BMW E60 Differential Service – 2004-2010 5 Series – All Models

Servicing the BMW E60 differential is commonly overlooked because many home mechanics, repair shops, and service manuals have been led to believe that the fluid is a "lifetime" fill and never needs replacing. This information is inaccurate and has caused many differentials to go without servicing for far beyond an acceptable period.

In BMW manufacturing terms, "lifetime" does not mean the life of the vehicle. It means how long (in miles) the part was tested and certified by the manufacturer before it needs to be serviced. In simple terms, the phrase "lifetime" is synonymous with "service life". In the case of a BMW E60 rear differential, the recommended service life is 100,000 miles. This is simply a recommendation...it is ultimately the car owner's responsibility to make the decision on how often the rear differential should be serviced.

The rear differential has a heavy workload of delivering the power generated by the engine to the rear wheels. This power from the engine (delivered to the differential by the vehicle's transmission and driveshaft) is proportionally sent to the rear wheels depending on whether the vehicle is turning or driving in a straight line. The differential allows the rear wheels to spin at different speeds, adjusting the power to them and maximizing stability to the vehicle. If there wasn't a differential on the rear of your BMW, you would lose control of the car every time you sharply turned the steering wheel.

All of this power conversion puts an enormous amount of stress on the differential's internal gears. If the internal gears are not continually lubricated in a fresh, high-quality synthetic oil, they can fail. Signs of a failing BMW E60 differential are handling difficulties, grinding or "whining" noises, and rear-end vibration. Unfortunately, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may be beyond the maintenance stage and require a differential rebuild or replacement. Servicing your BMW E60 differential on a regular basis will help avoid driveline failure and a costly repair. The BMW Repair Guide recommends performing a BMW E60 differential service every 50,000 miles to avoid premature wear of its internal parts and failure of the component.

The BMW E60 sedan and E61 touring wagon were manufactured with two versions of differentials. The most important difference between the two is that one has a drain plug...and one doesn't. This has a minor effect on how the differential needs to be serviced.

Many BMW E60/E61 5 series vehicles were manufactured with a differential without a drain plug; draining and filling are done through one hole on the back of the case. Servicing the differential is performed by pumping the old fluid out of the fill hole with a vacuum pump then adding new fluid back in through the same hole. It is a simple procedure that just requires one extra step (and the purchase of a hand vacuum pump). Click here to purchase the hand vacuum pump we use here at the Repair Guide - it is a valuable tool with many uses and should be part of every home mechanic's garage.

We can't stress enough the importance of using a high-quality, BMW-approved lubricant in the rear differential of your E60 5 series car. Non-certified lubricants do not offer the same protection and longevity as approved ones. Always plan ahead and order a high-grade approved synthetic lubricating oil before starting this repair. We give you several excellent choices in the Parts section below.