BMW X5 maintenance schedule

What's due on a BMW X5 at each mileage milestone.

7,500 miles

• Engine oil and filter — Oil loses its additive package long before it looks dirty. This is the single service that most determines how long the engine lasts.
• Tire rotation and pressure check — Front and rear tires wear at different rates. Rotating on schedule is what gets you the full tread life you paid for.
• Multi-point inspection — Brakes, fluids, belts, hoses and suspension checked. Catches the cheap fix before it becomes the expensive one.

15,000 miles

• Engine oil and filter — Oil loses its additive package long before it looks dirty. This is the single service that most determines how long the engine lasts.
• Tire rotation and pressure check — Front and rear tires wear at different rates. Rotating on schedule is what gets you the full tread life you paid for.
• Cabin air filter — Restricted airflow makes the AC feel weak and is the usual source of a musty vent smell.
• Engine air filter — A clogged filter costs fuel economy and, on some vehicles, dirties the mass air flow sensor.

30,000 miles

• Engine oil and filter — Oil loses its additive package long before it looks dirty. This is the single service that most determines how long the engine lasts.
• Tire rotation and pressure check — Front and rear tires wear at different rates. Rotating on schedule is what gets you the full tread life you paid for.
• Engine air filter — A clogged filter costs fuel economy and, on some vehicles, dirties the mass air flow sensor.
• Cabin air filter — Restricted airflow makes the AC feel weak and is the usual source of a musty vent smell.
• Brake fluid flush — Brake fluid absorbs water, which drops its boiling point and corrodes ABS parts from the inside. Time-based, not mileage-based.
• Brake pad inspection or replacement — Pads are usually due somewhere in this window. Catching them before they score the rotors halves the bill.

60,000 miles

• Engine oil and filter — Oil loses its additive package long before it looks dirty. This is the single service that most determines how long the engine lasts.
• Tire rotation and pressure check — Front and rear tires wear at different rates. Rotating on schedule is what gets you the full tread life you paid for.
• Transmission fluid service — The service most often skipped and the one most likely to cause a four-figure failure when it is.
• Brake pad inspection or replacement — Pads are usually due somewhere in this window. Catching them before they score the rotors halves the bill.
• Serpentine belt inspection — One belt drives the alternator, water pump and AC. When it goes, everything stops at once.
• Battery test — Most batteries fail between year three and five. A load test takes minutes and prevents the no-start.
• Suspension and alignment check — Worn bushings and struts show up as uneven tire wear long before they feel wrong to drive.

90,000 miles

• Engine oil and filter — Oil loses its additive package long before it looks dirty. This is the single service that most determines how long the engine lasts.
• Tire rotation and pressure check — Front and rear tires wear at different rates. Rotating on schedule is what gets you the full tread life you paid for.
• Spark plugs — Worn plugs make the coils work harder. Replacing plugs on schedule is the cheapest way to avoid a misfire repair.
• Coolant flush — Coolant additives wear out and stop protecting against corrosion, which is what eventually kills the radiator and heater core.
• Transmission fluid service — The service most often skipped and the one most likely to cause a four-figure failure when it is.
• Serpentine belt inspection — One belt drives the alternator, water pump and AC. When it goes, everything stops at once.

120,000 miles

• Engine oil and filter — Oil loses its additive package long before it looks dirty. This is the single service that most determines how long the engine lasts.
• Tire rotation and pressure check — Front and rear tires wear at different rates. Rotating on schedule is what gets you the full tread life you paid for.
• Spark plugs — Worn plugs make the coils work harder. Replacing plugs on schedule is the cheapest way to avoid a misfire repair.
• Coolant flush — Coolant additives wear out and stop protecting against corrosion, which is what eventually kills the radiator and heater core.
• Transmission fluid service — The service most often skipped and the one most likely to cause a four-figure failure when it is.
• Brake pad inspection or replacement — Pads are usually due somewhere in this window. Catching them before they score the rotors halves the bill.
• Suspension and alignment check — Worn bushings and struts show up as uneven tire wear long before they feel wrong to drive.

BMW X5-specific notes

• Transfer case fluid on xDrive models is a real interval despite the lifetime label.
• Expect brake and cooling costs well above mainstream brands.