As a long-term owner of BMW E60 I know most common problems on BMW E60 5 series. This article will be helpful for anyone who owns or who’s interested in purchasing BMW E60. This BMW model is an absolute tank when we’re talking about reliability – most of the repairs really do make sense because these parts normally fail on high mileage.
I like to DIY some repairs to save some money, therefore I am an active member of multiple BMW communities where these common problems are discussed nearly every day. I also own BMW E60 530D, it has around 300 000 kilometers (190k miles), therefore I have a decent knowledge of repairs. Petrol car owners will also find useful information in this article.
Fuel injectors
The absolutely most common problem is fuel injectors. The EURO 3 and EURO 4 engines have different injectors. It is possible to fit EURO 4 injectors on EURO 3 engine, but it requires advanced coding and rather a lot of work. Brand new injectors are expensive, refurbishing them is a more pocket-friendly option, although refurbished injectors will not last as long. At 300k km (190k miles) all 6 of my injectors have failed. It’s rather hard to find good used EURO 3 injectors, because they were installed in BMW E46, BMW E60 and some X5 E53 models. I took at least 20 injectors taken out of low mileage cars to the testing machine to find 6 good ones. The replacement is easy – it didn’t require any difficult coding – just a simple adaptation using BMW INPA.
Automatic transmission torque converter
This is another part that often requires replacement when you’re on a bit higher mileage. If you have an automatic transmission and you can see your RPM going up and down while you’re driving on the same speed. My car is still OK, but you can see this part failing at 250k-500k kilometers (155k – 300k miles).
Thermostats and water pumps
I have just replaced both thermostats and my water pump. I was quite surprised that my old water pump was still OEM. So they do last pretty well. But MPG and engine temperature issues are very common as you can see in BMW forums. If you feel that your car using more fuel or the heater doesn’t heat up fast enough – replacing your thermostats is a good idea.
Steering wheel shaking
A lot of people in BMW forums have this type of problem. I still have this issue, but I will sort it out soon. If you are braking hard and your steering wheel starts shaking there are few things you should check out:
- Most common: Brake rotors
- Bad (bumpy) tires
- Worn control arm
Main power cable
If you own pre-LCI BMW E60 model it’s a good idea to check out if your car is on a recall list. Call your local BMW dealer to find out. The positive cable which goes through your car chassis in the rear has a weak point. Due to corrosion and oxidation there’s a risk to burn your car. My car was on a recall list therefore the repairs cost me nothing. Dealer fit a new updated cable that doesn’t have any oxidation problems.
The navigation unit
If you own a pre-LCI model and have a wider navigation screen (CCC) you will definitely face some electronic problems. Pretty much everyone who has this type of unit had to repair or replace it with newer LCI module by this time.
This is pretty much all the bigger problems I had to solve on my E60. BMW Engines and other parts are extremely durable. Just don’t forget to service it regularly and this car will last for ages!
Feel free to comment if you would like to add another point to this list.