Most drain plugs land between 20 and 30 ft·lbs. Values by manufacturer and by thread size, plus why the crush washer matters more than the number.
Short answer: most passenger-car oil drain plugs are torqued to 20–30 ft·lbs (27–41 N·m). Toyota is 30 ft·lbs, Honda 29 ft·lbs, Subaru 32 ft·lbs, Ford 21 ft·lbs and GM 18 ft·lbs. The exact number matters less than fitting a fresh crush washer — a reused washer will seep no matter how hard you pull on the wrench.
| Manufacturer | ft·lbs | N·m | Typical plug | Washer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota / Lexus | 30 | 40 | M12×1.25 | Aluminium crush |
| Honda / Acura | 29 | 39 | M14×1.5 | Aluminium crush |
| Subaru | 32 | 44 | M16×1.5 | Aluminium crush |
| Nissan / Infiniti | 25 | 34 | M12×1.25 | Aluminium crush |
| Ford | 21 | 28 | M14×1.5 | Rubber O-ring or none |
| GM (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick) | 18 | 25 | M12×1.75 | None — tapered seat |
| Stellantis (Ram, Jeep, Dodge) | 20 | 27 | M12×1.75 | Steel/nylon |
| Hyundai / Kia | 25–33 | 35–45 | M14×1.5 | Aluminium crush |
| Mazda | 22–30 | 30–41 | M14×1.5 | Aluminium crush |
| Volkswagen / Audi | 22 | 30 | M14×1.5 | Integrated seal, single use |
| BMW (M12 plug) | 18 | 25 | M12×1.5 | Aluminium crush |
| BMW / Mercedes (M22 plug) | 44 | 60 | M22×1.5 | Aluminium crush |
If the make is not listed above, work from the thread. These figures assume a steel plug into an aluminium oil pan with a fresh crush washer.
| Thread size | ft·lbs | N·m | Common on |
|---|---|---|---|
| M12×1.25 | 22–30 | 30–41 | Toyota, Nissan, Subaru |
| M12×1.75 | 18–25 | 25–34 | GM, Stellantis |
| M14×1.5 | 21–29 | 28–39 | Honda, Ford, Mazda, VW |
| M16×1.5 | 29–36 | 39–49 | Subaru, some diesels |
| M20×1.5 | 33–37 | 45–50 | Light trucks |
| M22×1.5 | 44 | 60 | BMW, Mercedes |
| 1/2"-20 UNF | 20–25 | 27–34 | Older domestic V8s |
Replace the washer every time. A copper or aluminium crush washer works by deforming. Once crushed it cannot seal again, and no amount of extra torque will make it. This single item causes most drain plug leaks.
The pan is aluminium; the plug is steel. That mismatch is why over-torquing strips oil pans. A stripped pan is a several-hundred-dollar repair for the sake of a quarter turn.
Do not use an impact gun. A drain plug is a 25 ft·lbs fastener that an impact wrench will take past 100 ft·lbs before you hear the difference.
Clean the seat. Wipe the pan boss and the plug flange. A sliver of old gasket under the washer holds the joint open.
Skip the thread sealant. The seal is at the washer, not the threads. Sealant on the threads changes the friction the torque figure assumes and can end up in the sump.
Low-torque covers, inch-pound specs and sequence
Convert the figure in your service manual
Reference torque for a standard M14 fastener
Engine, suspension and brake fastener overview
Most passenger-car oil drain plugs are torqued to 20–30 ft·lbs (27–41 N·m). Toyota is 30 ft·lbs, Honda 29 ft·lbs, Subaru 32 ft·lbs, Ford 21 ft·lbs, GM 18 ft·lbs, and BMW's large M22 plug 44 ft·lbs.
Snug plus a short pull with a standard ratchet — not a breaker bar, and never a body-weight heave. Most stripped oil pans come from over-tightening by hand. If you change your own oil regularly, a 3/8-inch-drive torque wrench pays for itself the first time it saves a pan.
Yes for aluminium or copper crush washers — they seal by deforming and cannot deform twice. Vehicles that use a rubber O-ring or a tapered metal seat are the exception, and Volkswagen and Audi plugs with a moulded seal are replaced as a complete plug.
The steel plug strips the softer aluminium pan threads. Repair means an oversize self-tapping plug or a thread insert, and in the worst case a new oil pan. Over-torquing can also flatten the washer so far that it splits and leaks.
Counter-clockwise, like almost every fastener. If it will not move, make sure you are pushing the wrench in the right direction from underneath the vehicle — orientation is easy to lose on your back.