Ricracing

I suppose the engine air filter is changed at every service, as are the oil filter and fresh air filters.

PraiseTheLowered

lol yeah its one clip and the top pops right off, easy peasy lemon squeezy

Gudge

Check the guidance note in your service book - it recommends a change every third oil service (or at least mine does). But I know mine has never been changed !! - So obviously the dealer forgot to do this.

The diesel one is a pain to change relative to the petrol one.

frost015

E61 525D 2005 - I bought this car with 78,000 miles and just under 4 years old ? It had been through 3 yrs of full BMW service (all pre-paid by 1st owner) .. No record of the air filter ever having been changed, and when I did it (yes, it takes a good hour .. probably 2-hrs the first time ? and you should check whether the OIL SEPARATOR needs changing BEFORE doing the filter as both require strip down of same components to access ... I had to do it all twice ?)

Anyway, bottom line is that the filter had never been changed by BMW and was totally filthy .. full of leaves, muck, etc ..

BE WARNED ? BMW appear to be making money out of not changing things .. particularly where its all been paid for in advance and they can't bill the customer for the parts ..

E60Sim

You're wrong. The oil filter gets changed at every oil change, but the air filter and fuel filter gets changed at every third oil change.

zen

It is supposed to be changed but mine never was in 4 years and when I indicated it should be changed after the 3rd oil change according to the manual, I was told their computer said it had 18000 more mile to go. On the last service the order showed that the Brakes were flushed and when I got home I saw that they were not. personally the 4 year maintenance leaves a lot to be desired. I bet a lot of the stuff never gets done but probably gets billed.

305bimmer

I always thought that although the recommendation is to change it every 3 oil changes, it is highly dependent on driving conditions. For example, if you are constantly driving though construction zones with a lot of airborne debris, then you may have to change it more frequently.

I think the best answer is to change it at least every 3 oil changes/once a year, but more frequently as needed. At least thats what I have done with all my cars.

MacoBMW4life

+1

andir

Hi guys i have just nearly been 'Stung' by the main dealer as my car was booked in for an oil change (and filter too i assume). I was quoted ?146 (i got them to price match a local BMW Specialist) However when i arrived at the dealers to drop the car off the SA put my key into the reader and that came up as me also needed to get the following done at the same time:-
- Fuel Filter
- Intake Silencer (Which SA said 'is' the Air Filter)
- Service - oil Separator

The above added to the oil service came to a NEW total of over ?415 to which i had to decline as it was an amout i was NOT expecting 'to get kicked in the groin over'!!!!

After reading all the above threads i've gathered that changing the air filter on a diesel is a bitch, BUT if I was to change it myself would the car recognised that and reset the next interval?

Finally does anyone know if it's possible to get your hands on a BMW key reader? from looking at them it looks to me like some form of stand alone application as its source of data is from the key/car without having to 'look-up' anything from BMW, as if it did have to then i'd understand that ONLY main dealers can get them.

Thanks in advance

Andy

Dandle

You can't get a key reader readily, they are logged into BMWs network in the dealership. The air filter you could change yourself and the reset is done through the secret menu on the dash i believe, It wont automatically reset though and the air filter is about ?60+ from BMW.