Looking into my GM transmission and finding some internal docs they said 60,000 miles when driven hard and maybe as much as double that when driven normally, unfortunately BMW apparently considers 100,000 "lifetime" which is pretty laughable; how many of us here bought their X5 when it was > 100,000 miles?

I plan to change my fluid pretty soon on both our X5s. They are both at about 170,000 miles and wife's actually though ironically driven much more gently is showing signs of ready for some refurbishing. (Occasional slip on full throttle on 2>3 or 3>4 shift). Mine shifts perfectly every time (other than when the connector was full of rust water).

I may just take a sample from mine and send it in for testing but do the wife's and change some internal seals perhaps the solinoids. I don't think I'll do a full valve body overhaul it's just very subtle problems at this point.

Yesterday I did the transmission service on my 3.0 X5. Went very smoothly. Oil although smelly was fairly clean for 98,000 mi and very little gray matter on the magnet. You really have to love the GM transmission in these things. I used FCP and the redline D-4 package. I will be taking a trip soon in the X and wanted this accomplished before the ride.

I'm very happy with the drivetrain combo of the hp5/M54. As much as I'm a power addict I'm usually quite content with this combination and want to keep my X5 at least to 1/4 million miles.


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Front brakes, rear brakes, all four rear upper control arms. Found a bad CV axle and what appears to be a RF dif seal leaking......and the parts pile keeps growing.

I put a new pull cable on from my outside door handle to the latch mechanism..
I had to remove the lock cylinder but not the handle assembly, yes it was tricky..

I was contemplating doing the exact same thing a week ago. I knew it was possible but I was removing the lock actuator to make it freeze resistant and once that is out it's painfully simple to remove the DHC. Good to have the confirmation though


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If you decide to change the fluid, suggest you change the fluid multiple times since the torque convertor doesn't drain when the fluid is changed. The greater the number of changes the less percent of the old fluid will be left. I suggest changing the fluid and filter, driving for 100 miles or so at operating temps, changing it again and after another 100 miles changing it a third time and also the filter. Check the pan before the first and third change for debris which will five you some indication of the condition of the transmission.

I want to do this prices soon on wife's car. Thanks for the tip


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Yesterday on my way to work, I noticed a wisp or two of steam coming from under the bonnet... It is late summer here so that is something that definitely should not be happening. Pulled over into the nearest car park, opened the bonnet (hood) and found coolant ALL over the engine bay. Damn expansion tank had let go. I was planning on doing it myself in a few weeks, just been so busy lately. I was parked within 100m of a mechanic who had time to do it for me that day and I could pick it up 7.30am the next morning, 100m of a train station - so I could get home for the night, and 100m of a bar so I could have a few refreshments while waiting for the train. Ended up having to replace a couple of the hoses to the tank as well as the tank itself and some coolant - $400. Far more than it would have cost me if it had just waited those couple of weeks, but at least it is done now, and I won't need to worry about that. Will replace the rest of the hoses over the next few months.

If that's 400 Aussie dollars, that was pretty cheap! One thing to be wary of.... many of the aftermarket ET's are junk. You may STILL want to replace it with an OE. I learned this lesson the hard way on my first BMW.

AM.