2017 Elantra 5W-20 to 5W-30?

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May 20, 2026
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The wife and I have a 2017 Elantra I started doing oil changes on after getting a house + garage. Typical recommended spec per the owner's manual is Quaker State 5W-20 however the provided temp chart also lists 5W-30 as an alternative for hotter temperatures and even 10W-30. The car also eats a little bit of oil - at the 6 month mark before I last changed the oil, the oil line was hovering right above the L. We live in Houston which gets very hot during the summer so this being the case I figured switching to 5W-30 is a good idea so I went ahead and did the change using Quaker State full synthetic.

My question is this: is it a bad idea to switch back and forth between 5W-20 and 5W-30 every 6 months? I just did the change with 5W-30 in time for summer, but the next time it comes time to do it will be right in time for winter which doesn't get freezing cold but the temperatures still drop. I'm fairly certain the car will keep eating the 5W-20 at a faster rate than the 5W-30 due to the lower working temp viscosity. Would I be better off just running 5W-30 from now on regardless of whether its summer or winter?

Also am I ok switching the viscosity grade between 20 and 30 just by letting the old oil drain out and nothing else? Don't need a more in-depth oil pan clean out or flush or anything like that?
 
If you are going to switch to a 5W-30, which is completely safe, you might as well go with Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30. You very well have some packed oil control rings increasing/causing the consumption issue. Many users on here have had great success with the Valvoline Restore and Protect.

You really have no need for the 5W-20, even in winter. The 30 grade will protect the engine better when it’s hot, which it is in summer and “winter” in Houston.
 
I run 5W-30 Valvoline Restore and Protect in my daughter in laws 2.0L NU '21 Tucson. Short trips were killing it with fuel dilution so I was doing 3000 miles / 6 months. Trips are longer now so currently 4k / 6 months which is Hyundai "severe service". Actually 3750 is but I'm good with that.

I'm doing the Valvoline Restore and Protect to hopefully keep the oil burning away.
 
Changing oil viscosity for Summer and Winter went the way of the DoDo with the normalization of multigrade oils in the '60s.
There is no advantage to a lower upper ( the -x number) viscosity in Winter since the appropriate "W" for "Winter" takes care of that. The engine doesn't care about ambient temps at operating temp.
People still think they need to do it, but they aren't very knowledgeable about how engines operate.
 
Changing oil viscosity for Summer and Winter went the way of the DoDo with the normalization of multigrade oils in the '60s.
There is no advantage to a lower upper ( the -x number) viscosity in Winter since the appropriate "W" for "Winter" takes care of that. The engine doesn't care about ambient temps at operating temp.
People still think they need to do it, but they aren't very knowledgeable about how engines operate.
TIL. Thank you :)
 
The wife and I have a 2017 Elantra I started doing oil changes on after getting a house + garage. Typical recommended spec per the owner's manual is Quaker State 5W-20 however the provided temp chart also lists 5W-30 as an alternative for hotter temperatures and even 10W-30. The car also eats a little bit of oil - at the 6 month mark before I last changed the oil, the oil line was hovering right above the L. We live in Houston which gets very hot during the summer so this being the case I figured switching to 5W-30 is a good idea so I went ahead and did the change using Quaker State full synthetic.

My question is this: is it a bad idea to switch back and forth between 5W-20 and 5W-30 every 6 months? I just did the change with 5W-30 in time for summer, but the next time it comes time to do it will be right in time for winter which doesn't get freezing cold but the temperatures still drop. I'm fairly certain the car will keep eating the 5W-20 at a faster rate than the 5W-30 due to the lower working temp viscosity. Would I be better off just running 5W-30 from now on regardless of whether its summer or winter?

Also am I ok switching the viscosity grade between 20 and 30 just by letting the old oil drain out and nothing else? Don't need a more in-depth oil pan clean out or flush or anything like that?
Go only with a good 5W30, Hyundai - Kia engines want thick beef.
 
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