How-To do a Basic Oil Change on your Jeep Wrangler

An oil change is one of the most essential and regularly performed maintenance procedures on your average passenger car. If you are a regular road tripper, or planning a long trip, you'll want to make sure your oil level and quality is checked regularly, and you know how to do it yourself if need be. Below I'll cover the basic steps for changing the oil in my road trip vehicle of choice: my 2017 Jeep Wrangler.

1. Gather Your Supplies: The first step of your oil change is making sure you have the proper tools and supplies. For this job, you will need the correct oil for your vehicle and a plastic funnel, a high quality filter, a socket to remove the drain plug, a catch basin for the old oil and plenty of trash bags or old towels to protect the surface under your car. 
2. Drain Old Oil: Once you are all set up with your supplies, remove the drain plug and allow the dirty old oil to flow out into the catch basin while you prepare your other steps. Be careful that you have a large enough basin for your oil and that you protect the surface underneath you with newspaper, trash bags or towels. 
3. Replace Oil Filter: Remove the cover protecting your engine and unscrew the compartment containing the oil filter. Dispose of the old filter while making sure the new filter is fastened securely into its spot. 
4. Re-Attach Drain Plug: Slide back under your car and use one of the sockets to re-attach the drain plug before you fill your car with fresh oil. Make sure the bolt is fastened securely, so that no oil can leak out. 
5. Fill With Fresh Oil: Use a funnel to help pour the new oil into the car, keeping close attention to where you put it in, specifically removing the cap for "motor oil" or "engine oil" and steadily pouring the fresh oil in. 

Once you finish topping your car off with oil, make sure everything is screwed and fastened back into place and turn your car on, checking for any issues that may have popped up during the process. YouTube is a great resource for helping with handy tasks like an oil change, especially if you aren't a very mechanically intelligent person, so remember to search for instructions regarding your specific vehicle. With regular maintenance, you can take almost any vehicle on a great road trip! Good luck!