E60/E61 2007-2010 · 2007–2010

BMW 520i 156 ch · N46B20 (2007–2010, marchés hors stratifiée)

Engine N46B20, 1995 cc, 115 kW (156 PS) and 200 Nm. Bodies: E60 saloon and E61 Touring estate. Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive.

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Identify the car and prepare its maintenance

Technical specifications

Fuel
Petrol
Power
156 PS / 115 kW
Displacement
1 995 cm³
Torque
200 Nm
Engine code
N46B20
Period covered
2007–2010
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] BMW AG — TIS (archive) [3] Wikipedia [4] ADAC [5] BMW Group

Identification and specifics

Engine N46B20, 1995 cc, 115 kW (156 PS) and 200 Nm. Bodies: E60 saloon and E61 Touring estate. Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive.

Source : [4] [3]

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 : [5] [2]

Documented recalls

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

Source : [4]

Preparing the service

Bring the VIN, the production month, the engine code N46B20 and the 115 kW (156 PS) rating. Have the work recorded in the CBS history and collect the key last used, which carries the maintenance data.

Source : [5] [4]

BMW N46 petrol engine (2.0 l four-cylinder)

This applies to every car fitted with the N46 engine.

What the N46 is

A naturally aspirated 1,995 cc four-cylinder petrol engine (84 × 90 mm). BMW’s workshop documentation lists it in the E87 1 Series 118i and 120i and in the E90/E91 3 Series among others; for the E87 118i, BMW gives the 100 kW N46B20U2 version. The direct-injection N43 and then the turbocharged N13 replaced it.

Source : [8] [7] [9]

Engine oil

Oil change with filter: 4.25 l according to TIS data for the N46. Longlife-04 is approved for petrol engines only in the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein; elsewhere, use the approval BMW specifies for the country. CBS calculates the oil service; from September 2008, BMW encodes a 30,000 km starting value for the N46TU (except in countries with a shortened provision): a forecast adjusted to use, not a guaranteed interval.

Source : [6] [1] [2]

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 [5]

Brake fluid

24 months

24 months

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

Source [5]

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 [5]

Questions about this version (5)

Which engine is in this N46B20 variant?

Engine N46B20, 1995 cc, 115 kW (156 PS) and 200 Nm. Bodies: E60 saloon and E61 Touring estate. Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive.

Source : [4] [3]

What oil and how much for this N46B20?

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 : [5] [2]

Which recalls should I check on this N46B20?

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

Source : [4]

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

Bring the VIN, the production month, the engine code N46B20 and the 115 kW (156 PS) rating. Have the work recorded in the CBS history and collect the key last used, which carries the maintenance data.

Source : [5] [4]

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 TIS — Harmonisation of oil change intervals

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · ECE · SI 00 13 07 (391) · 10/2007 · launch 09/2008 · Accessed 08/10/2026

  3. [3] BMW 5 Series (E60) — Wikipedia

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

  4. [4] ADAC Autokatalog — BMW 5er E60/E61 Facelift (2007–2010)

    ADAC · DE · Germany · LCI listing: 304 Treffer; power by trim for saloon and Touring (10/07–01/10 etc.) · Accessed 08/10/2026

  5. [5] 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

  6. [6] BMW TIS — Oil Supply N46

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · Europe · TD 11 40 · oil change including filter · Accessed 08/10/2026

  7. [7] BMW TIS — 1 Series E87, vehicle and engine index

    BMW AG — TIS (archive) · EN · Europe · Vehicle list (model / engine / body) · Accessed 08/10/2026

  8. [8] BMW Technical training — Product information: N13 Engine

    BMW AG — Technical training (online copy) · EN · Europe · §1.1 Models (F20 116i/118i, 09/2011) · §2.3 Camshaft drive · §3.4.2 Oil level monitoring · §3.5.2 Timing chain lubrication · Accessed 08/10/2026

  9. [9] BMW TIS — E90/E91 model and engine index

    BMW AG (TIS, archive) · EN · Europe · 3 Series E90 and E91: N46, N52, N53, N54, M47T2, M57T2 and N47 · Accessed 08/10/2026

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