How to check my BMW oil levels
BMW Oil Check
Check your BMWs oil levels
Oil is one of the most important components of any car. Checking the engine oil in your BMW is a quick, simple, and basic maintenance task that should be done regularly to help ensure your car’s engine is running smoothly and efficiently.
If you’re not sure how to check your engine oil levels in your BMW, follow this step-by-step guide:
- With your BMW parked securely and the engine turned off, open the bonnet. The engine oil needs to be cold.
- Find the dipstick – check your BMW owner’s manual if you need help.
- Remove the dipstick, wiping any oil residue off it with a paper towel. Put it back in place, before removing it again.
- Check the oil level. You’ll see two markers on the dipstick, a high and a low. The oil level should be between the two.
- If the oil level is too low, you’ll need to add more oil to your BMW.
Newer BMW models may not have a dipstick. Instead, the oil level is monitored electronically, and will notify you if it's low. For additional peace of mind, you can use the iDrive system to check on oil levels. From the home screen of iDrive, simply select Car, then Vehicle status, Engine oil level and Engine oil measurement. The oil level in your BMW will be measured and displayed, telling you if you need to top it up.
How to add more oil to your BMW
If you need to add more oil to your BMW, the process is easy enough. You can contact your nearest Dick Lovett BMW dealership, book an appointment, and we’ll check your oil and top it up for you. You can also add oil yourself at home. First, check you’re using the right type of oil – your BMW owner’s manual should give you the information you need, but if you’re in any doubt, please do get in touch with us here at Dick Lovett BMW.
When adding oil to your BMW, it’s important that not only is the car’s engine off, but that it’s cold – so don’t do anything immediately after turning the ignition off and getting out of the vehicle. It’s best to add oil when the car hasn’t been running for a while.
Then, locate the oil filler cap, remove it, and pour the new oil in, carefully. You don’t want to overfill, so do this slowly. You may want to pause partway through, and re-check the oil level by inspecting the dipstick as per the instructions we’ve already covered.
If there have been any oil spills, wipe these up promptly using a cloth or kitchen towel. Finally, replace the oil filler cap, close the bonnet – and you’re good to go.
BMW Servicing Qustions
Your questions, answered
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How often should I check my BMW oil levels?
Checking the engine oil in your BMW is one of those basic car maintenance tasks that are always worth doing on a regular basis, much like checking your tyre pressures and screen wash fluid levels. Today, newer BMWs have oil level sensors, which are displayed on the dashboard and will alert you if the level is too low, meaning you won’t need to check your BMW oil levels as frequently as you might have done years ago.
However, it’s still worth doing at least once a month. Depending on the mileage you do, you might prefer to check your oil every couple of weeks, especially if you drive an older car. It’s recommended that you should check your oil before any long journeys, too.
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How often should I change the oil in my BMW?
You should change the oil in your BMW as instructed by the vehicle. Oil change intervals can differ from model to model, by the age of your car, driving style, and the mileage that you record in your BMW – so do check in with our dealerships in Bristol, Hungerford (near Andover and Newbury), Melksham (near Bath) and Swindon for further advice.
To help maintain the very best performance from your BMW, you might need an oil change every 12 months, or after a certain mileage – every 10,000 to 15,000 miles, for example.
Again, you can use BMW’s iDrive system to understand when your oil change is due. Access the Vehicle status menu and then go to the Service requirements section to discover when certain services are scheduled and due – including your BMW’s oil change.
Oil changes and oil checks can be included as part of our pay monthly or value servicing plans. You can check your plan, or arrange servicing plans with our Aftersales team should you wish.