BMW 5-Series Maintenance and Repair

beeamerfever · June 2005

hi everyone
i am about to purchuse my first BMW... i reallly love the car and i test drove it and drove nice. one main concern was about 50-60Mph steering shake abit, and with breaking as well. not alot but noticable amount..
i really want to buy it, but i know cost wise is alot of money to maintain..
can i get some input what common probs i might be runnin into with this particular model.. or maybe i should recosider ..!! it got 100k on it, but clean in/out. the guy have maintain it at dealer mostly, he says...
IT IS A 97 528I

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON YOUR INPUTS.

ferreetime · June 2005

My dasboard indicators indicate that I have simultaneous problems with my vehicle. The ABS failure, Check Engine, Transmission & Stability control lights were on. The car has 92,000 miles & I had the vehicle serviced a week ago and no problems were found. (Transmission flush, engine oil change, brake fluid change & Injectors cleaned.)

I had my family with me when this occured so we drove the car home (approx. 5 miles) I only drove 40 MPH. The transmission seemed to shift differently, however there were no abrupt jerks.

Does anyone have an idea pertaining to what my problem may be!

motowneer · June 2005

Unfortunately, the '04 5 Series was the very first year of the re-designed model, and problems were miriad. I have an '05 530i and have had absolutely no problems. Not one. Most first year models have a higher rate of issues. The 5er is a great car once you get the kinks worked out. Stick with it if you can!

davismaxx · June 2005

I have a '99 with 100K. The steering shake and braking shake are common. The steering could be wheel balance, bad tire, or worn front bushings. The steering is very sensitive so if anything is slightly out you'll feel it. The shimmy on braking is probably brake rotors that are slightly warped. The warp can be eliminated by turning the rotors or replacing them.

Make sure the car has had all the scheduled oil changes. Ask the seller what dealer has maintained it, and then ask that dealer about the service history. If it has been well maintained, the engine is good for at least another 100K. If I were you I'd take the car to an independent BMW mechanic for an inspection. It should cost around $100.

I've found it to be a very reliable car, and needs no more repairs than other cars. Parts are not expensive. It's pretty easy to work on. I do my own oil changes.

bmwtips.com, E39 forum, is a good place to get more information on these cars. The 97 - 03 5 series is called E39.

Good luck!

davismaxx · June 2005

Thanks div2! I heard that old O2 sensors can hurt the cats, even though the car still runs fine. I think I'm going to use the OEM sensors for the manifold, mostly for appearance sake. The universal ones have a big connector that won't fit in the standard retainer clip.

The plugs are the original plugs. Highest octane I can get here is 91. The car came from New Jersey (I'm in CA)--maybe they have 93 there so the car got used to it?

Is DME the knock sensor? I've been wondering if maybe there is a problem with the knock sensor. I've asked 3 different BMW mechanics (2 independents and one dealer)and none of them have eany idea of what could be causing the detonation. One suggested intake cleaners, but no help.

Anyway, it's a great car and I'd like to drive it forever. I think that taking care of this detonation will probably add to the life expectancy of the engine.

Thanks for your help.

div2 · June 2005

DME=Digital Motor Electronics-the complete engine management system.
You might try adding a large bottle of Techron to your fuel @400 miles before your next oil change; Techron is one of a very few products that can actually reduce valve and combustion chamber deposits..

billbrox · June 2005

Ok, since my 2003 530i does not have a tape player and I did not get a CD Changer in the trunk, I opted for the Ice Link Plus that will allow my iPod to play through my OEM Radio/stereo.

Has anyone out there installed one?? How well does it work? I understand I can still use the volume controls on my steering wheel. Please let me know ; it sounds almost too good to be true.

davismaxx · July 2005

Hello all. I am doing the 100K maintenance and before I change the spark plugs I'd like to find out if using a different plug than OE might help reduce or eliminate the pinging/detonation I am hearing.

It's light pinging while accelerating, only audible with the window open. I can eliminate it by staying in lower gears, but I am not lugging the engine.

The OE plug is NGK with 4 electrodes. Would a cooler plug help? Any recommendations would be much appreciated.

Davismaxx
1999 528iT
5 speed
Siena Red/Sand Leather
Premium package/non-sport
100K
11/98 build date

janetk · July 2005

Hi,
Bought a 1999 528iT wagon w/ 45K. Do I really need 91 octane or can I get away with 89 or 87? I'm buying it used from a non-BMW dealer. He wants to sell me a 3y bumper to bumper (including wheels and tires) for 3K. Is it worth it?
THX
janetk

cmybimmergo · July 2005

Your mileage will drop if you skimp on the octane. I use premium in my 530 because 91 isn't an option where I live; my choices are 89 or 93.

As regards the warranty, there is an Extended Warranties board somewhere around here; you might want to read up on them before you decide (post #1464 on the Prices Paid and Buying Experience board has the link). Company reputation and solvency are important. FWIW, I paid three grand for a 7 year 125,000 mile warranty when I bought my 5.

abmwguy · July 2005

I did not have the same problem but this is my experience with SOS.

The day I picked up my 06 530i the SOS broke. They had to replace the unit and then I had to take it back again so they could reprogram it....they didn't do it right the first time.

jackieb · July 2005

beeamerfever,
I just traded in my 97 528i purchased new and put about 105k on it before trading
for 2001 740il. I replaced most of the AC at about 98,000 condenser, etc.
Also, the o2 sensor went out and your problem with the shaking in steering and
when braking may be a warped rotor(s). I was beginning to spend $ for repairs
after 90,000 (steering hoses, AC, o2 sensor) and decided to trade. Also,
watch out for problems with the transmission (if automatic) around 100k to 120k.
Overall, from time of purchase to about 90k, this was the best car I ever owned.

jakemail · July 2005

Hi, I have a '98 540ia and am getting some unusual behavior. Every now and then the car will stall about 10 seconds after I start it. It doesn't always happen, just every now and then. And I can always restart it to get it going. And once I start driving it the car won't stall. However I am finding that it is doing it more and more and would really like to know what's going on. The car only has about 45K miles on it, but could this be a bad O2 Sensor? Does anyone have any idea what's going on here? Thanks in adavance.

dellgate · July 2005

I have a strange heater/climate control problem with my 2003 525.
When outside is not hot (out side temp at 65 F; climate controls both driver & passenger set at 65 F with A/C off), my driver side vent is blowing cool air (i.e. Ambient air). However, passenger side vent is blowing hot air.

I took it to BMW dealer and they said it is normal. At the dealership, driver vent was reading 98F and passenger side read at 112F at idle with 67F outside temperature (14 degF difference between driver and passenger side).

The dealership's explanation is that 5-series passenger side is always hot ( ~ 10 degF). Therefore, you need to run A/C if want cool air on passenger side.

Do you think this is right diagnosis OR Does dealership has no clue how to fix this problem? :lemon:

Any help / suggestion would be appreciated.
Can any 525 owner try this set up (out side temp at around 65 F; climate controls both driver & passenger set at 65 F with A/C off and feel the difference between driver and passenger sides vents)?

Thanks in adavance.

cmybimmergo · July 2005

The temps on each side of my 02 530 are the same if they are set that way. Even today, when it was in the 80s, both sides were blowing cool outside air. Dunno whether they changed something for the 03 MY, but if your owner's manual doesn't mention it, I'd say they didn't and you ought to find a more competent (less lazy?) dealer. (I wonder whether it just needs to be recalibrated.)

tcana6 · July 2005

Hello guys, I have a 91 5 series and I need to change my spark plugs due to some misfiring. the car is a 6 cylinder but seems like its running on only 4. Can anyone tell me where I can locate them. It would be greatly appreciated.

div2 · July 2005

They are under a plastic panel on the valve cover; this page should help. Since each spark plug has its own coil, a coil may be bad. Or you might have oil in the plug well. Assuming the plug wells are dry, I'd try the plugs first.

tcana6 · July 2005

Hey thanks. That really helped a lot my car is back to purring like a kitten

div2 · July 2005

Glad to help! I'm also glad it was something simple. Those Fives are great cars; I have a friend who put close to 300,000 miles on her 1989.

mch2 · July 2005

krautsled,

The problem was a faulty Engine Hood Contact Switch. Once that was replaced the problem went away.

georgewmb · July 2005

My 1997 BMW528i has a cold start problem. When vehicle starts it runs rough as though running on four cylinders rather than six. Once I press the accelerator and bring the rpm's up to 1000 every thing smooths out and vehicle behaves normally.

Vehicle then behaves normally for the rest of the day unless I let it set for a long period. Then the rough idle problem occurs again.

There are no codes set as a result of the rough startup idle

abmwguy · July 2005

06 530i

When I leave the office in the evening I turn on my air conditioner using the automatic mode. When I park my car in the garage after my drive home I turn the air conditioner off with the "off bottom" and get an orange light showing the system is off. When I start the car the next morning the air condition comes on automatically. The same is true if I use the vent system.

Is there a way to set the controls so when I turn the air conditioner or vents off they stay off until I want to turn them on.

Thank you

juventus · July 2005

I have a 2006 525i ordered. Where can I get some "practical" cupholders for the front.

rrusso1 · July 2005

Check www.ultimatecupholders.com. Although the product line on the site does not show a cupholder for an E60, they are available if you contact Mike (click on contacts for his email). I got 2 of them and they work pretty well. Mike is a good guy who is very reputable.

juventus · July 2005

rrusso1 Thank you.
I guess you are the one I need to contact in case of any problems with my 525i.
Appreciate it.

vamike · July 2005

I have a 2000 540i. After running on the highway, sometimes it produces loud creaking. The movement over the normal roadway produces creaks and groans. Even applying the brake creates an extra sound. The handling is firm and the dealership cannot find anything. The noise is so pronounced at times that when I get out of the car, the shift of the suspension can be heard.

jlbl · July 2005

"Have you checked whether A/C system is set to 'auto' in the dash? If so, I guess the system is automatically switching the AC in in the morning if the car temperature is higher than that preset by means of the two appropriate dash buttons."

I have realized this morning that the above-quoted answer I posted some days ago is wrong. I wrote that by memory, without checking it in the car :mad:
It is not the 'auto' but the 'snow' button you have to disconnect in the dash. In any case, the central '0ff' button is to make temporal changes that only hold until the engine key is switched off.

Regards

lazzarich · July 2005

I have a 2000 540i automatic with 70k miles. It goes extremely well but has recently developed a ticking sound which is prominent at idle. The first time this occurred I had the belts replaced and this seemed to cure the problem.

We did this the second time but it did not help. I read in the latest edition of Bimmer that this could be related to the hydraulic valves. They indicated it was irritating but not in need of repair. Should I have it checked out or just continue as if it is normal?

This same edition also noted that this particular engine and transmission were prone to problems - anyone taken one over 150k yet?

up540 · July 2005

i have a 2000 540i 6-speed manual transmission with about 79,000 miles. two days ago, i started to hear what i can only describe as a knocking, grinding sort of noise coming from what seems to be the underside of the car. i've narrowed it to it occurring only while the car is in gear...when i take the car into neutral and it is coasting, the noise goes away. based on this, i suspect the culprit is the gear box and/or related to the transmission somehow.

has anyone else experienced this? and if it is the transmission, am i in for an expensive trip to the repair shop?

dmiller4 · July 2005

my engine light came on and almost simultaneously the car started to run different. i have 81800 miles on a 1999 528i. shop told me after checking diagnostics several times that mass air flow sensor was bad, part and labor $675, seems too much to me. does anyone have a similar experience? this is the first time this light has come on and the car barely made it to the shop, i was afraid it would stall at traffic lights. please reply soon, thanks. :

div2 · July 2005

Take it to Autozone and let them read out the fault codes. MAF sensors don't fail very often, though an over-oiled reusable filter such as a K&N can hasten their demise. A used or remanufactured MAF will cost about $200-if you can find one; a new BMW unit will run you around $500. The good news is that it is a fairly easy DIY job.

mastoras · July 2005

Just bought a 97 528I w/5spd.When I parked it last night I noticed a very faint buzzing sound (like an electrical motor still running) coming from the center console (climate control panel) even though car was off key out of ignition,everything off.This morning the car started with no apparent loss of battery power but now a day latter the sound is still there.What is it,is there something that can be on with the ignition off?The sound is so faint you really have to listen for it.I've only had this car a couple of days so I still do not understand many of the controls,perhaps something is left on.
Thanks in advance.

adare · August 2005

Greetings all, have tried to search engine on the above and no joy. Shock horror recently when I returned to my new purchase to discover considerable moisture build up inside rear window and a rear passenger quarter window - at its base. This clearly means water source inside car!!! Car had been closed up in warm sun. The car had been hand washed 24 hrs before. (Rear floor mats seem dry so no moisture source there - I remember posts warning about a poss prob).
I would be grateful to hear of any thoughts re a common problem / fix, thanks.

pham · August 2005

Does any body know if I need to rotate the tires? my car is 18,000miles.
Does the warranty cover it? Please advise. Thanks.

gkg680 · August 2005

A neighbor of mine may soon try to sell her 1998 528i, which has less than 2000 miles on it. She bought it new, and it's been in an indoor, heated parking facility, undriven in recent years.
I'm not sure what the pitfalls of purchase might be, but my own car is nearing the end of its useful life, and I'm wondering about buying the BMW.
I would welcome any thoughts or suggestions anyone might care to share, regarding the things to worry about, such as what problems age can cause, even though the car has been sitting idle.
Sincere thanks.

530ir1150r · August 2005

Tire rotation is not covered by BMW's "free" maintenance. Check your tire wear. I use a penny or dime and check several spots on each tire. If wear appears even, I'd leave them alone. If uneven, rotate front to back or side to side to wear even over the life of your tires. Also check your tires before rotating to see if they have to be mounted to rotate in one direction or to have a specific side on the outside.

rockypaul · August 2005

Having stored BMW's for winters I can say that the two things to accept as you go into this purchase include rusted and pitted brake rotors, and, the need to reset all the electronics if the battery drain has caused a loss of memory. Neither situation will be covered by warranty at this point.
I purchased 2 of the BMW power systems that keep all the electronics in proper order for storage and they work fine. However, if my brother cannot take the vehicles out for exercise the brake rotors can get far out of spec.

All else should be fine assuming proper synthetic spec oil has been regularly changed.
A minor issue can appear if the speed rated tires are not left over inflated. Flat spotting can be an issue with some of the tires.

freddybb · August 2005

I picked up my brand new 530xi last weekend, only to have to take it back to the shop where it has been for the past three days! I was so excited to get this car, but this experience has numbed my excitement and left me afraid about what reliability problems are to come.
Apparently there is some kind of electrical malfunction that is causing the iDrive screen to be so dim that it cannot be seen, and the "High Battery Drain" warning message comes on intermittently. Has anybody else experienced this problem? The dealership does not seem to know what is going on and is working with BMW to resolve it.
They first gave me a Neon to drive, but are switching me to an X3 -- but all is want is for the 5 to be fixed.
Beautiful car, but I wish it worked out of the gate. Now I have friends sticking posters on my office window at work saying "My other car is a new BMW, but at least my Neon gets me to work!" -- how cruel they can be :-)

Oh well, all the waiting and then this -- I hope I get it back soon.

abmwguy · August 2005

I have an 06 530i and had the same problem with the high battery drain message.......my car was at the dealer for two weeks. The dealer hooked the car up to BMW so the BMW engineers could see what was going on with the computer.

BMW NA is familiar with the problem. My invoice says they found a fault 2DED in DME and replaced the ISB. They gave it a PUMA case number of 4859917.

The car has been working ok for the past 3 weeks.

When I pick-up the car, I was told BMW just put out a service bulletin that day not to replace any parts becasue BMW was working on a fix.

Like you I was crushed. I have had my new 06 back 4 times in less than 2 months. The other day I got a low oil light........I called BMW customer service and they said the dealer failed to do a proper inspection before they delivered the car. I added one quart of oil............so then I checked the anit-freeze to find it was at the minumun level...I filled it up.

This is my first BMW.....I am not impressed.

Hope this helps.

beaming · August 2005

freddybb:
Sorry to hear of your troubles --- good luck with getting them resolved. Let me know what happens........

djocks · August 2005

1. For the 525i owners (especially 6-speed M) do you feel the lack of power and wish you had gotten the 530i? Or with the new HP in the 06's is it still a rewarding drive?

