Car Model Guide/ BMW/ X5/ E70/ xDrive35i

xDrive35i N55

The N54's replacement and the fix for most of its faults. Same output, one turbo, no fuel-pump epidemic. The obvious answer if the budget stretches.

Overview

The xDrive35i is the N55 petrol version of the BMW X5 SUV (E70), sold 2010–2013 with 306 PS and auto_8_zf. Demands diligence at level 3. The N55 fixed the N54's fuel pump problem, and the chassis costs remain what they are. 6 failure modes are recorded against its engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components. Prices on this page are illustrative placeholders rather than a sourced market sample. See the methodology for how the bands are derived.

BMW X5 SUV (E70) · photo BMW E70 X5 3,0d pre-facelift by JaayJay · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Power306 PS

Torque400 Nm

Years2010–2013

Fuelpetrol

DrivexDrive

EnginesN55

Biggest risks

Ranked by probability × repair cost. 6 recorded in total.

65Solid

Transfer case actuator seizure€500–€2,600partly checkable
Carbon buildup on intake valves€400–€700not checkable
Electric water pump and thermostat failure€500–€800partly checkable

Risk level −22 · Likely spend vs price −13 · all issues →

System by system9 systems reviewed · 5 with no recurring fault reported

EnginewatchValve cover and PCV failure, €400–€700.+2 more in this system

Fuel system✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.

Intake & airwatchCarbon buildup on intake valves, €400–€700.

CoolingwatchElectric water pump and thermostat failure, €500–€800.

Emissions✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.

Transmission⚠ attentionTransfer case actuator seizure, €500–€2,600.

Electrics✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.

Suspension & brakes✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.

Body & interior✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.

Known issues, ranked by expected cost

Faults recorded against this engine, its components and its chassis, ranked by likelihood × repair cost. Costs are indicative ranges with a stated labour basis.

Transfer case actuator seizureE70 body€500–€2,600

A four-wheel-drive warning, a grinding or clicking from under the centre of the car, and in later stages a transmission fault light. The servo actuator that controls the clutch inside the transfer case seizes, and the motor then damages the case as it tries to move it. Catching it at the actuator stage is the difference between a moderate bill and a large one.

Check: Scan for stored transfer case faults rather than relying on the dashboard, since the warning arrives late. Listen underneath at low speed for clicking, and ask whether the actuator has ever been replaced.

DrivetraincommonPartly detectableevidence: documented90–180k km

Carbon buildup on intake valvesdirect injection€400–€700

Rough cold idle, slow throttle response, misfires, gradual loss of low-end response. Direct injection puts no fuel over the intake valves, so crankcase vapour deposits bake on undisturbed.

Check: Not visible without a borescope. Treat it as a service item that's due unless there's a receipt. It's not a fault, it's an unbudgeted maintenance cost.

Turbo & intakeuniversalNot detectable at viewingevidence: documented80–120k km

Electric water pump and thermostat failureelectric water pump€500–€800

Overheat warning with little notice, coolant temperature swinging, sometimes an immediate limp home. The electric pump's controller fails. It's a wear item with a service life, not a fault.

Check: Age and receipts matter more than symptoms, it usually gives no warning. Treat a car past 120,000 km with no pump history as owing €600.

CoolingcommonPartly detectableevidence: documented90–150k km

Valve cover and PCV failureN55B30€400–€700

Oil weeping down the back of the block, whistling from the engine at idle, rough idle, high crankcase vacuum pulling oil seals. The crankcase ventilation diaphragm is integrated into the plastic valve cover, so the whole cover is the repair.

Check: Listen for a whistle at idle with the oil cap on, then remove the cap, a strong change in idle points to the PCV. Look for oil residue at the rear of the head.

EnginecommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented100–180k km

Oil filter housing gasket leakoil filter housing€300–€600

Oil pooling on the subframe, oil on the serpentine belt, drips on the driveway. The gasket between the filter housing and the block fails. Oil then lands on the belt, and a belt that shreds can be drawn into the front crank seal.

Check: Put the car on a lift. Check the belt itself for oil contamination. An oily belt is the version of this fault that ends badly.

EnginecommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented90–170k km

VANOS solenoid and Valvetronic motor faultsN55B30€200–€600

Rough running, timing codes, occasional limp mode, tick from the top of the engine. Solenoids clog with oil varnish; the Valvetronic motor wears.

Check: Scan for VANOS and Valvetronic codes including pending ones. Listen for ticking at idle once warm.

