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How To

How to Change Oil on a BMW X5

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(4 Ratings)

Regular oil changes to your BMW X5 3.0i is the best way to ensure strong and long-lasting engine life. Forgetting to change your oil regularly may cause sludge to build up, reduce horsepower and damage your engine. For your BMW X5, you should change your oil when told by the display on your dashboard or approximately every 10,000 miles. Read on to learn how to change oil on a BMW X5.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Wheel chokes
  • 3/8-inch wrench
  • 36 mm socket
  • Towels
  • Flat blade screw driver
  • 17 mm socket
  • Oil pan
  • 7.5 quarts of 5W-30 full synthetic oil
  • Oil filter kit
  1. Step 1

    Park your BMW X5 in a clean and open area to work with. Once you have moved your car, make sure that the parking brake is engaged and block the rear tires with wheel chokes. This step ensures that your car won't move while you are working underneath your BMW.

  2. Step 2

    Open the hood of the BMW X5. Use the 3/8-inch socket wrench and 36 mm socket to open the oil filler element cap and set it aside. Use a towel to clean out the canister that holds the oil filter in your car.

  3. Step 3

    Remove the oil cap from your BMW's engine and go underneath your car. There will be two trap doors, and one of the trap doors contains the oil drain plug. Pop open the trap door using a flat head screwdriver to expose the oil drain plug. Refer to your user's manual for the correct trap door to open.

  4. Step 4

    Unscrew the oil drain plug with the 3/8-inch socket wrench and 17 mm socket. Once you have loosened the plug, place the oil pan underneath the your car and continue to unscrew the plug until all of the oil drains out.

  5. Step 5

    Put the crush washer that came with your oil filter kit onto the oil drain plug and screw it back in to a torque spec of 18 ft. lbs. or 25 Nm and close the trap door.

  6. Step 6

    Fill the car with 7.5 quarts of full synthetic oil and screw the oil cap back onto your car when you are finished.

  7. Step 7

    Replace the old oil filter and o-ring on your oil filler element cap. Use the 3/9 in socket wrench and 36 mm socket and screw the it back in to a torque spec of torque spec of 18 ft lbs or 25 Nm.

Tips & Warnings
  • If you find it difficult to get underneath your car, then buy ramps at any automotive store.
  • Working underneath your car can be dangerous. Remember to put your car on a flat surface, engage the parking brake and use wheel chokes when you are working on your BMW.
  • Use full synthetic oils only and do not overfill your car with more than 7.5 quarts of oil. You can damage your car severely if you do so.
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