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BMW F90 M5 buyer's guide
2018–2023 · M5 / Competition / CS (S63 V8)
Last updated
Engines by year Model-year changes Known problems Warranty extensions Recalls Inspection checklist Red flags Specs Paint codes Coding Ownership costs Sources
Models and engines by year
| Model | US model years | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| M5 / Competition / CS | 2018–2023 | S63 V8 |
US-market models. Chassis codes: F90. Not sure which one you have? The VIN check decodes year, model and engine.
Model-year changes
| Model year | What changed |
|---|---|
| Launch | Unveiled August 2017 with 591 hp and xDrive; the manual previously offered in North America was dropped.4 |
| 2018 | US lineup in the EPA listings: 4.4L 8-cyl turbo: M5.5 |
| 2019 | New: M5 Competition (4.4L 8-cyl turbo).5 |
| Facelift (LCI) | Facelift unveiled June 2020 for the 2021 model year, on sale August 2020: new lights; the Competition got revised dampers.4 |
| 2022 | New: M5 CS Sedan (4.4L 8-cyl turbo).5 |
| 2023 | No longer listed: M5 CS Sedan.5 |
US model years unless noted. "LCI" (Life Cycle Impulse) is BMW's name for a mid-cycle facelift.
Known problems and when they show up
Mileages are what the cited shops, specialists and owner forums report. They are typical ranges, not predictions for any one car.
S63 engine
M5 / Competition / CS (2018–2023) · S63 bulletins
| Problem | When it shows up | What to know | Repair prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil consumption and valve stem seals | mileage varies | Signs are smoke on start-up or hard acceleration and deceleration, plus oil-fouled plugs. BMW's bulletin requires a full oil-consumption test before replacing valve seals when high oil use is the only complaint.1 | No price yet |
| Spark plugs and ignition coils (wear items) | stock: plugs about 40,000–50,000 miles, coils about 50,000–70,000; much sooner when tuned | Misfires on a turbo V8 are often plugs or coils. Ask when they were last done.2 | No price yet |
| Version matters | — | BMWTuning says the updated S63TU (F10 M5 onward) has better reliability than the original S63 (E70 X5 M / E71 X6 M).2 | No price yet |
| Rod bearings, coils and injectors | not tied to a mileage in our sources | Rod bearing wear is discussed on early S63s; misfires from coils and injectors and turbo coolant leaks also show up.3 | No price yet |
Warranty extensions and service campaigns 8
Warranty extensions (6)
- SIB 01 17 24 Fuel injectors failure Fuel injectors failure on N63/S63 engines (2015–2021); the fix is replacing the affected part. Warranty extension · Sep 2025
- SIB 72 04 17 Seat warranty extension Seat warranty extension on BMW F90/G01/G02/G05 and other models (2016–2022); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Warranty extension · Jun 2025
- SIB 01 08 21 Fuel tank leak check warranty extension Fuel tank leak check warranty extension on BMW G01/G02/G05/G06 and other models (2020); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Warranty extension · Dec 2024
- SIB 01 01 21 Thermostat warranty extension Thermostat warranty extension on BMW G05/G06/G07/G11 and other models (2016–2022); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Warranty extension · Nov 2024
- SIB 32 02 23 Steering warranty extension Steering warranty extension on BMW G05/G06/G07/G11 and other models (2015–2024); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Service bulletin · Jan 2024
- SIB 66 03 21 Radio warranty extension Radio warranty extension on BMW G11/G12/G30/G31 and other models (2016–2021); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Service bulletin · May 2021
Service campaigns (2)
- SIB 11 05 21 Water pump cracking Water pump cracking on BMW G05/G06/G07/G20 and other models (2017–2022); BMW repairs affected cars free under a service campaign. Service campaign · Dec 2024
- SIB 17 03 24 Fuel injectors leak Fuel injectors leak on N63/S63 engines (2018–2022); BMW repairs affected cars free under a service campaign. Service campaign · Jun 2024
Filed by BMW with NHTSA. Extensions usually follow the car to later owners and can reimburse earlier repairs; a BMW dealer can confirm by VIN.
NHTSA safety recalls 6
- Recall 20V598: n/a; vehicle programing issue 530I, 540I, M5, M550I, X3, X4, 2020–2021. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured.
- Recall 19V883: wiring M5, M8, 2019–2020. The transmission wiring harness can become damaged, resulting in an electrical short circuit.
- Recall 19V684: camera 330I, 530E, 530I, 540D, 540I, 640I, 740LE, 740LI, 745LE, 750LI, 840I, M340I, M5, M550I, M850I, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, Z4, 2018–2020. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse.
- Recall 19V513: engine 750I, M5, M850I, X5, X7, 2019–2020. The high pressure fuel pump may not have been properly attached to the engine, which may cause the fuel pump flange to crack, resulting in a fuel leak.
- Recall 18V473: tank assembly M5, 2018. The fuel level sensor in the fuel tank may become stuck against an in-tank fuel line, causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate and possibly larger amount of fuel than is actually available.
- Recall 18V323: software M5, 2018. In certain driving conditions, the engine control unit software may cause the fuel pump to stop.