EngineoccasionalPartly detectableevidence: documented120–200k km

Ranked by probability × repair cost, not by how loudly a failure is discussed. Inherited from the engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components, each written once.

Pre-purchase inspection

The same issue records, reordered into the sequence you can actually check them in: cold start, static, drive, paperwork.

6 checks · saved in this browser ·

1Static checksEngine off, ideally on a lift.

Valve cover and PCV failureListen for a whistle at idle with the oil cap on, then remove the cap, a strong change in idle points to the PCV. Look for oil residue at the rear of the head.Oil filter housing gasket leakPut the car on a lift. Check the belt itself for oil contamination. An oily belt is the version of this fault that ends badly.

2PaperworkOn these cars the folder is most of the value.

Carbon buildup on intake valvesNot visible without a borescope. Treat it as a service item that's due unless there's a receipt. It's not a fault, it's an unbudgeted maintenance cost.Electric water pump and thermostat failureAge and receipts matter more than symptoms, it usually gives no warning. Treat a car past 120,000 km with no pump history as owing €600.

3OBD scanMandatory. A seller who refuses a scan has answered the question.

Transfer case actuator seizureScan for stored transfer case faults rather than relying on the dashboard, since the warning arrives late. Listen underneath at low speed for clicking, and ask whether the actuator has ever been replaced.VANOS solenoid and Valvetronic motor faultsScan for VANOS and Valvetronic codes including pending ones. Listen for ticking at idle once warm.

Mileage and servicing

What the odometer does and doesn't tell you here, plus the service items whose neglect causes the expensive failures above.

The N55 is the more dependable of BMW's turbo sixes and high mileage on a serviced car is not a concern. Fuel is what limits ownership rather than wear.

Service item	Interval	Cost
Engine oil and filter Turbo and valvetrain protection on a hard-working engine.	15,000 km or annually	€130–200
Spark plugs and coils Misfires under boost start here and get blamed on the turbo.	60,000 km	€250–420

What to pay

What this engine sells for, against the median of every engine in the chassis. All figures are illustrative placeholders. See the basis chips.

median €19.1k

€13.1k€16.1k€27.3k

Cheapfind the reasonGood buyif it checks outFairnormal moneyOverpricedneeds justifying

Asking price (€)Mileage (km)

Enter an asking price to get a verdict against this variant's band: cheap, fair, good buy or overpriced.

United States vs Europe

1 EUR = 1.08 USD · 2026-07

🇪🇺 Europe · EUR€16,100band €13,100–€27,250

🇺🇸 United StatesNot soldxDrive35i N55 was never a US-market car

What that meansNo US band exists to compare. Any car you find there's a private import, parts and specialist knowledge are thinner, and the price says more about import cost than about the market.

US figures are the EU band converted at a stated rate. No US market differential is modelled: we hold no sourced US asking prices, and inventing one would be worse than saying so. What the comparison does show for real is availability. Most of this range was never sold in the US.

ModelBMW X5 xDrive35i
ChassisE70
EngineN55
Years2010–2013
MarketCentral EU
Windowrolling 12 months to 2026-07

Good buy at or under the marker · Median asking price · bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile · dashed line is the e70 median, all 3 engines

Good buy isn't the same as cheapest. The good-buy figure assumes the known failure items are either done with receipts or verifiably not yet due. Full breakdown by facelift phase →

Buyer notes

Our judgement, kept separate from the records it's built on.

Our read, not a record

A single-turbo straight six in a large SUV is a lovely thing, and this one is quick enough to embarrass much smaller cars. The N55 dropped the high-pressure fuel pump failures that plagued its predecessor, so the engine is the least of your worries. What remains is the chassis, meaning tyres, brakes and air suspension at full BMW prices. So work out the fuel bill honestly before you buy, since that's what makes people sell these rather than any fault.

Everything above this line comes from the issue and specification records. This paragraph is our judgement on top of them. See how we reach it.

Full specification

Manufacturer figures for this engine and body, as recorded in the variant and engine data.

Engine code	N55B30
Configuration	I6, single twin-scroll turbo · 2979 cc
Fuel / injection	petrol · direct
Model years	2010–2013
Facelift phase	Facelift (LCI) only, from 2010
Power / torque	306 PS · 400 Nm
Transmissions	8-speed automatic (ZF)
Gearbox families	ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic
Drivetrain	xDrive
Economy (real-world)	10.5–13 l/100 km mixed
Markets	EU