← Back to BMW 5 Series Guides

2006–2010 BMW 5 Series

2006-2010 BMW 5 Series — Oil and Filter Change

🔧 Easy 30–60 minutes

Quick Video Tutorial

Parts You Need

Click links to purchase (we earn from qualifying purchases)

Total Cost
$0.00
Part Name Part Number Price Buy
BMW Longlife-01 approved 5W-30 engine oil — —
N52 oil filter cartridge with O-ring — —
Oil drain plug crush washer — —

💡 Pro tip: Order all parts at once to save on shipping

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully

1

Warm the engine and park on level ground

Idle the 3.0L inline-six for about 5 minutes so the oil thins and drains fully, then shut it off and set the parking brake. Park on level ground, since the E60's electronic oil-level check requires the car to sit flat.

2

Remove the N52 engine cover

Open the hood and lift the acoustic engine cover straight up off its studs to expose the top of the N52. The aluminum oil filter housing cap is at the front of the engine. Set the cover aside where it will not be damaged.

3

Swap the top-mounted oil filter cartridge

Loosen the aluminum filter cap with a 36 mm socket, turning slowly so oil inside drains back into the housing. Lift the cap out with the cartridge attached, slide the old element off, and remove the old O-ring from the cap groove. Fit the new oiled O-ring and cartridge, then thread the cap back on to the BMW specification.

4

Raise the car and remove the drain plug

Chock the rear wheels, raise the front at the factory jacking points, and set the car on jack stands — never work under a jack alone. Place a large drain pan under the steel oil pan, remove the 17 mm drain plug, and let the oil drain to an occasional drip.

5

Reinstall the drain plug with a new crush washer

Fit a new aluminum crush washer to the drain plug — the old one will not seal a second time — and start the plug by hand to avoid cross-threading. Tighten it to the BMW specification and wipe the pan clean so any future leak shows up clearly.

6

Lower the car and refill with 5W-30

Lower the car onto level ground and pour in approximately 6.5 liters of BMW Longlife-01 approved 5W-30 through a clean funnel. Add the final liter gradually, since draining excess oil back out is a nuisance.

7

Check the electronic oil level

Start the engine and let it reach operating temperature, then check the oil level in the instrument cluster service menu. The electronic sensor takes a minute or two to measure — add small amounts until the gauge reads maximum, never above it.

8

Reset the oil service indicator

Reset the engine oil service item through the cluster service menu so the condition-based service counter restarts. Take a short drive, then recheck the drain plug and filter housing for leaks.

All Done!

Test your repair before closing everything up. If something doesn't work right, double-check your steps.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • • Reusing the drain plug crush washer, which leads to a slow drip from the pan.
  • • Leaving the old filter O-ring in the cap groove alongside the new one.
  • • Overtightening the aluminum filter cap.
  • • Starting the drain plug with a wrench and cross-threading the pan.
  • • Overfilling, which the electronic sensor will flag — add the last liter gradually.