E60/E61 2003-2007 · 2005–2007

BMW 525i 218 ch · N52B25 (2005–2007)

Engine N52B25, 2497 cc, 160 kW (218 PS) and 250 Nm. Bodies: E60 saloon and E61 Touring estate. Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive.

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Identify the car and prepare its maintenance

Technical specifications

Fuel
Petrol
Power
218 PS / 160 kW
Displacement
2 497 cm³
Torque
250 Nm
Engine code
N52B25
Period covered
2005–2007
Documented market
Europe

Transmission

  • Manual · 6 speeds
  • Automatic · 6 speeds

Figures apply to the cited configuration and market; equipment and transmissions may vary by production date.

Specification source : [1] BMW AG — TIS (archive) [2] Wikipedia [3] ADAC [4] BMW Group

Identification and specifics

Engine N52B25, 2497 cc, 160 kW (218 PS) and 250 Nm. Bodies: E60 saloon and E61 Touring estate. Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive.

Source : [3] [2]

Engine oil for this variant

Oil rules (approvals, viscosity, quantity) sit on the linked engine page.

Source : [1]

Maintenance and CBS deadlines

The car computes service deadlines through CBS, visible in the instrument cluster. Vehicle check (fixed) and oil service (condition-based) are not the same event. Between two oil services: brake fluid every 24 months.

Source : [4]

Documented recalls

Recalls: cross-check the ADAC Autokatalog entry and have the BMW VIN database queried for this period.

Source : [3]

Preparing the service

Bring the VIN, the production month, the engine code N52B25 and the 160 kW (218 PS) rating. Have the work recorded in the CBS history and collect the key last used, which carries the maintenance data.

Source : [4] [3]

BMW N52 petrol engine (3.0 l naturally aspirated six)

This applies to every car fitted with the N52 engine.

What the N52 is

A naturally aspirated 2,996 cc inline six-cylinder petrol engine (88.0 × 85.0 mm) with a composite magnesium-aluminium crankcase and Valvetronic II. BMW launched it in 2005 in the E60/E61 5 Series and the E90 3 Series (330i, then the 325i with a lower-output version of the same 3.0), in two output stages: OL (upper, with the DISA resonance intake) and UL (lower, without DISA). BMW’s workshop documentation also lists an N52K, fitted for example to the 1 Series 125i and 130i.

Source : [9] [8] [6]

Engine oil

Oil change with filter: 6.5 l for the N52 B30 and N52K B30 according to TIS data; 7.0 l on an N52K with the auxiliary engine oil cooler. BMW’s training material specifies SAE 5W-30. Longlife-04 is approved for petrol engines only in the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein; elsewhere, use the approval BMW specifies for the country.

Source : [5] [6] [1] [9]

Timing drive

Chain, at the front of the engine, on both the N52 and N52K: replacement goes through removing the cylinder head cover, the tensioner, the front radial seal and the vibration damper. No interval is set: it is a repair.

Source : [7] [8]

Magnesium block: workshop precautions

Ancillaries attached to the magnesium crankcase use aluminium bolts (blue heads): a steel bolt would cause contact corrosion. For the same reason, the gaskets between the aluminium cylinder head or oil pan and the magnesium block must not be damaged. Point this out to a workshop unfamiliar with the engine.

Source : [9]

Maintenance and records

Engine oil

CBS · 24 months

24 months

Variable deadline computed by CBS from use; change oil within 24 months of the previous one at the latest. See the variant page for the matching quantity and oil approval.

Source [4]

Brake fluid

24 months

24 months

Change every two years; reset only the matching CBS service after the work.

Source [4]

Vehicle check

50,000 km / 48 months

50 000 km

48 months

Separate from the oil service; whichever limit is reached first, distance or time.

Source [4]

Questions about this version (5)

Which engine is in this N52B25 variant?

Engine N52B25, 2497 cc, 160 kW (218 PS) and 250 Nm. Bodies: E60 saloon and E61 Touring estate. Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive.

Source : [3] [2]

What oil and how much for this N52B25?

Oil rules (approvals, viscosity, quantity) sit on the linked engine page.

Source : [1]

What else does the BMW booklet schedule beyond the oil service?

The car computes service deadlines through CBS, visible in the instrument cluster. Vehicle check (fixed) and oil service (condition-based) are not the same event. Between two oil services: brake fluid every 24 months.

Source : [4]

Which recalls should I check on this N52B25?

Recalls: cross-check the ADAC Autokatalog entry and have the BMW VIN database queried for this period.

Source : [3]

How do I tell this variant apart from the rest of the range?

Bring the VIN, the production month, the engine code N52B25 and the 160 kW (218 PS) rating. Have the work recorded in the CBS history and collect the key last used, which carries the maintenance data.

Source : [4] [3]

Documentary sources

  1. [1] BMW TIS — BMW Quality Longlife-04

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · Europe · SI 11 03 04 (156) · revision 09/2005 · Accessed 08/10/2026

  2. [2] BMW 5 Series (E60) — Wikipedia

    Wikipedia · EN · Worldwide · Variant tables (pre-facelift and facelift saloon/Touring); M5 total production figures · Accessed 08/10/2026

  3. [3] ADAC Autokatalog — BMW 5er E60/E61 (2003–2007)

    ADAC · DE · Germany · Variant listing pre-LCI saloon and Touring; power/dates by trim · Accessed 08/10/2026

  4. [4] BMW Group PressClub — The all-new BMW 5 Series (E60), 2003

    BMW Group · EN · Europe · Launch material for E60 saloon with 520i/525i/530i/545i petrol and 525d/530d diesel; CBS introduction · Accessed 08/10/2026

  5. [5] BMW TIS — Oil Supply N52 / B30

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · Europe · TD 11 40 · engine-level data, N52 B30; archive navigation is E90 · Accessed 08/10/2026

  6. [6] BMW TIS — Oil Supply N52K B30

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · Europe · TD 11 40 · with filter; with auxiliary engine oil cooler · Accessed 08/10/2026

  7. [7] BMW TIS — Replacing timing chain (N52)

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · Europe · RA 11 31 · N52 · Accessed 08/10/2026

  8. [8] BMW TIS — Replacing timing chain (N52K)

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · Europe · RA 11 31 · E88 archive, “1 Series 125i (N52K) Convertible” · Accessed 08/10/2026

  9. [9] BMW Technical training — New Generation 6-Cylinder N52

    BMW of North America — Technical Training · EN · USA · Introduction (E60, E61, E90; 330i and 325i, 2005) · Technical data N52B30 (engine oil SAE 5W-30) · designations OL/UL · magnesium crankcase, aluminium bolts · Accessed 08/10/2026

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