Matched from NHTSA's public recall file by model and model year. A recall may cover only some cars from a year, and it may already have been done on yours. Check by VIN →
Test drive and inspection checklist
- Run the VIN for open recalls. Open safety recalls are free at any BMW dealer. Check on NHTSA's site or our recall page before you buy.6
- Scan for stored fault codes with a BMW-capable tool. A generic OBD reader misses most BMW modules. Specialist guides recommend a BMW-level scan (ISTA or similar) to catch faults that have been cleared from the dash but still stored.7,8
- Start it from cold. Ask the seller not to warm the car up first. Chain rattle, VANOS rattle, lifter tick and rough idle show most clearly in the first seconds after a cold start.7,9,10
- Ask a BMW dealer about warranty extensions and campaigns. Several BMW warranty extensions follow the car, not the owner, and some reimburse earlier repairs. A dealer can check the VIN. The list for this chassis is below.
- Get a pre-purchase inspection from a BMW specialist. A few hundred dollars for an independent BMW specialist is the usual advice, especially for M cars and high-mileage turbo engines.11,7
Engine items to listen and look for are in the known problems section.
Service-history red flags
- Oil changes only at the long computer interval. Several guides advise changing oil more often than the onboard service indicator (CBS) suggests, especially with lots of city driving.10,12
- Gaps in the records around known failure mileages. If the engine section below lists a job that usually comes due at the car's mileage, ask for the invoice. A missing record isn't proof it wasn't done, but it is a negotiating point.
- Tuned or "deleted" cars. Tunes, emissions deletes and removed parts complicate warranty claims and inspections and raise wear on turbo cars. Ask, and look for aftermarket intakes, downpipes and charge pipes.
- S63: ask for records of Oil consumption and valve stem seals; Spark plugs and ignition coils (wear items); Version matters; Rod bearings, coils and injectors.
F90 specs
BMW's US figures we have on file run from 600 hp (M5) to 617 hp (M5 Competition), with 0-60 mph as quick as 3.1 s.
No manual gearbox appears in the EPA listings for this chassis. Full F90 specs: every US engine, transmission and drive by year →
Factory paint and option codes
Paint colors BMW of North America listed for the F90 in the ordering and pricing guides we read:
| Code | Color | Model years |
|---|---|---|
| 300 | Alpine White | 2019, 2021 |
| 475 | Black Sapphire Metallic | 2019, 2021 |
| B41 | Singapore Gray Metallic | 2019 |
| C1G | Snapper Rocks Blue Metallic | 2019, 2021 |
| C1K | Marina Bay Blue metallic | 2019, 2021 |
| C28 | Donington Grey Metallic | 2019, 2021 |
| C2Y | Bluestone Metallic | 2019, 2021 |
| S34 | Azurite Black Metallic | 2019 |
| C17 | Brands Hatch Grey Metallic | 2021 |
| C3K | Motegi Red metallic | 2021 |
| C3Z | Tanzanite Blue II Metallic | 2021 |
| C5E | Alvite Grey metallic | 2021 |
| X1C | (Ind) Aventurin Red Metallic | 2021 |
| X1D | Frozen Bluestone metallic | 2021 |
89 option codes are listed for the F90 in the same guides. Search them.
Only model years covered by the guides we could obtain are shown.
Coding
The coding apps' own lists show 188 settings that owners can change on the F90 with a phone and an OBD adapter, in areas such as Seat heating/cooling, Head-Up Display, Display options instrument cluster, Convenient opening/closing, Display options iDrive system, Ambient lighting. 152 come from BimmerCode's list and 36 more appear only in Carly's list.
Ownership costs
Routine maintenance: oil service prices by engine size, published BMW Value Service prices (brakes, spark plugs) from 16 US dealers, and the F90 maintenance schedule.
By model year
| Year | Models and engines | NHTSA recalls | Warranty extensions | Repairs we price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | M5 / Competition / CS S63 V8 | 3 | 5 | — |
| 2019 | M5 / Competition / CS S63 V8 | 3 | 5 | — |
| 2020 | M5 / Competition / CS S63 V8 | 4 | 6 | — |
| 2021 | M5 / Competition / CS S63 V8 | 1 | 5 | — |
| 2022 | M5 / Competition / CS S63 V8 | 0 | 3 | — |
| 2023 | M5 / Competition / CS S63 V8 | 0 | 1 | — |
Recalls and warranty extensions are counted when their published model-year range includes that year. Each one may cover only some cars, so check by VIN. Repairs counted are the ones whose engine was offered that year.
Sources
- BMW SIB: N63 and S63 engine valve seal replacement (2018), via NHTSA
- BMWTuning: S63 FAQ (maintenance, problems)
- BMW Tuning: S63 M5 and M6 engine problems
- Wikipedia: BMW M5
- EPA/DOE fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov)
- NHTSA recall lookup by VIN
- The Stable: E92 M3 buyer's guide
- Euro Premium Parts: E60 M5 reliability guide
- carsales: buying a used F30 3 Series (2015–20)
- carsales: buying a used E90 3 Series
- Road & Track: E46 M3 buyer's guide
- Drive-My: E60 5 Series buying guide (six-cylinder petrol)
Retrieved 2026-10-18. Bulletins and recalls come from NHTSA filings; owner prices come from the public posts linked on each job page.