2008 BMW 6 Series Owner's Manual - Page 221

Adding engine oil Your BMW center will be happy to answer detailed questions on BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil or approved synthetic oils.< You can also call BMW of North America at 1-800-831-1117 or visit the website at www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information. Do not use oil additives; under some circumstances, they can damage your engine.< Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km, otherwise the engine could be damaged.< Continuous exposure to used oil has caused cancer in laboratory testing. For this reason, thoroughly wash exposed areas of skin with soap and water after such work. Keep oil, grease, etc. out of reach of children and observe warnings on containers. Failure to do so could pose health risks.< The choice of the right SAE grade is based on the climatic conditions in the region in which you normally drive your BMW. Approved oils belong to the SAE grades 5W-40 and 5W-30.< These oils can be used at all temperatures. Have oil changes carried out only by a BMW center or a repair shop that works in accordance with BMW guidelines and uses appropriately trained personnel. Do not open the cooling system when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant can cause burns.< Coolant is composed of equal parts water and a coolant additive. Not all commercially available additives are suitable for your BMW. Ask your BMW center for suitable additives. Only use suitable additives, otherwise engine damage may result. The additives present a health hazard.< Always observe all applicable environmental laws and regulations when disposing of used coolant additives.< Approved engine oils The quality of the engine oil selected has critical significance for the operation and service life of an engine. BMW continuously approves specific oils after confirming their suitability for use in its vehicles with extensive testing. Only use approved BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil. If BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil is unavailable, you can add small quantities of other synthetic oils between oil changes. Only use oils of the specification API SM or higher. 219 Online Edition for Part no. 01 41 0 014 242 - © 08/07 BMW AG Reference Mobility Communications Entertainment Oil change Coolant Navigation Driving tips Do not add 1 US quart/liter of oil until a corresponding message is shown on the Control Display. Viscosity grades The viscosity is a measure of the thickness of the oil and is specified in SAE grades. Controls At a glance