To maintain performance and engine longevity, oil changes every 5,000-10,000 miles (I suggest every 5,000 miles) or 12 months are essential.
Especially on vehicles like the BMW X5, where luxury meets the ultimate performance, to keep the engine running smoothly oil changes should be done on a scheduled regular basis.
Changing the oil on a BMW is one of the basic DIYs, that every enthusiast and car owner should know.
Changing the oil on your own is another way to save money, where any BMW dealership would charge $200-$280, you could easily cut the cost in half.
By following this guide you could easily perform this task in under 30 minutes with about $100-$120 costing.
So, in this blog, I’ll give you a step-by-step guide that will make you an expert in changing oil and start your DIY journey. (if you haven’t started yet)
Table of Contents
Here are all the tools you’ll need to perform an oil change on your BMW X5:
So, firstly gather all the necessary tools & now let’s get into the step-by-step guide.
Now, before starting this guide prepare all the necessary tools and wear safety glasses and gloves.
This step can vary depending on what you’re using to lift your car. Always remember to do a 15-20 minute drive before starting the process. It will make the oil drain more smoothly with any particles in it.
So, read carefully both ways.
Using Car Ramps: If you are using a car ramp, then align the ramps in the center of the front two wheels of your BMW X5. Then Press the gas slowly until the wheels get on top of the ramps.
Now always remember to apply a handbrake, this will prevent the car from rolling back from the car ramps.
Using Jack: Now if you have a jack and jack stands, simply lift the car with a jack using the jack point on the front of your car.
Which should be located in front of the stiffening plate, this place is located right between the two fasteners. And in between those fasteners, two small holes are the jacking point. If you get a bit confused, you could simply check your owner’s manual.
Now after lifting your car, use the jack stands in the two front jack points. And, you can try to also level up your car using jack stands in the rear central jacking point.
Now after lifting your car, simply loosen up your oil fill cap, which is located above the engine cover.
Simply turn the oil fill cap counterclockwise to open it up.
By loosening the oil fill cap, it will relieve pressure which will help the oil to drain more faster and smoothly.
Pro Tip: You could also open the oil filter cap, using an oil filter wrench with a 27mm socket. Don’t pull out the oil filter yet, just loosen up the housing.
Now for this step first get the 17mm socket and a 10-litre capacity drain pan, under the vehicle.
Then crawl underneath your X5 and locate the oil drain plug.
The oil drain plug should be located within a cut-out access hole in the reinforcement plate, on the front side of your X5.
In some X5 years, you’ll find a plastic cover above the drain plug, in that case simply use a flathead screwdriver to remove the cover and access the oil drain plug.
Now after locating the oil drain plug, first put the oil catch pan underneath the drain plug to catch all the drained oil. (use a cardboard piece underneath the catch pan to capture any spilled oil)
Now use the 17mm socket to turn the oil drain plug counter-clockwise to unscrew it.
Remember the oil is hot, so you could simply use a long extension with the socket to prevent any hot oil from spilling on you & also save the drain plug from falling into the dirty oil.
And after removing the plug, oil should start draining into the pan, which will take about 4-5 minutes.
Until then clean the plug with a clean towel and keep it aside because the Crush washer on the plug also needs to be replaced.
Now while the oil is draining install a new crush washer in the oil drain plug.
You’ll get a new crush washer on the oil filter kit.
So, pull out the old crush washer and slide back the new crush washer as you get it out.
And after all the oil is drained, put back the oil drain plug(with a new washer) and first screw it by hand so it engages with the threads properly, then use the 17mm to tighten it properly.
And remember don’t tight too much just tight it appropriate level.
Now after draining all the oil and replacing the oil drain plug, it’s time to install a new oil filter & O-rings.
Before you’ve loosened up the oil filter cap, it should be easy to open up the oil filter cap using the 27mm socket wrench, and simply pull out the oil filter.
And, don’t worry there will be some oil residuals inside the oil filter housing, and while we change the oil filter most of it will be drained back into the engine.
First, take out the old air filter from inside the housing & dispose of it.
Then you’ll find a small green o-ring at the top of the filter housing stand.
Take it out using a pick or a flathead screwdriver and install the new green o-ring from the oil filter kit.
Then there will be sealing O-rings near the bottom of the housing, remove that with a pick or screwdriver without damaging the housing.
And now install a new sealing O-ring.
Before installing the new oil filter lubricate the o-rings and the gasket with a little oil.
It will help the oil filter to be set correctly in the oil filter stand.
So, now put the new oil filter in the oil filter stand as you’ve removed the older one. (by pushing)
Now after installing the oil filter put back the oil filter in the housing and close the cap as tight as you can.
Now it’s time to fill new engine oil.
To do that open the loosen oil filler cap and keep it aside.
Now put a funnel into the oil filling hole and slowly add the BMW recommended 5W-30 synthetic oil to 6.9 quarts or 6.5 liter BMW X5 max capacity.
Don’t overfill the oil it is as bad as too-light oil. You can check how much you’re pouring with the marking on every oil container.
After filling the oil check the iDrive system or dipstick(if you have one) to measure the oil level.
Now if the oil is reaching the max mark then the oil is sufficient.
Now first clean the oil fill cap and close the oil fill cap by turning it clockwise. And, clean the oil filter housing and oil drain plug for further inspection.
After you’ve added the oil you have two options, either keep the engine on for 5-10 minutes, or simply take a short 15-minute drive.
After the short drive visually check for any oil leakage in the oil drain plug or in the oil filter area. Then check the oil level again with a dipstick or in your iDrive dashboard.
If everything is ok, then congratulations you’ve just changed the oil on your BMW X5.
And by measuring the engine oil, the engine oil warning should be removed. And now you need to reset the engine oil system, so it warns you about the next engine oil time.
After resetting the engine oil system, it will show the next 10,000 miles or date to change the oil in your iDrive system.
And after doing all this process responsibly dispose of the old engine oil in any recycling center or any auto shop that accepts them.
Changing the oil on an X5 is a satisfying and championing feeling in itself.
It hardly takes 30 minutes and you can perform this for under $120 spending.
By doing an oil change you slowly gain confidence and understanding of BMW DIY aspects.
And, if you’re able to change BMW X5 oil, then you could simply change the oil of other BMW models as well with a bit of component understanding. So, best of luck with your BMW DIY journey.
Image Credit: Youtube, bimmerpost forum
BMW X5 needs an oil change every 10,000 miles or 12 months. However, I recommend changing the oil every 5,000 miles because depending on different driving conditions this is a more optimal mark for oil changing.
A BMW X5 takes about 6.9 quarts or 6.5 liters of oil.
BMW X5 oil change costs about $190-$220, depending on many different factors such as the oil quality, location, etc.
Yes, BMW recommends 0W-30 and 5W-30 synthetic oil for the BMW X5 engine.
The recommended interval for an oil change in a BMW X5 is every 10,000 miles.
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