Bimmer5project

Decided to do a simple oil change, but almost had a near death experience.

After I drove the front end on ramps, I then started jacking the rear up. I figured this would be fine with the E-brake pulled in tight, but when the rear came a foot off the ground it started rolling off the ramps and was heading towards my other car which was on jack stands and no wheels. My car hits and knocks my other car off the stands and car comes crashing down.
In shock and hesitation, I froze up and the car knocks me on the floor and I fall behind the car as it proceeds to roll back. By then, my next reflex was to lift my legs and put my feet on the bumper to hopefully stop the car from rolling on top of me. The car finally stopped and I started having some kind of mental breakdown. Doesn't help when I'm currently unemployed and in debt, and now this. Ended up denting my rear right side fender on one car and rear left side bumper and whatever else on the other car.

G.F say to just take it in. Stubborn me says No, thinking the e-brake wasn't pulled tight enough. Car rolls off again but this time I was prepared for it and was able to stop it by put my shoulder into it.

I don't understand why this is happening. The car was in park and the e-brake was pulled all the way up. Does the e-brake not lock all four wheels?

I which there were and easier way to get the car up higher so I can work comfortably under the car.

twh

The emergency brake ONLY applies braking to the rear wheels. The rear rotors are disc brakes, but have an inner drum brake that is the emergency (aka parking) brake.

turboawd

not trying to be a smartass, but if you dont know how an e-brake works, then maybe you shouldnt be working on cars.
good thing no one got hurt though.

twh

This is how I do an oil change. I back the car into my garage and leave the front end hanging outside the garage -- with the front wheels just inside the garage. My garage floor is about 1 inch higher than the driveway itself. That's enough room for my side under the car from on my driveway. I have a 4" high oil change pan. Un-tighten the oil pan bolt, but don't unscrew it all the way. Put the pan under the oil drain plug. Now unscrew it by hand.

pcy

After the front end is up on the ramps, chock the front wheels (with rubber/wood pieces).
Typically, there's a lip on the front of the ramps to prevent the car from going forward, so you only need to chock behind the front tires. That way, when you raise the rear, car won't roll backwards.

tonyb635

I just changed mine the other day. I don't use ramps, too much of a pain to get car up on them. I find it easier to use the jack making sure to place it where the jack pad is. Lift the car on one side high enough that you can move underneath it. Place a jack stand under the car just in case the jack fails! Lower the car onto the jack stand and I also leave the jack in place too. Put you oil drain pan under car and get the necessary tool to remove the oil drain plug. remove the plug and allow the oil to drain in the pan. Next, while oil is draining remove the jack stand and lower the car so its back on the ground. Just leave everything there and after about 15 minutes or so, I will lift the car again, install the jack and then reinstall the drain plug.

KyleB

+a bazillion, that earlier post seems like way too much work for an oil change.

pcy

I actually do what Tony said above (just use the jack and raise the car one side, place the pan under the drain plug, remove the drain plug, lower the car, let the oil drain, raise the car again, put the drain plug back, ...)

I was talking about putting the chock as a solution for OP, if he wants to put the front the wheels on the ramps, and then he want to raise the rear end...

Bigjule111

Another way is buy the oil and filter cheap. Which is easy to do if u look around and have a shop do it for u. My last oil change cost me around 65$. That's paying my local midas shop 14$ to do the service. The rest was the oil and filter

twh

Yea, I agree, DIY oil change isn't so much about saving money. It is more about not having someone screw up your car on you - either on accident or on purpose. Like the last BMW under-maintenance oil change on wife's X5 where they cross threaded the drain bolt and I find out a year later when I do the first off maintenance oil change