Exact Answer: 6 Months
Every car needs a little maintenance every few weeks or months. Cars require cleaning, servicing, and even changing engine oil. So do BMW cars. Every few months a BMW car owner is supposed to change their car’s engine oil to keep their car run smoothly on road.
When a car utilizes the engine oil, the oil light comes on. It reminds the driver, that they are supposed to add new engine oil to the car’s engine. So in such a case, a BMW owner may wonder how long their car can go before its Oil light turns on
How Long After BMW Oil Light Comes On?
The car engine oil goes through the various parts of the engine and smoothens their work. Engine oil stimulates the working of various parts of the engine, without them damaging each other. If there is no engine oil applied, the engine parts might damage each other due to high friction between them. Engine oil smoothens the parts of engine oil and reduces extra friction between them. It facilitates the working of the engine and helps the car to run smoothly on road.
Other than that, engine oil also reduces the excessive heat and noise made by a car’s engine. As the engine’s parts work together, without damaging each other, less heat and noise emerges from the car’s engine. Not changing a car’s engine oil can create noise and extra heat in the car’s engine which is not good for the car in the long run.
When the oil becomes old or loses its power to lubricate the engine parts, the oil light in the BMW car turns on. This way the car indicates that the car needs maintenance and the driver is supposed to change the car’s engine oil.
Usually, it is said that a BMW car needs new engine oil after 6,000 miles or 6 months whichever comes first. After that, the engine oil lights turn on. However, by many, it is said that in some cases, there is no need to change engine oil till 10,000 miles or 10 months whichever comes first. After 10 months or 10,000 miles, it is highly recommended to change engine oil to prevent damage to the BMW’s car engine.
| Scale | Intervals |
| Average | 6,000 miles or 6 months (whichever comes before) |
| Maximum | 10,000 miles or 10 months (whichever comes before) |
Why Do We Need To Change BMW Oil After These Intervals?
The engine oil works as a lubricant in the engine. It facilitates the smooth working of the engine’s parts. Other than that, it prevents excessive heat and noise from the engine. However, engine oil has a life. After a period, engine oil starts to lose its ability to smoothen the engine parts.
Eventually, the oil loses its ability to lubricate the parts of the engine. Then, the engine parts work just as they would work without any oil. The friction between the parts increases substantially which creates noise and excessive heat. This may create difficulties for the driver while driving the car. The excessive friction between the engine parts is also bad in long-term use.
This may cost the owner of the car much more than engine oil and a little maintenance might cost during these intervals. That is why it is suggested to change engine oil in BMW after 6,000 miles or 6 months whichever comes first.
The engine light itself turns on indicating that new oil should be added to the engine, replacing the older one. It is the ideal time to change engine oil. Although, BMW cars can easily go for a few hundred miles when the oil light comes on. But that is the case when the car is not making any noise or heat. Otherwise, the engine oil should be changed immediately. However, it is highly recommended the one should change their engine oil when the oil light comes on to prevent long-term damage to the car.
Conclusion
All the cars including BMW cars need some maintenance. The engine oil stimulates the smooth working of engine parts and prevents excessive heat and noise.
However, the engine oil does not work forever. After around 6,000 miles or 6 months, the engine oil light turns on in BMW cars indicating that the engine requires new oil.
After a period the engine oil loses its quality and is unable to prevent noise and heat from the engine. So, in that case, it is recommended that one should change their BMW’s engine oil. Otherwise, it can cause greater damage to the car as well as to the pocket of its owner in the long run.