My Repair Experience - 2001 X5 3.0i
 

BMW X5 3.0 (M54 engine, E53 model) 146,000 miles

My Repair Experience
Items that WILL FAIL that should not, ranked in order. (plastic and rubber items wear out 20% faster in Arizona heat and dryness). Tried to put down around the mileage these went bad for me.

1. Window Regulators. - Replace Every 4 years - Found unit with 2 year warranty at 1aauto.com
2. Oil Separator and hoses - car will run rough, misfire when it goes. Most likely not O2 sensors, but codes with be P0340 etc - 120k
3. Oil Filter Housing Gasket - 120k
4. Driver's Door handle carriage mechanism - spring loaded device
5. Coolant Expansion tank - Replace with water pump
6. DISA Valve - 120k
7. Tail Light case electrical points - arching on brake light contact points burns through metal - solder fixes it - 70k
8. Cam position sensors - intake and exhaust cams - 60k
9. Hood cable broke at 145k, under-dash lever, unless you take it apart each year and oil the cable with bicycle TriFlow oil etc.

Typical for any car over 8 years old.
10. Power steering fluid resevoir and hoses - 110k
11. Upper Control arms, bushings, joints - 110k
12. Front CV Joints 80k - both
13 . Cooling system - water pump - just replace every 4 years along with coolant, expansion tank, hoses, thermostat
14. Button on climate control (auto) popped off
15. Radiator may give you issues, but mine was ok
16. Belts - Replace every 3 years, 2 years if you live in Southwest
17. Battery - only buy top of the line Exide battery, only two companies make batteries, Exide and Johnson Controls. Exide top of the line battery will last 5 years in warm climate.


Care Tips
18. Wax your vehicle every 4 months
19. Rotate/balance/check pressure your tires every 5,000 miles, including spare
20. Change your oil every 8,000 miles, just use Mobil 1 - need to get the dirt out, lubrication will still be ok, you can run an oil analysis if you want, many online.
21. Spark Plugs - the OEM spark plugs are much better built than regular platinum plugs, but $20 each, probably best for 100k. Testing non OEM now


Anyone else have any regular issues I am missing?

Great info. I have the same 2001 X5 3.0 but only 88K...not looking forward for all those changes. So far it has been good to me. Thanks for sharing.

If you have a P0340 it is typically the seal around the DISA valve. You need to put a bead of silicon to get a seal, otherwise it will typically leak in air.

Got my X5 sometime in May of this year. 162,xxx miles. The following repairs was due to parts starting to fail. Finance company gave me a 5 year 100,000 warranty on engine and trans. If either die they will fix or replace. I am responsible for repairs except for complete engine/trans failure. Did all the work myself except the window regulator.

Seems like all of the failing part are originals. So they did their job.
I spent less than $500 for repairs. My X is running stronger than ever. Going to replace entire cooling system in the summer. Pulleys started to make some noise going to change them next month. Easy Job. Take care of your X and she will take care of you.

Driver’s Side Window Regulator Replaced – 05/16/13
Serpentine & A/C Belts Replaced– 7/24/2013
Valve Cover Gasket & Oil Housing Gasket Replaced – 7/24/2013
Lower Power Steering Hose Clamp Replaced – 08/12/13
Exhaust Camshaft Sensor Replaced – 08/23/13
Oil Changed – Castrol Edge 5w-30 – Mann Oil Filter – Oil Drain Plug Replaced W/ Crush Washer – 162,110 - 09/08/13
Upper Power Steering Hose Clamps (2) Replaced – Reservoir Cleaned – Power Steering Fluid Changed – 09/17/13
CCV Replaced – CCV Hoses Replaced – Oil Dip Stick Cleaned & O Ring Replaced – ICV Cleaned – Throttle Body Cleaned & Gasket Replaced – Air Intake Boot Replaced – Air Emission Control Pump Hose Replaced – Disa Valve Cleaned & Rebuilt – 09/27/13
All 4 o2 Oxygen Sensors Replaced Up/Down Stream OEM Bosch – Spark Plugs Changed, NGK Iridium IX – 162,110 - 09/28/13