XSeries-forum

Hello, again.

My 3.0D 2006 X5 facelift now has all the green service lights extinguished and an orange light on, with a CLOCK SYMBOL and OIL CHANGE.

I now know the clock symbol means change brake fluid.

My stamped service book is as follows.

10k and 20k had oil services.

The next 4 service stamps are at approx 35k, 66k, 100k, 135k, and now my green lights are all gone, 162k.

It seems all the services have been done around 35k intervals ????

Is this correct?

It seems so as my green lights have just counted down to orange and it is about 28k since it was last serviced.

I have owned the car for 18 months (from 147k) and for most of that time had 5 green lights !
I've done 15k in it since I bought it.

How long time intervals, or what criteria has to be met as these green lights are extinguished one by one??

Also, am I right in timing my services as dictated by the system put in place by BMW?

Thanks !

Ok, so ......... I get 5k between each green light going out. others have stated that they get 3k between each one. As I recall, it is not based on time at all,  it is based on fuel consumption (other marques apparently go on oil condition, or so Ive bene told)

If you think about it logically, if you push the car hard, you'll get lower consumption. If you are pushing the car hard it will need serviced more regularly.

So ....... the previous services at around 35k interval is unusual but not impossible if driven like an old granny. You've done 15k and that equates to 3k per green light. You, probably,  drive harder then me (I do Rospa Gold Standard Advanced Driving and high mileage long motorway trips).

So yes, sounds about right. And yes go with what BWM say. or easier. Some say that regardless of the lights they change the oil every 10K. personally I feel that the evidence is there to suggest that the synthetic oils will also and that 10k oil changes are a bit old school> but I would not extend them beyond what BMW say. that would be your choice.


Smee

Thanks Smee,
when I say "system put in place by BMW, I refer to the green light countdown.

ie, do I get car serviced every year, every 15k miles or leave it till the green lights countdown, even if that means 2 years plus, just take it when the last green light has extinguished.?

Well that's your call really. I go with the green light system so every 25k. Others go with the green lights but they also do oil at 10k. For me it can be as little as 6 months but it has been 15months on occasion.

Basically it's designed to be serviced when the lights go out, whenever that is, based on your own style of driving