2010 BMW 328i Engine Oil Capacity

Your 2010 BMW 328i engine oil capacity is 6.9 quarts. Check out this helpful Jerry article for all the facts and a complete oil change guide.
Written by John Davis
Reviewed by Jaya Anandjit
background
The 2010 BMW 328i is a fun little car that perfectly combines sporty handling and interior luxury. But if you want to keep your Bimmer in top shape for many years to come, you'll need to know its engine oil capacity—which is 6.9 quarts.
Owning a luxury vehicle like your BMW 328i can be expensive. You've got to deal with the high
car insurance
premiums, costly maintenance and parts, and, of course, fuel. Servicing your own oil is a great way to cut down on those maintenance expenses—but don't forget to check your owner's manual for the oil capacity first.
If you don't have your BMW owner's manual, don't worry. We'll cover everything you need to know about your 2010 BMW 328i engine oil capacity. 
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
icon4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars
icon4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers

2010 BMW 328i engine oil capacity

The 3.0-liter V6 engine in your 2010 BMW 328i holds 6.9 quarts or 6.5 liters of motor oil.
When you're dealing with engine oil capacities and looking at your engine's size, it can be easy to mistake the
engine's displacement
—the 3.0-liter space occupied by the motor's cylinders—for the oil capacity, which is the amount of oil the motor stores to use as a lubricant. 
However, you need to remember that engine displacement and oil capacity are two completely different concepts, and you should never use these phrases interchangeably. 

What kind of oil does a 2010 BMW 328i take?

After determining how much oil your Bimmer holds, you need to learn its oil type. That's correct—there are many different kinds of motor oil, and you'll need to select the proper type for your 2010 328i. 
When you're shopping for oil, search for SAE 5W-30. That's the kind of oil that BMW recommends you put in your 2010 328i, and you can't mess up when you follow the manufacturer's instructions. 
If that sequence of numbers and letters leaves you feeling more confused, don't worry. We'll explain how to read engine oil codes next.
The "SAE" is short for the Society of Automotive Engineers. That's the group of car pros responsible for labeling motor oil with these codes. The numbers describe how thick or viscous the oil is at opposite ends of the temperature spectrum. 
The first number that you see—here, "5"—explains how thick the oil is when the engine is cold. That one isn't hard to remember because it's next to the "W," which means winter. The final number—"30"—describes the oil's thickness when the engine is in use and hot. 
Smaller numbers signify a thinner oil. Thin oils are ideal for your car's engine because they can travel through the motor much more efficiently than thick, heavy oil. 
When you get to the auto parts store to purchase your oil, follow the guidelines in your owner's manual and look for a fully-synthetic SAE 5W-30 motor oil

How often should you change the oil in a 2010 BMW 328i?

BMW recommends replacing the oil in your 2010 328i every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. However, if you drive your Bimmer infrequently, you might be better off remembering to change the oil every six months
But you can't just change the oil every six months and then forget about it—you still need to check your oil in between replacements. We like to recommend inspecting your oil every other time you're at the fuel pump. But if that doesn't work for you, it's crucial that you check the oil's condition and level at least once a month.
Whatever method you use to remember to inspect your oil, these are the signs that signify it needs to be serviced:
  • The oil has a dark brown or black color (clean oil looks a lot like dark honey and is somewhat transparent)
  • The oil feels sludgy or muddy 
  • The motor oil has a gritty or grainy texture
  • Unpleasant smells, like oil, smoke, or burning, are coming from the engine
  • Your engine performance suddenly decreases
  • The engine is making strange or bizarre sounds, like knocking 

How to change your 2010 BMW 328i oil and oil filter

After learning your BMW 328i oil capacity and type, it's finally time to get started replacing it. You'll need these tools and supplies:
  • A ratchet wrench with a 17-millimeter socket
  • Ramps, a jack and jack stands, or something to raise the vehicle
  • A torque wrench
  • An oil filter wrench
  • Fresh replacement oil
  • A new oil filter
  • A drain pan
  • A funnel
  • A rag or towel to clean up the mess
But don't get under your Bimmer just yet. First, start it up and let it run for around five minutes. Although this step isn't necessary, it will heat up your engine, which will allow the oil to drain much more smoothly.
Once the motor is sufficiently warm, turn it off, grab your ratchet, and get to work on the following steps.
  1. Unscrew and remove the oil fill cap and pull up the dipstick (this removes the vacuum, which causes the oil to drain quickly).
  2. Crawl under your Bimmer and remove its oil drain bolt. Use the drain pan to collect the old oil as it pours out.
  3. As the old oil drains, loosen and remove the dirty oil filter.
  4. Lubricate your new filter by putting a thin layer of oil on its gasket before installing it. Don't over-tighten the filter—turn it only until it feels snug.
  5. Reinstall the oil drain bolt and use your torque wrench to tighten it to 18 lb-ft.
  6. Fill your 328i up with clean 5W-30 oil. 
After successfully completing these steps, start your Bimmer up once again and let it run for around 30 seconds. Then, ensure the oil is at the proper level before replacing the fill cap and dipstick. Remember not to overfill your Bimmer's engine with the oil! 
Your last step should be to recycle the used oil. This is a relatively simple procedure— use your funnel to drain the old oil into the new oil jug and then return it to the auto parts store. 
"I'm a young adult in college. I paid overpriced insurance regularly, until
Jerry
found me a fast and easy quote. It reduced my costs by 60%." —Niveah M.
Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Get ahead of my car maintenance
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Estimate your repair costs for free with GarageGuard™
Simplify your car maintenance with Jerry.
Try GarageGuard™

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings