BMW 5-Series 1987-1997 Maintenance Plans

This schedule shows key service items and indicative intervals. Actual intervals depend on driving conditions, exact engine specification and manufacturer recommendations. For full details of all operations, sub-tasks and technical specifications, see our technical manuals.
520i Petrol (M20B20M)

Additional operations (specific intervals)

  • Renew the timing belt every second inspection II/every 48 months
  • Braking system: renew the brake fluid every 24 months

Service intervals · 520i Petrol (M20B20M) · Maintenance system ( except Brazil, China, USA)

Task Oil service (service indicator) Inspection I (service indicator) Inspection II (service indicator)
Engine
Renew the engine oil ●●●
Renew the oil filter ●●●
Renew the air filter ○○●
Renew the spark plugs ●●●
Check the exhaust system ○●●
Cooling system: check for leaks. Check the level and anti-freeze strength; correct if necessary ●●●
Transmission
CV joint boots: check for damage and leaks ○○●
Steering
Check the steering assembly for damage, leaks and wear ●●●
Brakes
Check the brake fluid level; top up if necessary ●●●
Check the brake lines, hoses and connections for leaks and damage ●●●
Suspension, wheels and tyres
Check the tread depth and wear pattern on all the tyres, including the spare ●●●
Suspension: check for damage and wear ○●●
Check the tyre pressures; adjust if necessary ●●●
Electrical System
Reset the service indicator ●●●
Interior
Renew the dust and pollen filter ●●●
Exterior
Check the windscreen wipers and washing system ○●○
Check the body for corrosion and damage ○●●
525i Petrol (M20B25M)

Additional operations (specific intervals)

  • Renew the timing belt every second inspection II/every 48 months
  • Braking system: renew the brake fluid every 24 months

Service intervals · 525i Petrol (M20B25M) · Maintenance system ( except Brazil, China, USA)

Task Oil service (service indicator) Inspection I (service indicator) Inspection II (service indicator)
Engine
Renew the engine oil ●●●
Renew the oil filter ●●●
Renew the air filter ○○●
Renew the spark plugs ●●●
Check the exhaust system ○●●
Cooling system: check for leaks. Check the level and anti-freeze strength; correct if necessary ●●●
Transmission
CV joint boots: check for damage and leaks ○○●
Steering
Check the steering assembly for damage, leaks and wear ●●●
Brakes
Check the brake fluid level; top up if necessary ●●●
Check the brake lines, hoses and connections for leaks and damage ●●●
Suspension, wheels and tyres
Check the tread depth and wear pattern on all the tyres, including the spare ●●●
Suspension: check for damage and wear ○●●
Check the tyre pressures; adjust if necessary ●●●
Electrical System
Reset the service indicator ●●●
Interior
Renew the dust and pollen filter ●●●
Exterior
Check the windscreen wipers and washing system ○●○
Check the body for corrosion and damage ○●●
525i, -ix Petrol (M50B25)
( - 1995) ( except Brazil, China, USA) Standard interval

Additional operations (specific intervals)

  • Braking system: renew the brake fluid every 24 months

Service intervals · 525i, -ix Petrol (M50B25) · ( - 1995) ( except Brazil, China, USA)

Task Oil service (service indicator) Inspection I (service indicator) Inspection II (service indicator)
Engine
Renew the engine oil ●●●
Renew the oil filter ●●●
Renew the air filter ○○●
Renew the spark plugs ●●●
Check the exhaust system ○●●
Cooling system: check for leaks. Check the level and anti-freeze strength; correct if necessary ●●●
Transmission
CV joint boots: check for damage and leaks ○○●
Steering
Check the steering assembly for damage, leaks and wear ●●●
Brakes
Check the brake fluid level; top up if necessary ●●●
Check the brake lines, hoses and connections for leaks and damage ●●●
Suspension, wheels and tyres
Check the tread depth and wear pattern on all the tyres, including the spare ●●●
Suspension: check for damage and wear ○●●
Check the tyre pressures; adjust if necessary ●●●
Electrical System
Reset the service indicator ●●●
Interior
Renew the dust and pollen filter ●●●
Exterior
Check the windscreen wipers and washing system ○●●
Check the body for corrosion and damage ○●●
1996 ( except Brazil, China, USA) Standard interval

Additional operations (specific intervals)

  • Braking system: renew the brake fluid indicated by the service indicator or at least every 24 months

Service intervals · 525i, -ix Petrol (M50B25) · 1996 ( except Brazil, China, USA)

Task Oil service (service indicator) Inspection I (service indicator) Inspection II (service indicator)
Engine
Renew the engine oil ●●●
Renew the oil filter ●●●
Renew the air filter ○○●
Renew the spark plugs ●●●
Check the exhaust system ○●●
Cooling system: check for leaks. Check the level and anti-freeze strength; correct if necessary ●●●
Steering
Check the steering assembly for damage, leaks and wear ●●●
Brakes
Check the brake fluid level; top up if necessary ●●●
Check the brake lines, hoses and connections for leaks and damage ●●●
Suspension, wheels and tyres
Check the tread depth and wear pattern on all the tyres, including the spare ●●●
Check the tyre pressures; adjust if necessary ●●●
Electrical System
Check the operation of the exterior lights ●●●
Reset the service indicator ●●●
Interior
Renew the dust and pollen filter ●●●
Exterior
Check the windscreen wipers and washing system ○●●
Check the body for corrosion and damage ○●●
530i Petrol (M30B30M)

Additional operations (specific intervals)

  • Braking system: renew the brake fluid every 24 months

Service intervals · 530i Petrol (M30B30M) · Maintenance system ( except Brazil, China, USA)

Task Oil service (service indicator) Inspection I (service indicator) Inspection II (service indicator)
Engine
Renew the engine oil ●●●
Renew the oil filter ●●●
Renew the air filter ○○●
Renew the spark plugs ●●●
Check the exhaust system ○●●
Cooling system: check for leaks. Check the level and anti-freeze strength; correct if necessary ●●●
Transmission
CV joint boots: check for damage and leaks ○○●
Steering
Check the steering assembly for damage, leaks and wear ●●●
Brakes
Check the brake fluid level; top up if necessary ●●●
Check the brake lines, hoses and connections for leaks and damage ●●●
Suspension, wheels and tyres
Check the tread depth and wear pattern on all the tyres, including the spare ●●●
Suspension: check for damage and wear ○●●
Check the tyre pressures; adjust if necessary ●●●
Electrical System
Reset the service indicator ●●●
Interior
Renew the dust and pollen filter ●●●
Exterior
Check the windscreen wipers and washing system ○●●
Check the body for corrosion and damage ○●●
535i Petrol (M30B35M)

Additional operations (specific intervals)

  • Braking system: renew the brake fluid every 24 months

Service intervals · 535i Petrol (M30B35M) · Maintenance system ( except Brazil, China, USA)

Task Oil service (service indicator) Inspection I (service indicator) Inspection II (service indicator)
Engine
Renew the engine oil ●●●
Renew the oil filter ●●●
Renew the air filter ○○●
Renew the spark plugs ●●●
Check the exhaust system ○●●
Cooling system: check for leaks. Check the level and anti-freeze strength; correct if necessary ●●●
Transmission
CV joint boots: check for damage and leaks ○○●
Steering
Check the steering assembly for damage, leaks and wear ●●●
Brakes
Check the brake fluid level; top up if necessary ●●●
Check the brake lines, hoses and connections for leaks and damage ●●●
Suspension, wheels and tyres
Check the tread depth and wear pattern on all the tyres, including the spare ●●●
Suspension: check for damage and wear ○●●
Check the tyre pressures; adjust if necessary ●●●
Electrical System
Reset the service indicator ●●●
Interior
Renew the dust and pollen filter ●●●
Exterior
Check the windscreen wipers and washing system ○●●
Check the body for corrosion and damage ○●●
535i Petrol (M30B35M)

Additional operations (specific intervals)

  • Braking system: renew the brake fluid every 24 months

Service intervals · 535i Petrol (M30B35M) · Maintenance system ( except Brazil, China, USA)

Task Oil service (service indicator) Inspection I (service indicator) Inspection II (service indicator)
Engine
Renew the engine oil ●●●
Renew the oil filter ●●●
Renew the air filter ○○●
Renew the spark plugs ●●●
Check the exhaust system ○●●
Cooling system: check for leaks. Check the level and anti-freeze strength; correct if necessary ●●●
Transmission
CV joint boots: check for damage and leaks ○○●
Steering
Check the steering assembly for damage, leaks and wear ●●●
Brakes
Check the brake fluid level; top up if necessary ●●●
Check the brake lines, hoses and connections for leaks and damage ●●●
Suspension, wheels and tyres
Check the tread depth and wear pattern on all the tyres, including the spare ●●●
Suspension: check for damage and wear ○●●
Check the tyre pressures; adjust if necessary ●●●
Electrical System
Reset the service indicator ●●●
Interior
Renew the dust and pollen filter ●●●
Exterior
Check the windscreen wipers and washing system ○●●
Check the body for corrosion and damage ○●●

Repair guides

Change Car Accessory Belt Kit

Change Car Accessory Belt Kit

Easy 0h30–3h00
Change Car Air Filter

Change Car Air Filter

Very easy 0h30–1h30
Change Car Battery

Change Car Battery

Very easy 0h30–0h45
Change Car Cabin Filter

Change Car Cabin Filter

Very easy 0h30–0h45
Change Car Clutch

Change Car Clutch

Technical 5h00–10h00
Change Car Front Brake Discs and Pads

Change Car Front Brake Discs and Pads

Easy 1h30–17h00
Change Car Front Brake Pads

Change Car Front Brake Pads

Easy 1h00–12h00
Change Car Fuel Filter

Change Car Fuel Filter

Easy 0h30–2h30
Change Car Glow Plugs

Change Car Glow Plugs

Intermediate 1h00–6h00
Change Car Handbrake Cable

Change Car Handbrake Cable

Very easy 0h30–0h30
Change Car Oil Filter

Change Car Oil Filter

Easy 0h30–8h00
Change Car Particulate Filter (DPF)

Change Car Particulate Filter (DPF)

Easy 0h30–3h00
Change Car Rear Silencer

Change Car Rear Silencer

Easy 0h45–2h30
Change Car Shock Absorbers

Change Car Shock Absorbers

Easy 2h00–5h00
Change Car Spark Plugs

Change Car Spark Plugs

Easy 0h30–3h30
Change Car Timing Belt Kit

Change Car Timing Belt Kit

Very technical 4h00
Change Car Turbo

Change Car Turbo

Very technical 2h00–31h00
Change Car Water Pump

Change Car Water Pump

Easy 1h00–6h00
View all repair guides →