Best Oil For A Buick Envision [And How Often To Change It]

When you own the Buick Envision, you are driving a refined sport utility made for the commute and the weekend. Regular maintenance will keep your Envision humming. Expert sources have been checked, and all your Buick Envision oil questions are answered here.

General Motors designed the Buick Envision to run best on the synthetic oil SAE 0W-20 with a synthetic-designed filter. The Buick Envision manual requires changing the oil every 3,000 miles or yearly, whichever comes first.

Synthetic oil SAE oW-20 is a lighter oil that will get the engine started even on a cold 0 degrees Fahrenheit winter day. Keep reading to learn more about oil and how to change it in the Buick Envision.

What Kind of Oil Does a Buick Envision Take?

Three trim levels make up the Buick Envision model line, all running on a 9-speed automatic transmission with the 2.0 L Turbo ECOTEC 4-cylinder Engine:

Preferred
Essence
Avenir

All trim models use the Dexos 1 [GM designed synthetic oil designation] SAE [Standard of Automotive Engineers] 0W-20 partially synthetic oil. All models use this oil regardless of whether the vehicle is Front Wheel Drive [FWD] or All Wheel Drive [AWD].

What Does Motor Oil Do?

Oil lubricates the moving parts of your vehicle's engine. The engine has many moving parts that move quickly. The oil keeps them moving by reducing the friction that heats the engine. The oil keeps the engine running cooler.

What is Synthetic Oil?

General Motors' engineers developed the Devos 1 petroleum-based synthetic oil in 2011 to work better with smaller engines that may run hotter. Devos 1 Gen 2 and Devos 1 Gen 3 are formula improvements that help the catalytic converter and the engine's longevity.

What Do the Oil Symbols Mean?

Both petroleum motor oil and synthetic motor oil have symbol designation to tell the consumer how the oil will perform. Here are the meanings of the designations for SAE oW20 or SAE oW30 motor oil:

SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers
0 - Temperature at 0 degrees
W - Weather
20 - Viscosity [lower numbers are thinner oil]
30 - Viscosity [higher numbers are thicker oil]

What Kind of Oil Does a 2021 Buick Envision Take?

You can still buy a new 2021 Buick Envision at your local Buick dealer. The 2021 Envision uses SAE oW-20 synthetic oil with a synthetic filter. The Buick Envision has a 6-quart oil capacity, so make sure you buy enough oil if you are doing the oil change yourself.

Click here for Mobil 1 0W-20 on Amazon.

What Kind of Oil Does a 2022 Buick Envision Take?

When you go to your Buick dealer, you should be able to buy a brand new 2022 Buick Envision. The new 2022's also takes SAE oW-20 synthetic oil with synthetic filters.

Click here to see this oil filter for the FWD models.

How Often Do You Change the Oil on a Buick Envision?

The Buick Envision owner's manual requires you to change the oil every 3,000 miles [5,000 KM]. If you do not drive this far in one year, change the oil and the oil filter every year.

Why Check the Motor Oil Level in my Buick Envision?

When you drive your Buick Envision, the motor oil breaks down over time, becoming less efficient. You must check your engine's oil levels because if you run out of oil, the engine can seize, causing potentially catastrophic damage to the engine.

The Buick Envision Owner's Manual recommends checking the oil level every 400 miles and before long drives.

How Do You Check the Oil Level in my Buick Envision?

Park the car on level ground and wait two hours [at least 30 minutes in hot weather] for the engine to cool. Open the hood by pulling the latch in the car's wall to the left of the driverside leg well.

Learn more in our post, "How to Open A Buick Enclave's Hood."

Release the secondary hood release under the center of the hood with your fingers. On the engine, look for the circular dipstick for the oil in the center of the engine block. Remove the dipstick. Clean it on a clean cloth. Insert the dipstick back into the slot and remove it.

Examine the dipstick. If the oil level is below the crosshatches on the metal, add 1 quart of SAE oW-20 motor oil. If the oil looks dirty, you should change the oil.

Can I Change My Buick Oil Myself

Yes, you can change the motor oil on a Buick yourself. The oil filter should be accessible from the top under the hood. You will need an oil recovery pan, work rags, a 24 mm socket, a universal joint with socket wrench extension, wheel wedges, a hydraulic trolley service/floor jack, and fresh oil.

Do not use a car's scissor jack from the trunk for an oil change. It is not designed for the stability necessary for you to be under the car with the car on these jacks. Instead, invest in a hydraulic trolley service/floor jack.

Click here for a trolley service/floor jack from Amazon.

How to Change the Oil in a Buick Envision

When you are ready to change the oil in a Buick, Envision yourself following these steps:

Warm the Oil
Raise the Car
Remove the Oil Fill Cap
Remove the Old Oil Filter
Lubricate and Insert the New Oil Filter
Drain the Oil
Add 4-6 quarts of Clean Oil

1. Warm the Oil

Motor oil flows slowly when cold. Drive your Envision for fifteen minutes to get the oil warmed up for drainage. Remember it will be warm and possibly hot when you are changing it.

2. Raise the Car

Put the car wedges around the three tires away from the trolley service/floor jack. Pump the hydraulics to raise the car following the floor jack's instructions. Lock the jack.

3. Remove the Oil Fill Cap

On the engine block to the right of the dipstick is a plastic oil fill cap. Remove the cap. This will allow air to flow and help the oil drain out the bottom. You will add the new oil through this opening.

4. Remove the Old Oil Filter

The oil filter is found on the side of the engine block. It will be covered with a brown or black plastic cap. Use a 24 mm socket with a universal joint and an extension on the wrench so you can turn it to remove it. Remove the old oil filter from the plastic cap with a rag.

5. Lubricate and Insert the New Oil Filter

Carefully remove the rubber O-ring on the plastic cap. Use a bit of the old oil on your fingers to lubricate the O-ring. Put it back on the plastic cap. The lubrication will help the cap seal tightly with the new filter.

Insert the new oil filter onto the plastic cap. Gently return the filter and plastic cap into the engine block. Turn it with your hand until it is tight. Then use the 24 mm socket wrench to tighten.

6. Drain the Oil

Go under the Buick Envision and find the 10 mm drain plug. Make sure your oil recovery pan is ready below the oil drain plug. With the rag in your hand, unscrew the drain plug. The oil will drain into the oil recovery pan.

Carefully screw the 10 mm drain plug back into place. Make sure it is secure.

7. Add 4-6 quarts of Clean Oil

Begin by adding 4 quarts of new clean SAE oW-20 motor oil into a funnel on the opening where you have removed the oil fill cap. Using the dipstick check the oil level.

If needed, add more oil to fill to the crosshatches "Full" line. With the dipstick, recheck the oil level. You may not need 6-quarts of oil because some of the oil will still be in the engine. Try not to overfill the oil.

Do Not Add Too Much Oil

The engine on a Buick Enclave needs to have an oil level that is measured on the dipstick's crosshatches. If you add oil that reads above the crosshatches on the dipstick, this can also damage the engine. Drain the excess oil, or call your repair service to have them do so.

In Conclusion

Using the proper synthetic oil and oil filter will keep your Buick Envision's engine lubricated for all your driving needs. Changing the oil every 3,000 miles ensures good maintenance.

You can change the oil yourself or have a professional service center do this for you.

Before you go, check these posts on SUVs:

What SUVs Have the Highest Ground Clearance?

What SUVs Come With a Digital Dashboard?