recommended oil.

• Keep a record of changing oil:

Keep records of your oil changes. While checking your car, they can ask for the record. These records will be your proof. Take the records of,

• When do you change the oil?
• How much oil do you pour into the engine?
• Which oil do you use in the engine?
• Which oil filter do you use?
• How was the count of the odometer at the time of the oil changing?

Keeping these records will make your warranty safer. It’s a good habit also.

• Use the suggested tools:

It’s easy to change the engine oil with the help of your normal garage tools. But if there are any suggestions about the tools of changing oil, then follow that. 

Sometimes using the wrong wrenches or other tools can hamper the nuts and the internal parts. So try using the recommended tools while changing. If there isn’t any tool suggestion, use the tools according to the size of the bolts.

• Use the suggested oil filter:

The oil filter is an important part of your engine. It helps the oil to be cleaned. The oil filter’s main work is collecting the oil’s dirt particles. If the manufacturer recommended any oil filter, then use that. 

And make sure to change the oil filter while changing the oil in the warrantied period. It isn’t a problem if you use one oil filter for two cycles. But when you are in the warrantied, it will be better to use one oil filter for one cycle. That will ensure cleaner oil also.

• Don’t miss an oil change:

It’s an essential thing to do. Do not miss an oil change. If the manufacturer recommends that you need to change your first oil in 3000 miles, then do it in the range. Don’t cross the limit. That may void your warranty.

If you skip an oil change and the car starts making problems, they will not validate your warranty. So, change your engine oil as the manufacturer told you to. It will help your engine to function better also.

• Follow the manual

When buying, the dealer will provide you with a user manual. You must follow the manual. In the manual, they give the proper guidance that in which way you should change your oil. Which oil filter, which oil is required, and when you need to change, all information is available in the manual. So, follow the manual.

• Read the warranty conditions closely:

While buying, they will provide you with warranty papers. Read the terms of conditions of the warranty carefully. If you follow the conditions, the validation of your warranty will be safer. Try to maintain the conditions to validate your warranty.

Things that can void your car’s warranty

There are a lot of things that can void your car warranty. You need to follow the warranty conditions to validate your warranty. It can vary from car to car and brand to brand. Here are some examples of things that can void your car’s warranty.

• Heavy off-road driving.
• Poor maintenance.
• Broken parts.
• Using wrong fluids.
• Aftermarket modifications.
• Overloading.
• Reckless driving.

These things can void your car’s warranty. So, try to avoid doing these to keep your warranty valid.

Final Words

As a car owner, almost everyone knows how to change engine oil. But people don’t want to change their first oil cycles by themselves because they have a common question, Does changing your own oil void warranty? 

If you can change the engine oil properly in the recommended way, it will not void your warranty. But you need to ensure that you are using the right oil and changing the engine oil in time. These two simple things can help you to make your warranty safer.

In the article, we discussed how to avoid voiding a warranty. If you follow those things while changing your engine oil, you may validate your warranty longer.