Engine oil and filter

Summary

Source: owner's manual / last verified 2026-10-16 (2018 GMC Terrain owner's manual, engine oil and capacities (opens in a new tab)).

Safety

• Used oil is a skin hazard. Wash it off. Do not leave it on your skin.
• Do not overfill. Drain the excess or have it removed if the level is above the cross-hatched range.
• A gasoline grade is not a diesel grade when this book lists both.

Symptoms

• The oil life system decides the change from engine revolutions, temperature, and miles. A CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message means change the oil as soon as possible within the next 1 000 km (600 mi). Under the best conditions the system might not call for a change for up to a year. The oil and filter must still be changed at least once a year, and the system reset then. If the system is reset accidentally, change the oil at 5 000 km (3,000 mi) since the last change.
• The level is the dipstick. Oil above or below the cross-hatched operating range can damage the engine.

Diagnosis

1. 1.5L L4 gas (LYX), all-wheel drive, VIN V: 5.0 L (5.3 qt) with the filter. dexos1. For the LYX 1.5L turbo: dexos1-approved ACDelco full synthetic 0W-20, dexos1-approved Mobil 1 full synthetic 0W-20, or any other 0W-20 meeting dexos1 second generation.
2. 1.5L L4 gas (LYX), front-wheel drive, VIN V: 4.0 L (4.2 qt) with the filter. Same 0W-20 dexos1 list as the all-wheel-drive 1.5L. The with-filter oil quantity is not the same.
3. 2.0L L4 gas (LTG), all-wheel drive, VIN X: 5.7 L (6.0 qt) with the filter. dexos1. Use SAE 5W-30 for the LTG 2.0L turbo. Below −29 °C (−20 °F), an SAE 0W-30 may be used.
4. 2.0L L4 gas (LTG), front-wheel drive, VIN X: 4.7 L (5.0 qt) with the filter. Same SAE 5W-30 dexos1 rule as the all-wheel-drive 2.0L. The with-filter oil quantity is not the same.
5. 1.6L L4 diesel (LH7), VIN U: 5.0 L (5.3 qt) with the filter. dexos2 of the proper SAE viscosity. ACDelco dexos2 is recommended. If dexos2 is unavailable, a substitute meeting ACEA C3 of the appropriate viscosity may be used. The SAE 5W-30 sentence in this book is for the LTG 2.0L turbo, not this diesel.
6. Capacities are approximate. Fill to the level the dipstick shows.
7. If the oil is below the cross-hatched area, the book says to add 1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil and recheck.
8. No drain-plug torque is printed. This page does not add one.
9. Do not add anything to the oil. The book says flushes are not recommended.

Tools

• Drain pan

  For the used oil. The book says to recycle it and not to pour it on the ground.

• Oil-filter wrench

  The maintenance table names the filter. It does not name a wrench size.

• Funnel

  For the fill. Stop at the dipstick range. The book says too much oil can damage the engine.

• Clean rag

  The checking steps say to wipe the dipstick with a clean paper towel or cloth.

Specifications

Steps

1. 01Change on the oil life system

   The oil life system decides the change from engine revolutions, temperature, and miles. A CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message means change the oil as soon as possible within the next 1 000 km (600 mi). Under the best conditions the system might not call for a change for up to a year. The oil and filter must still be changed at least once a year, and the system reset then. If the system is reset accidentally, change the oil at 5 000 km (3,000 mi) since the last change.

2. 02Match the engine before you buy oil

   1.5L L4 gas (LYX), all-wheel drive, VIN V: 5.0 L (5.3 qt) with the filter. dexos1. For the LYX 1.5L turbo: dexos1-approved ACDelco full synthetic 0W-20, dexos1-approved Mobil 1 full synthetic 0W-20, or any other 0W-20 meeting dexos1 second generation. 1.5L L4 gas (LYX), front-wheel drive, VIN V: 4.0 L (4.2 qt) with the filter. Same 0W-20 dexos1 list as the all-wheel-drive 1.5L. The with-filter oil quantity is not the same. 2.0L L4 gas (LTG), all-wheel drive, VIN X: 5.7 L (6.0 qt) with the filter. dexos1. Use SAE 5W-30 for the LTG 2.0L turbo. Below −29 °C (−20 °F), an SAE 0W-30 may be used. 2.0L L4 gas (LTG), front-wheel drive, VIN X: 4.7 L (5.0 qt) with the filter. Same SAE 5W-30 dexos1 rule as the all-wheel-drive 2.0L. The with-filter oil quantity is not the same. 1.6L L4 diesel (LH7), VIN U: 5.0 L (5.3 qt) with the filter. dexos2 of the proper SAE viscosity. ACDelco dexos2 is recommended. If dexos2 is unavailable, a substitute meeting ACEA C3 of the appropriate viscosity may be used. The SAE 5W-30 sentence in this book is for the LTG 2.0L turbo, not this diesel.

3. 03Do not invent a drain torque

   No drain-plug torque is printed. Get a service procedure for this vehicle before you treat a number from another year as this one.

4. 04Refill and recheck

   Capacities are approximate. If the level is below the cross-hatched area, add 1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil and recheck. Do not add anything else to the oil.

5. 05Reset the oil life system

   Display REMAINING OIL LIFE on the driver information center menu. Press and hold V for several seconds while the Oil Life display is active. REMAINING OIL LIFE 100% means the reset worked. The book also allows a reset in Service Mode: display REMAINING OIL LIFE, then fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times within five seconds. If the display changes to 100%, the system is reset. If CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON returns at the next start, repeat the procedure.

Common mistakes

• Using one engine's quart or grade on another engine in the same table.
• Copying a 2016 Cruze fill onto a 2018 Cruze, or a Cruze fill onto a Terrain.
• Inventing a drain-plug torque.
• Skipping the oil-life reset, or resetting it without changing the oil.

Parts and tools

Outbound links only. BaySheet does not sell parts. Confirm fitment on the retailer page. Amazon links are searches for a real part name plus this vehicle. Tool rows do not get a product search. The search is not a part number.

• Part

  GM 12640445

  Engine oil filter for the 2.0L L4 gas (LTG), front-wheel drive. ACDelco PF64.

  2018 Terrain maintenance replacement parts (opens in a new tab)Search Amazon.com (affiliate link) (opens in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Part

  GM 55588497

  Engine oil filter for the 1.6L L4 diesel (LH7). ACDelco PF2264G.

  2018 Terrain maintenance replacement parts (opens in a new tab)Search Amazon.com (affiliate link) (opens in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Tool

  Drain pan

  For the used oil. The book says to recycle it and not to pour it on the ground.

  McMaster-Carr drain pans (opens in a new tab)

• Tool

  Oil-filter wrench

  The maintenance table names the filter. It does not name a wrench size.

  Tekton oil-filter wrenches (opens in a new tab)

• Tool

  Funnel

  For the fill. Stop at the dipstick range. The book says too much oil can damage the engine.

  McMaster-Carr funnels (opens in a new tab)

• Tool

  Clean rag

  The checking steps say to wipe the dipstick with a clean paper towel or cloth.

  McMaster-Carr shop towels (opens in a new tab)

Questions

Sources

• 2018 GMC Terrain owner's manual, engine oil and capacities (opens in a new tab). General Motors. Published 2017-09-15. Read 2026-10-16.

Checklist and email notes

The maintenance checklist is on the site now. The email list is not sending yet, so this box will not store an address.

Other repairs on this 2018 Terrain

All GMC Terrain repairs

This repair on other vehicles

These guides cover the same kind of work. Their numbers belong to those vehicles, not to this one.