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CriticalCommonEngine

BMW 5 Series: S85 5.0L V10 rod-bearing wear / failure (M5 E60)

S85 5.0L V10 rod-bearing wear / failure (M5 E60) is a common engine fault on the BMW 5 Series on the 2005–2010 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $4,000 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 58 documented faults on the BMW 5 Series.

Vehicle
BMW 5 Series
Only on
BMW M
Engine
S85
Years
2005–2010
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the BMW 5 Series as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All BMW 5 Series faults58 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

The E60 M5's screaming S85 5.0L V10 shares the M-division rod-bearing weakness: marginal bearing clearances mean the rod bearings wear prematurely, ticking at low rpm and eventually spinning a bearing and destroying the engine. Preventive replacement (often every ~80,000-100,000 km) is considered essential maintenance, not optional. A cheap E60 M5 with no bearing history is a large financial risk - engine rebuilds run into five figures - so bearing history is the make-or-break check.

What you would notice

  • Ticking or knocking at low rpm
  • Falling oil pressure
  • Metal in the oil / on the sump magnet
  • Rumble on start-up

How to check it

Where to look. Connecting-rod bearings inside the 5.0L V10 bottom end

Demand documented rod-bearing replacement with km. Listen for a low-rpm tick, ideally get an oil analysis, and budget heavily if bearings are unknown. A specialist pre-purchase inspection on an E60 M5 is money well spent.

What it costs to put right

$4,000 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Have the rod bearings been replaced, and when?”
  • “Any ticking at idle, and what does the oil look like?”

Now check the BMW 5 Series you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • bmwtuning.co – 4 Most Common BMW S85 M5/M6 Engine Problems (rod bearings)
  • EuroAutoPro – Common Problems of the BMW E60 M5

BMW 5 Series buyer questions

Is s85 5.0l v10 rod-bearing wear / failure (m5 e60) serious on a BMW 5 Series?

We rate it critical and common on the BMW 5 Series. The E60 M5's screaming S85 5.0L V10 shares the M-division rod-bearing weakness: marginal bearing clearances mean the rod bearings wear prematurely, ticking at low rpm and eventually spinning a bearing and destroying the engine. Preventive replacement (often every ~80,000-100,000 km) is considered essential maintenance, not optional. A cheap E60 M5 with no bearing history is a large financial risk - engine rebuilds run into five figures - so bearing history is the make-or-break check.

How much does it cost to fix on a BMW 5 Series?

$4,000 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which BMW 5 Series years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2005–2010 BMW 5 Series. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Demand documented rod-bearing replacement with km. Listen for a low-rpm tick, ideally get an oil analysis, and budget heavily if bearings are unknown. A specialist pre-purchase inspection on an E60 M5 is money well spent. Look here: Connecting-rod bearings inside the 5.0L V10 bottom end