It was finally time to change the oil on our long-term test 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid. At least we decided it was time. There is no set mileage mark at which it becomes “time” to change the oil, rather the computer measures your driving metrics and tells you when it’s time.

In our case we were sitting at 13,659 miles with 14% oil life remaining, and we just decided to do it. Do we feel like it was too long? Some people will be freaking we let it go so long, but the reality is newer vehicles with full synthetic oil don’t require the 3,000-5,000 oil changes like daddy always said.

Plus, hybrid gasoline engines are only running 40-60% of the time compared to standard gas vehicles, so they can go longer. In any case we were well within recommendations by the owners manual and the computer even at 13,000 plus miles.

The job itself is not unlike any other vehicle on the market but does have a few extra steps that add to the time and effort required. With the vehicle safely up on ramps you can see, though ours is quite dirty from off-roading, the plastic under shield has to be removed to access the engine oil drain plug and filter.

To remove the under shield you will need a Torx T-30 bit and preferably a ratchet to remove the 15 screws that hold on. Once it’s off and set aside you can see it does a great job of keeping things pretty tidy. A lot of people complain about these shields but they serve the purpose of aerodynamics and keeping road grime and mud from getting all over your important components over time.

After setting our drain pan in place under the engine, we used a 15mm socket to gently break loose the drain plug which is found at the rear facing edge of the aluminum oil pan. Our engine was cool, so twisting it out by hand was a safe thing to do. Once the plug is out, the so comes the oil. Once sufficiently drained, the plug can be put back in and tightened moderately.

The oil filter is located at the bottom front of the engine and should be able to be removed by hand, though an oil filter wrench could be necessary. With my rubber gloved hand, it was able to be worked loose with just a little bit of effort. Once it breaks loose, oil starts to flow so be prepared with your drain pan underneath and a rag close by to wipe up the mess it will make on both your hands and the surrounding parts. It’s just how it goes.

In preparing the new oil filter I always like to fill it partially with new motor oil to prevent caviation upon first start up. Just remember to subtract the small amount from the total 5.7 quart capacity of the Hybrid engine. Lastly I like to put some fresh oil on the rubber gasket to make twisting it down a bit easier with less binding.

Next is screwing the new filter into place, taking care not to spill the oil out of it. When you go to tighten, you want it to be tight enough not to leak but not so tight that you won’t be able to remove it by hand next time.

Even though your engine all sealed up and empty of the old oil and it’s time to fill it up, don’t put the plastic under shield on just yet.

To fill the engine, I purchased a 5-quart and a single 1-quart bottle of 0W20 full synthetic oil per specifications to give me the 5.7 quarts necessary. With a funnel, pour it in carefully and not too fast. Take your time and let it flow at its own pace. Once I have measured and poured the right amount, I like to walk away for a few minutes and let it settle and get a drink or snack.

Once back at it, I check the oil level to make sure I measured right and the engine is actually full and/or not overfilled. I double check to make sure the cap is back on and tight. Having verified all this, we’re good to go.

Before putting the under shield back into place, I started the engine to inspect that it was not leaking at the oil drain plug and most importantly the oil filter now that pressure is flowing through it. With the Hybrid, you can force the engine to start and run for a short time by flooring the accelerator when the system is powered on and I also turned on the AC for extra measure. No leaks.

The owners manual also t alkes of a multi-point inspection that should be done when you do your oil changes which I did, running through the checklist you can find on page 440 of the 2022 Maverick owners manual.

Here I did a visual inspection of a number of items including but not limited to the front suspension components, axle CV joints, ball joints, end links and the like looking for any leaks, looseness or damage. None. Tires are rotated rear to front, front to rear.

Under the hood, I checked and topped off both the coolant reservoirs for the main engine cooling circuit and the hybrid component cooling circuit. They are both located at the same spot and use the same coolant. Easy peasy.

Also before finishing up under the hood, I topped off the windshield washer fluid as it had gotten almost empty. Here you want to try not to fill it above the rubber o-ring where the neck connects to the main tank, so you don’t create a leak over time.

After all this, under the truck I went to put the plastic under shield back into place. It has tabs that slide into the front radiator support structure and also one that locks into the lower cross-member at the rear which and hold it in the right spot to get your fifteen Torx screws started into place and ultimately tightened.

Last thing needed is to reset the oil-life minder which is one of the easiest ones I’ve ever seen. Using the buttons on the steering wheel and following easy instructions from the owners manual its just a matter of going to the menu and clicking on “reset oil life” and holding the button down. That’s it.

In all, it took me about an hour to do this, in part because I was video recording it and took extra time to set the cameras and lighting up. It could likely be done in as little as 30 minutes without that element.