BMW M5, annual service and
a return visit after wheel repair

Yearly service based on condition and history

This is a 2020 BMW M5 F90, serviced with us each year since 2022. It showed 21,503 km at this year’s annual service, 1,314 km more than the previous record.

We check condition and service history to decide which work is needed. At the initial visit this year, we serviced the engine and driveline fluids and inspected the replaced wheels. The car later returned after wheel repair for a road force recheck and custom alignment adjustment.

The front toe was set to 1.0 mm per side in 2023. In 2024 it measured 0.1 / 1.4 mm. See the yearly alignment readings and photos in the five-year record.

Interior protection during service

We fit M5 seat and steering wheel covers during service. NHC purchased these covers to keep the interior clean and protected, without the owner needing to ask.

We Checked the Engine Oil and the Drivetrain Oils Separately

We replaced the engine oil, the oil filter, and the cabin filter. In the technician's on-site assessment, the drained engine oil was no worse than at the previous service. The transfer case oil was dirtier than expected.

“The transfer case oil was a lot dirtier than I expected.”Assessment from the technician who inspected this M5

Oil condition comparison

We drained the oil into containers to compare color and contamination.

This service extended to the transfer case and both the front and rear differentials. We select the product according to where it goes, and review the previous change record together with the condition of the oil drained this time.

We used MOTOREX FS 0W-40 engine oil, carried out a ring-cleaning treatment with BG EPR, and added BG MOA engine oil treatment.

Factory dashcam and battery drain while parked

The factory dashcam was suspected as a source of battery drain, so we recommended replacing it. As the owner has a dedicated parking location, we also advised switching parking mode off.

The diagnostic scan recorded power-management codes 030E08 and 030E06. These findings formed part of the assessment behind the dashcam replacement and parking-mode advice.

The initial wheel inspection at the annual service

At this year’s annual service, we checked the replaced wheels. Vertical movement appeared during rotation, and the equipment warned of a possible centering problem or bent rim.

The movement remained after the mounting was checked. We explained the findings to the owner and recommended inspection and action by the shop that fitted the wheel. The return visit after repair is described below.

This road force screen is an initial inspection record from before repair. It is not a like-for-like before-and-after comparison with the readings from the return visit.

Road force is the variation in force under load, while runout is the dimensional deviation as the wheel turns. In the photo, the road force exceeded the display limit, but the rim runout of 0.64mm is within the display limit. Each item is compared with its own display limit.

Wheel rotation and driving vibration

In general, uneven wheel and tire rotation can cause steering shake or body vibration at certain speeds. For this M5, the initial inspection led to wheel repair and a return visit to measure all four assemblies.

After wheel repair, we rechecked road force and alignment

The M5 returned after the wheel had been repaired. We measured road force again, checked lateral force and optimized the wheel and tire positions. We then reset the custom alignment for the current wheel and tire setup.

The road force readings were good overall in the technician’s assessment. One rear tire remained short of NHC’s expected result after repeated matching. Separately, equipment ID 1 showed 10 kg in red during the recheck. The readings below are for the four assemblies at this return visit. The earlier 21.0 kg reading is a separate record and is not paired with one of these values as a before-and-after comparison.

One rear tire will be checked again after driving

We will check the tire again after driving to assess whether it had deformed while driven in its previous mounting condition or whether the tire itself is responsible.

We measured all four assemblies and checked conicity (lateral force), the tire characteristic that can pull the car to one side. We used the measurements to optimize their positions for vibration and straight-line behavior. Changing positions does not repair an individual tire’s force variation.

Custom alignment for the current wheels and tires

We adjusted the alignment for the changed wheel and tire setup. These are the values on the initial full-view screen and the final full-view screen from this adjustment session.

Our impression is that straight-line stability is better than before.

The plan is to drive the car in this condition and re-measure the one rear tire. Tire replacement has not been decided. If shaking is felt, the speed at which it starts can help guide the next check.

This year’s work and the next check

See the five-year M5 maintenance record →

Frequently asked questions