service intervals

Smeeagain · Post by **Smeeagain** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:37 pm

Can anyone tell me how the servicing interval are determined on my 2004 E53 X5 3.0 D Sport - is it predetermined or down to driving style/conditions/mileage/etc I had the car serviced today as the last green light went out about a week or so ago. Today the serving paperwork stated the mileage as 120,090 - the previous paperwork states the mileage at 92,015.

That is 28,000 miles between services

Smee

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:59 am

It goes off litres used, harder you drive more litres are used so quicker services.
It can be change to a set time via 1.4.0 scanner.

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fenj66 · Post by **fenj66** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:32 am

that seems rather a lot of mileage for the green lights to go out! mine lasts for about 16000 miles and im not heavy footed.
out of interest, what does your on board computer reckon your average mpg is?

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:32 am

As said seems to be too big an interval, could it not have had a service in between and you don't have the paperwork? My last E53 was anything between 14-16k for servicing.

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X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 9:34 am

Typically you can expect one green light to go out after approx every 3,000 miles or so. I think anywhere around 18,000 was what I saw too, but it could go longer if you drive economically. There is also a time based service that comes up every two years for changing the brake fluid.

It's possible that either a stamp was missed, or a service ignored by an Owner perhaps?. Every other service is an oil & filter only service. Sequence runs: Oil - Insp1 - Oil - Insp2 - Oil - Insp1....and so on.

Frequently the OEM Warranty/Service Pack used to run out just before the Insp2 (the bigger expensive service) was required..

The new models give you a 'distance to go' and 'month/year' message when you start the car.

Smeeagain · Post by **Smeeagain** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 11:28 am

Thanks for the replies. No it definitely hasn't had a service in between - it's my car and no one else organsies the servicing and it was me who took it on for the previous service. I have topped up the oil in between services - does that have an impact?

Generally the lights go out at around every 5500 miles or so. Scanner shows that the service interval hasn't been adjusted.

I do a huge amount of motorway driving - I rarely go over 75 mph. I drive as 'economically' as I can. on board computer has suggested 38-39mpg on long trips to Scotland

If I had driven it on a bit on the amber light i reckon i could have got it to 30,000.

The garage who serviced it thought it was a little on the high side for servicing intervals but nothing hugely unusual in their opinion.

Smee

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:03 pm

With that kind of mpg, then I'm not surprised about the interval lengths. As these things are supposed to burn a little oil in normal use, topping it up doesn't affect the timings. You're just one of the luckier ones with the type of driving you do.

In 53,000 miles I only had two services and two bi-annual fluid changes. I think their were either one or two green lights left when it was sold.

gadgetJunky72 · Post by **gadgetJunky72** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 2:40 pm

I just looked at my service book and it reads (for a 2005 car):

Oil Service --> Inspection 1 --> Oil Service --> Inspection 1

It's all been done at the same (supplying) dealer Specialist Cars in Stevenage. I called up the service department and they confirmed all is correct and that the 2nd Oil Service is equivalent to an Inspection II. am i being duped?

So as not to go too off topic

the intervals are between 15-20k apart.

any thought appreciated.

cheers

Pav

dgm · Post by **dgm** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:54 pm

[quote=""gadgetJunky72""]I called up the service department and they confirmed all is correct and that the 2nd Oil Service is equivalent to an Inspection II. am i being duped?
Pav[/quote]

For what it's worth, I bought a Nov 05 3.0d last week in a private sale and the seller told me the same thing. He was until recently a BMW tech and seemed to know his stuff.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 1:43 pm

[quote=""gadgetJunky72""]I just looked at my service book and it reads (for a 2005 car):

Oil Service --> Inspection 1 --> Oil Service --> Inspection 1

It's all been done at the same (supplying) dealer Specialist Cars in Stevenage. I called up the service department and they confirmed all is correct and that the 2nd Oil Service is equivalent to an Inspection II. am i being duped?[/quote]

A web check shows the sequence as oil-->Insp1-->oil-->insp2. So first major service could be as much as 80,000 miles in. Hence it being outside the warranty period

Not sure what they're telling you, or if I've misread it, or the sequence has been revised again in light of experience?

Smeeagain · Post by **Smeeagain** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 5:56 pm

Following my original post I have one remaining light and heading towards 28,000-30,000 miles again since last service.
My question is - are the amber and red light just a different colour of service light or are they, as they would appear to suggest, more critical? ie if oil etc is topped up is there anything to suggest that I shouldn't run the car during the amber light or indeed while the red light is on or should the car be serviced as soon as is practicably possible once the last green light has gone out?

Thanks
Smee

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 5:57 pm

I think amber just means something like it's due in 1,000 miles and red is it's overdue. Makes no difference to driving it.

Richard

Riggie · Post by **Riggie** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 6:11 pm

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="gadgetJunky72"]I just looked at my service book and it reads (for a 2005 car):

Oil Service --> Inspection 1 --> Oil Service --> Inspection 1

It's all been done at the same (supplying) dealer Specialist Cars in Stevenage. I called up the service department and they confirmed all is correct and that the 2nd Oil Service is equivalent to an Inspection II. am i being duped?[/quote]

A web check shows the sequence as oil-->Insp1-->oil-->insp2. So first major service could be as much as 80,000 miles in. Hence it being outside the warranty period :headbang: Not sure what they're telling you, or if I've misread it, or the sequence has been revised again in light of experience?
[/quote]

E53 service book doesn't show Insp 2. It's oil, insp 1 repeated, but every 3rd oil service is a fuel and air filter as well, so bumps the price up to Insp 2 levels at the stealer. As mentioned, there are also time based items. Just had 3rd oil service at stealer and the fleeced me for £320.

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