--- title: Nissan Maxima oil change: grade, interval, what we check url: https://xpressoilandlube.com/vehicles/nissan/maxima/ business: Xpress Oil & Lube (Xpress Oil & Lube Center) shops: Reno Northwest: 6100 Mae Anne Ave, Reno, NV 89523, (775) 447-1601, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Reno South: 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502, (775) 447-9585, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed; Carson City: 1861 E College Pkwy, Carson City, NV 89706, (775) 434-1986, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Gardnerville: 1293 US Hwy 395 N, Gardnerville, NV 89410, (775) 392-9017, Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm, Sat 9 am-3 pm, Sun closed type: Drive-in oil change and vehicle maintenance, no appointment needed, since 1983 --- Today's coupons - $10 off full-service oil change - $5 off smog check - $25 off transmission fluid service [See all coupons](https://xpressoilandlube.com/coupons/) - [Home](https://xpressoilandlube.com/) - [By vehicle](https://xpressoilandlube.com/vehicles/) - [Nissan](https://xpressoilandlube.com/vehicles/nissan/) - Maxima # Nissan Maxima Oil Change: The 3.5L V6, by the Manual The 2016 to 2023 Maxima runs the 3.5L VQ35DE V6, and the 2023 Maxima Owner's Manual lists 0W-20 SP oil and 5-1/8 quarts with the filter. Nissan's schedule is every 7,500 miles or 6 months under normal driving and every 5,000 miles or 6 months under severe conditions. ★★★★★ 4.7 stars from 952 Google reviews Nissan built the Maxima for decades and ended production after the 2023 model year, so every one we see now is a car its owner chose to keep. The eighth generation from 2016 on is a smooth, quick sedan with a V6 and a CVT, and it rewards owners who stay on top of the basics. Our Longley Lane service center sees a lot of them from south Reno and the Damonte Ranch area. ## At a glance - VQ35DE 3.5L V6: NISSAN 0W-20 SP or equivalent, 5-1/8 qt with filter - 7,500 miles or 6 months normal; 5,000 miles or 6 months severe - In-cabin microfilter at 15,000 miles in the 2023 manual - Premium fuel, 91 AKI, recommended in the manual ## Oil, fill and what the 2023 manual allows The capacities table in the 2023 Maxima Owner's Manual recommends Genuine NISSAN Motor Oil 0W-20 SP, or a synthetic 0W-20 GF-6 SP if that is not available. It lists 5-1/8 quarts with a filter change and 4-3/4 quarts without. We fill to the listed amount and then confirm on the dipstick. Earlier Maximas, including the seventh generation through 2014, used older versions of the same engine family and may list a different grade. On those cars the cap and the original manual decide. ## Normal or severe in south Reno The manual offers two schedules and lets the owner choose by how the car is driven. Severe conditions include repeated short trips under 5 miles, short trips under 10 miles in freezing weather, hot rush-hour stop-and-go, long idling, dusty conditions, rough or muddy roads and using a car-top carrier. A Maxima that runs the Meadowood and South Virginia corridor in July traffic, or makes short winter hops, belongs on the 5,000-mile column. A Maxima that mostly cruises US-395 or I-80 at a steady speed is closer to normal use. You know how your car is driven better than we do, and we will tell you which column your history looks like. ## Smoke season and the in-cabin microfilter Most summers bring at least a few weeks when wildfire smoke from California or the Sierra settles over the Truckee Meadows. The cabin filter, which Nissan calls the in-cabin microfilter, is what stands between that air and the people inside, and the 2023 manual schedules its replacement at 15,000 miles. After a heavy smoke season it can be gray long before that. We pull it and show it to you next to a new one. Our [smoke season filter guide](https://xpressoilandlube.com/guides/cabin-air-filter-smoke-season/) explains what to expect and when recirculate mode helps. ## CVT fluid and coolant life Every eighth-generation Maxima uses Nissan's Xtronic CVT. The manual schedules a CVT fluid inspection and says to replace it every 60,000 miles if you use a car-top carrier or drive on rough or muddy roads, or to have the dealer read the fluid deterioration data. We check for leaks and can quote a [transmission fluid service](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/transmission-fluid-service/) with Nissan's specified CVT fluid. The factory-fill coolant, Nissan's blue Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant, has a stated life of 105,000 miles or 7 years. A car at or past that point is a candidate for a [coolant service](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/coolant-flush/), and we check the strength before recommending one. ## Maxima service checklist - 0W-20 to the 5-1/8 quart fill, a new filter and the maintenance reminder reset - In-cabin microfilter and engine air filter shown - Coolant level and strength, brake fluid level, belts and hoses - Battery test at participating locations - Tire pressure, headlights, tail lights and wipers ### Sources - [nissanusa.com/content/dam/Nissan/us/manuals-and-guides/maxima/2023/2023-nissan-maxima-owne](https://www.nissanusa.com/content/dam/Nissan/us/manuals-and-guides/maxima/2023/2023-nissan-maxima-owner-manual.pdf) (Nissan 2023 Maxima Owner's Manual, VQ35DE 3.5L V6: 0W-20 SP, 5-1/8 qt with filter; oil and filter every 7,500 miles or 6 months standard, 5,000 miles or 6 months severe; in-cabin microfilter at 15,000 miles; CVT fluid every 60,000 miles with a car-top carrier or rough roads; factory coolant 105,000 miles or 7 years; premium 91 AKI recommended. Read 2026-11-03) - [ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) (NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals: Reno-Tahoe airport 65 days at 90 F or hotter, 6 at 100 F, 122 nights at or below 32 F, 20.9 inches of snow, 7.35 inches of precipitation; Carson City 146 and Minden 188 freezing nights. Read 2026-11-03) ### Your service center: Reno South - Call [(775) 447-9585](tel:+17754479585) Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed - Address 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502 [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=4993+Longley+Ln%2C+Reno%2C+NV+89502&destination_place_id=ChIJc5xNCcI_mYARXjHn3y79iJw) ### What a customer said Reno Northwest The guy who did the work was conscientious, not pushy, and showed that he cared. Thanks! [All reviews](https://xpressoilandlube.com/reviews/) ### Related - [Nissan oil change](https://xpressoilandlube.com/vehicles/nissan/) - [Nissan Altima oil change](https://xpressoilandlube.com/vehicles/nissan/altima/) - [Cabin air filter](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/cabin-air-filter/) - [Reno South service center](https://xpressoilandlube.com/locations/reno-longley/) - [Cabin air filters in wildfire smoke season](https://xpressoilandlube.com/guides/cabin-air-filter-smoke-season/) Drive in. No appointment. Drive out. Locally owned in Northern Nevada since 1983. No appointment, no pressure: we tell you what the inspection found and you decide. 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The 2023 Maxima Owner's Manual recommends NISSAN Motor Oil 0W-20 SP or a synthetic 0W-20 GF-6 SP oil. ### How much oil does a Maxima hold? 5-1/8 quarts with the filter for the 3.5L V6, per the 2023 manual. ### How often should my Maxima get an oil change? Every 7,500 miles or 6 months under normal use, or every 5,000 miles or 6 months under severe conditions, per Nissan's schedule in the 2023 manual. ### Does my Maxima need premium gas? The 2023 manual recommends premium unleaded with at least 91 AKI. It allows regular if premium is not available, with some loss of performance.