BMW Engine Oil Change DIY

Need to Oil Change your BMW? Learn how to do it by following the procedures below.

Regular oil changes are one of the most important things to keep your BMW engine healthy. Changing the engine oil on a BMW is easy, and most DIYers can complete this job in less than one hour.

What you will need

• Engine Oil – Capacity – 7 Quarts
  • Recommended choices are Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30 or Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40. A very popular choice among BMW enthusiasts is Liqui-moly 0w-40.
  • Vehicles with S54, S62, S65, or S85 engines require 10W-60 full synthetic oil such as Castrol SAE 10W-60.

• BMW Oil Filter
  • The replacement filter should be designed for at least 7500-mile oil change intervals. Use a long-life filter to take advantage of extended oil change intervals. A cheap BMW filter can cause oil pressure issues or provide no filtering over 5000 miles.
• 86mm Oil Filter Tool 
• Wheel Chocks
• Car Jacks
• Jack Stands
• Oil Drain Pan
• Ratchet Wrench
• Metric Sockets

Procedure

How to change engine oil and filter on a BMW:

1. Jack up your BMW. Secure the vehicle with jack stands even if you are using car ramps. Allow the engine to cool down.
2. Set the parking brakes and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
3. Check if your BMW has an access panel. ​​​Remove the engine splash shield under the engine.
4. Remove the plastic shield under your vehicle’s engine if no access panel is present.
5. Remove the 17mm drain bolt and drain the engine oil on the oil pan.
6. Allow the engine oil to drain for at least 15 minutes.
7. Replace the washer on the drain bolt. A new washer should be included with your engine oil filter.
8. Remove the oil filter. Use a BMW oil filter wrench to remove the oil filter.
9. Ideally, you want to use the BMW oil filter tool, but oil filter pliers will work as well.
10. Replace o rings on the oil filter.  The O rings on the oil filter housing should be changed every time you change the oil filter. New O rings will be included with the new BMW oil filter.
11. Install the oil filter and torque it to 25Nm.
12. Install the drain plug and torque it to specification. Typical BMW oil drain bolt torque is 25 Nm (18.4 ft-lb).
13. Do not install the drain bolt without a crush washer. Leaks can develop if a drain bolt is installed without a washer.
14. Add engine oil. Locate the oil fill cap and remove it by turning it counterclockwise. Start by adding 6 quarts.
15. Wait five minutes, then check the engine oil level. Some BMWs do not have an oil dipstick, so you will have to check the oil level via the instrument cluster.
16. Add oil as required and keep checking the engine oil level via the iDrive.
17. Reset Oil Service Reminder. Once the oil level is correct, you can start the engine.
18. Reset BMW oil service reminder.

Reset BMW Oil Service Reminder

When your BMW is due for an oil change, you should get a reminder on the iDrive indicating that the engine oil needs to be changed.

You should also keep a record of the last time you changed your BMW oil.

Change BMW engine oil based on the recommended interval based on the oil and filter you use.

• iDrive message reminding you to change Engine Oil
  • Remaining Oil Life 0%
• If you have exceeded your BMW oil change interval significantly, you may also get a message on iDrive stating Engine Oil Pressure is too low. Possible engine damage. Switch off the engine. Continued driving is not possible; please contact the nearest BMW center.
  • This may come up if the oil level is too low, which may be when oil leaks or burns.
• Engine oil at a minimum level. Add 1-quart oil as soon as possible; refer to the owner’s manual.
  • This message will come up if the oil change has been overdue, there is an oil leak or the engine burns oil.

When Does a BMW Need an Oil Change?

When using an approved BMW synthetic oil and filter, BMW recommends getting an oil change every 7,500-10,000 miles. This range can vary between engines.

The best way to find the correct BMW oil change interval is to check at the end of your owner’s manual. Some BMW models can go 15,000 miles before needing an oil change, while older BMWs require an oil change every 3,000 miles.

Torque Specifications

The most common torque specifications for the BMW oil filter and drain plug are:

• Oil filter: 25 Nm (18.44 ft-lb)
• Oil drain plug:  25 Nm (18.4 ft-lb)

Verify these values in your owner’s manual.

Frequently Asked Questions

We hope you find the BMW Engine Oil Change DIY guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your BMW.