2. For all 5-series owners in the northeast. Do all of you change to snows in the winter, or did some of you brave it with the non-sport package all season tires? And how did you do.

3. Finally, do the 06's have the aux input like the 3-series for i-pods and or mp3 players?

Thanks.
djocks

freddybb · August 2005

Thanks for the details. Here's how it worked out for me. The dealership ran extensive tests on the battery only to find that there was no real high drain as the error message said. So the opened a case with BMW and were advised to replace the iDrive screen. They had to overnight this and once they replaced it things seem to be OK. So they had the car for four days during my first week of ownership and I just got it back today. Is the same as the ISB you mention (I don't know what ISB stands for)? I am skeptical that this fixes the problem (I am an engineer and typically replacing the light bulb does not solve the wiring problem underneath!), but I am very happy to have the car back.

Other than this sad start, I absolutely LOVE the car. Great driving, I have no issues with iDrive (I work with computers all the time), and LOVE the Heads-Up Display (thought it would be a gimmick but it is actually VERY useful and strikes me as being a real safety feature).

totalsystm · August 2005

I have the same problem with satellite radio. I actually ordered it from the factory with satellite built in, but it came without it. Also, the RDS is not working. Any help from you guys? I am really annoyed that after getting a car with all the options and cost, you can't even see what song is playing!
I can go on with the small problems and annoyances of this car, but it's really frustrating! Next entry will be about the sport tire and rim packages (now that I've had to replace three rims after only 12K miles! They also tried to get me on the car not 'aligning properly' for another $700!

terpsroll · August 2005

My BMW has high mileage (175k) but looks and runs great. Only problem is that when the A/C is on, while it works the heating system does not seem to turn off and there is a constant oozing of super heated air coming in on my feet. The A/C can not overcome this additional heat source. The local mechanics simply turn on the A/C and see that it works, tell me the car is fine. Anyone else have a similar problem or can suggest a solution? Thanks.

drm4152 · August 2005

Does anyone know how to get under the hood when the secondary latch mechanism does not completely disengage? The inside latch appears to work fine, but the latch release located on the passenger side of the grill will not release the hood. Thanks.

div2 · August 2005

Nothing is wrong with your car. The noise that you are hearing is a tiny fan that draws interior air across a temperature sensor to provide data to the HVAC system. Some fans are noisier than others. The fan begins running whenever a door is opened. The various and sundry computers of your 5er don't go into sleep mode until @15 minutes after the engine is turned off, which explains why you continue to hear the fan.

rahulk · August 2005

Hi,

I took delivery of a New 525 XI and the second day I got the "High Battery Drain" warning message and thought that I did not lock the door overnight, not sure what the problem is again this msg. seems to appear almost everyday. I plan to take it to the dealership to get this rectified. Any input will be appreciated.

Rahul

??Is this the Ultimate driving machine??

freddybb · August 2005

Rahulk,

Can you see your iDrive screen? That's what they replaced in my 530xi and things seem to be ok now. I say "seem to be OK" because the High Drain error still shows up once in a while and then goes away. I am an engineer and I don't believe BMW or the dealership really knows what is going on here -- they are probably (hopefully) trying to find a permanent cure for this right now while they replace whatever they have to replace to get these new cars on the road.

freddybb · August 2005

BTW, Rahul, YES it is the ultimate driving machine -- just NOT the ultimate electronic machine! I love the way it drives and I have no regrets (just a bad initial experience), but I wish BMW would simply source their electronics (eg, Navi) from the same supplier that provides it for my flawless (electronically) Honda Odyssey!!

djpierotti · August 2005

I purchased a 2001 540i, 4.4 282 hp, 61,000 miles 9 months ago and love driving my 'new' BMW. Yesterday my wife was driving the car and the air shut down completely only to come on later that day. The temp outside was mid 90's, any suggestions on why this would happen? Is this the sign of a potential larger problem coming my way? Since this only happened once I don't plan on taking the vehicle in to get looked at so I thought I would summon your advice on this forum.

BMW 5-Series Maintenance and Repair

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