How to Change Oil on a BMW X5
If you own a BMW X5 regular oil changes are an excellent way to keep your engine strong and working well. If you are not changing your oil you can cause a sludge build up, a reduction in horsepower and costly damage to your engine. For the BMW X5 the manufacturer suggests that you change the oil in the vehicle every 10,000 miles.
What You'll Need:
- 3/8 inch wrench
- 36 mm socket
- Towels
- Wheel chokes
- Flathead screw driver
- Oil pan
- 7.5 quart of 5W-30 full synthetic oil
- Oil filter kit
- Before you begin, ensure that the parking brake is engaged on the vehicle to ensure safety while you are working. Its also helpful to block the rear tires of the vehicle using wheel chokes.
- Locate the hood latch in your vehicle and engage it. Once completed, open the hood of the BMW X5. Using a 3/8-inch socket wrench and a 36mm socket, open the oil filter element cap. Clean out the canister that holds the oil filter in the car using a towel.
- Take the oil cap off of the engine. Position yourself under the car.
- Locate the two trap doors; look for the one that contains the oil drain pop. Once you've located it, open the trap door by using a Flathead screwdriver. Once open the drain plug should be exposed. To complete this step you'll need to reference the manufacture's vehicle guide to see which trap door to open.
- Using a 3/8-inch socket wrench and a 17mm socket, begin unscrewing the oil drain plug. Before the drain plug completely comes out, place an oil pan underneath your car for the oil to drain into. Continue unscrewing the drain plug and allow all the oil to drain out.
- Position a crush washer onto the oil drain plug then begin screwing it back on to a torque spec of 18ft lbs. or 25Nm. Once completed close the trap door.
- Pour 7.5 quarts of full synthetic oil into your car then screw the oil cap back on.
- On the oil filter element cap, replace the old filter and O-ring. Use a 3/9 socket wrench and 36mm socket to screw the cap back on to a torque spec of 18ft. lbs. or 25Nm.