I recently picked up a used 2012 X5 50i. Being a good [aka paranoid] used-vehicle-owner i read the history and was not impressed so i knew i'd be doing an oil service ASAP. Our good friends at BMW, Google and this, among other, forums had little in the way of DIY info. I did find a YouTube video, while it was helpful, it was also a little misleading and not the greatest quality.
So, today i finally had some time to get under there and get it done. What follows is my documentation on how to change the engine oil and filter on a 2012 X5 50i. I am not sure if this translates to other engines or different years... so you YMMV.
To start, make sure you get the right oil and the right amount.
BMW owners manual seems to think that owners will not change their oil themselves, so they don't even tell you what grade oil to use. A few internet searches and info from respectable sources comes away with BMW 5w30 'Twin Power Turbo' oil.
You'll need 8.5L (9Qt), these are sold in 1L bottles. I bought mine from
Turner Motorsports.
You'll also need a
filter, ALWAYS change your filter. Don't be cheap, this is what keeps the bad stuff from flowing through your engine and turbo.
And to remove the filter you'll need a filter wrench, i got mine from
Burger Motorsports.
Also, a clean oil catch pan capable of holding at least 9L of hot fluid. Always clean it before you use it, so that you know if any debris that you see in the pan afterward is from inside your engine or not.
Get the vehicle up on sturdy ramps, or jack stands... these are some Rhino ramps i have had for many many years.
Pop the hood and locate the engine oil filler cap, and remove it. Leave the filler cap off while draining the fluid, this will help smooth the flow (less mess).
I always clean the inside of the cap, around the filler neck and inside the filler neck to remove any debris and grime... this one was pretty grungy.
Now under the vehicle, locate the filter housing and the drain plug. You can see there are a few cutouts in the metal undertray, the large round one on the left is the opening for the filter housing and the small round one in the center is the opening for the drain plug.
Filter housing
Drain plug
Start by removing the drain plug this is done with an 8mm allen key wrench
As mentioned by others, the dealership seems to put this on with an impact gun, it need not be so tight... i think i read somewhere 10Nm is all. Luckily this is a steal pan otherwise you'd only make that mistake once (like i had on my E46M and stripped the aluminum threads). So, if you or your mechanic over tightened it last time, you may need some assistance... i used a jack handle extension to get more leverage. It is imperative that you ensure the 8mm allen wrench is firmly set before you apply extra force, otherwise you might just round the key hole.
Once you get it loosened, position your catch pan directly underneath (make sure not to lose the drain plug and/or allen wrench during the draining deluge).
While the oil is draining out, get the drain plug cleaned up and ready with a new copper crush washer (throw the old one out, never reuse a crush washer, these are single use items). A new crush washer is included with your oil filter.
Once the oil is done draining, clean the drain area and threads with a clean rag, and reinstall the drain plug. Don't over tighten when you reinstall.
Now onto the oil filter. Use a 19mm socket and wrench to get it loosened.
Fit the filter cup wrench by hand, make sure it is on fully and snug.
Add the socket+wrench and turn counter clockwise to remove, while applying upward pressure on the filter cup wrench to keep it from slipping.
Once it is loosened to the point that you no longer need the leverage of the tools, remove it by hand. It will make a bit of a mess and the oil will be hot, so move quickly and be ready with a rag for clean-up.
Throw away the old filter, it fits very snugly in the housing cover, so you'll need to give it a good solid pull. Also remove the black o-ring from the filter housing with a small screwdriver and discard it.
Clean the filter housing to remove any old oil or debris (inside and outside).
Reassemble the the filter by applying a small amount of oil to the new o-ring (included with the filter) and massage it into the rubber. Reinstall the o-ring on the filter housing in the correct groove. Then press the new filter into the housing by hand. The small o-ring is not used in this case because this filter housing does not have a drain plug. If yours has that, you can opt to replace it, but i'd recommend leaving it be unless it appears to be leaking.
Clean the oilfilter area on the engine to remove any build-up and to remove any spill/splash from removal.
Ready the new filter assembly and reinstall by hand making sure not to crossthread and finish with the tools, no need to use gorilla strength here either.
Double check that everything is buttoned up underneath.
Back up top, add 8.5L of fresh oil.
Once you're done adding oil, start the vehicle, back it down off the ramps.
Let it idle for a bit (i used this time to clean up the floor a bit).
Then check the oil-level from iDrive system.
Note your mileage and be happy that you've done a solid for your X5.
That's it, now enjoy the drive.