What oil does a 2012–2016 BMW 3 Series (N20) take?

5W-30 (BMW LL-01), 5.3 qt (5.0 L) with a filter change.

DRIVEDEX / BMW / 3 Series

2012–2016

BMW 3 Series

2.0L turbo I4 (N20) N20 Sedan (F30)

A good commuter with one asterisk — prove the timing chain service before you trust it.

Engine Oil

Viscosity‼

✓ verified

Later N20s also approved for 0W-20 LL-14 FE+ — LL-01 always safe

src: F30 oil guides + ECS kits

Capacity (with filter)

5.0 L✓ verified

src: TIS (forum-cited) + 328i guides

Oil filter

✓ verified

Late/plastic-housing N20; early housings take the 6-cyl 11427566327 — check yours

src: ECS + BimmerWorld listings

Drain plug torque‼

— in verification queue

Being confirmed against the TIS

Fluids

Coolant‼

✓ verified

HT-12 green back-serves G48 cars

src: FCP Euro coolant guide

ATF (automatic)‼

✓ verified

8HP45 — ZF itself suggests fresh fluid by ~93k

src: ZF Lifeguard 8 data sheet + Blauparts

Brake fluid‼

✓ verified

Flush every 2 years

src: BimmerWorld brake fluid guide

Fuel

◐ pending

Manual minimum AKI 89

src: BMW owner's manual (quoted)

Filters & Ignition

Engine air filter

◐ pending

src: Turner Motorsport listing

Cabin filter

— in verification queue

Being confirmed

Spark plugs

✓ verified

Pre-gapped ~0.030 in

src: eEuroparts + UroTuning listings

Electrical

Battery

◐ pending

src: FCP Euro fitment + BimmerTech

Key fob battery

◐ pending

Diamond-shaped fob — valet key releases the cover

src: Battery Equivalents fob guide

Wheels & Wipers

Wheel bolt torque‼

140 Nm✓ verified

M14 bolts on F-chassis

src: BimmerWorld + Bimmer Guides

Tire pressure

— in verification queue

Varies by size/load — run the driver-door placard values

Wipers

— in verification queue

Being confirmed — sizes vary by trim

Service

Oil change interval

✓ verified

Short intervals are cheap chain insurance on an N20

src: BMW dealer service pages

Oil service reset

◐ pending

src: F30 reset guide

🔧 Mechanic's Notes

Pre-2015 N20s eat timing chain guides — cold-start rattle from the back of the engine is the warning; revised parts landed January 2015. Service history here is everything.
Oil filter housing gasket and valve cover leaks, same as every modern BMW four.
Electric water pump and plastic coolant fittings age out around 80–100k.
Behind the engine it's a light, cheap-to-run car with the tough ZF 8-speed doing the work.

Field patterns from a working mechanic — diagnose your own car before buying parts.

Open Recalls

Checking NHTSA…

Other 3 Series generations

2001–2005 BMW 3 Series 2.5L/3.0L I6 (M54) · M54 5W-30 LL-016.9 qt oil88.5 lb-ft lugs 2007–2011 BMW 3 Series 3.0L I6 (N52) · N52 5W-30 LL-016.9 qt oil88.5 lb-ft lugs 2007–2010 BMW 3 Series 3.0L twin-turbo I6 (N54) · N54 6.9 qt LL-01 oilZF Lifeguard 6 ATF88.5 lb-ft lugs 2012–2015 BMW 3 Series 3.0L turbo I6 (N55) · N55 6.9 qt LL-01 oil103 lb-ft lugsZF Lifeguard 8 ATF 2019–2025 BMW 3 Series 2.0L turbo I4 (B46/B48) · B46/B48 0W-20 LL-17 FE+HT-12 coolant103 lb-ft lugs 2020–2025 BMW 3 Series 3.0L turbo I6 (B58) · B58 0W-20 LL-17 FE+6.9 qt oil103 lb-ft lugs

Sources shown per value. Specs can vary by build date, market and trim — for anything critical (torque, fluids), confirm against YOUR owner's manual or door sticker before wrenching. Spotted an error? — corrections jump the queue.