BMW550i Sedan2013Overview/bmw/550i-sedan/2013/base/
F10 platform

2013 BMW 550i Sedan

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 550i Sedan.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S8)

The 2013 BMW 550i Sedan is a full-size luxury passenger car built on the F10 platform, featuring an automatic transmission (S8) and requiring 9.0 quarts of engine oil with viscosities of 0W-30, 0W-40, or 5W-30 for maintenance; EPA fuel economy ratings for this model year stand at 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. In terms of reliability, this model year recorded 15 owner complaints with engine and fuel/propulsion systems cited as the primary concern areas, alongside one recall, positioning it within a historically problematic period for the 5 Series that saw elevated failure rates compared to later model years.

Model year201320122011

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity9.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque88 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/25/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 49 · 900 CCA battery, OE oil filter 11427583220. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 49 · 900 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter11427583220
Engine air filter13717577458 alt 13717577457
Spark plug12120037580
Battery61217648317
Front wiper blades61612458015
Thermostat11538632664 alt 11537586885
Cabin air filter64119272642

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.9 in
Overall width73.2 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase116.9 in
Curb weight4365 lb
Track (front / rear)63 / 64.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)51/49

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 25 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume102 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 9.0 qt of 0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 88 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to M12 Bolts: 18.0, M22 Bolts: 44.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidBMW part number 83222152426
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.5-11.5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2 Pints
Engine Oil0W-30 · 0W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity9.0 qt
Manual Transmission FluidBMW MTF part number 83220309031
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity3.2
Power Steering FluidUse Pentosin CHF 11S

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain PlugM12 Bolts: 18.0, M22 Bolts: 44.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts88 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerBMW

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.85-1.89 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Optional BCI Group Number49
Optional BCI Cranking Performance850 cca
Standard BCI Group Number49
Standard BCI Cranking Performance900 cca

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH FN3
Torque to Knuckle81 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.145; Rear: 0.145 pads
Brake ApplicationWITH FN3
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.945 in / 0.787 in / 1.181 in / 1.417 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.945 in / 0.787 in / 1.181 in / 1.417 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.031 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.882 in / 0.724 in / 1.118 in / 1.354 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

At 120,000 miOxygen Sensor (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2013 BMW 550i Sedan lead in one area — the engine,fuel/propulsion system, 3 of 15 reports (20%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the engine,fuel/propulsion system, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine,fuel/propulsion system pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
434
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
15
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 15 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System3
Engine1
Exterior Lighting1
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other1
Power Train1
Unknown Or Other,Engine1
Seats,Service Brakes,Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V188000Exterior LightingReported 31/03/2015

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, and ActiveHybrid 5 vehicles. The rear reflex reflectors may not reflect enough light. As… Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began July 28, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 434 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B0101222026-01-21EngineN63TU1 CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT SVC CAMPAIGN: OIL CONSUMPTION DIAGNOSIS/REPAIR
B5108192024-01-16Electrical SystemThe basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
B6113052024-01-11Electrical SystemThe electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process…
B1606232023-12-20Engine And Engine CoolingEngine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel…
B6534232023-11-22Electrical SystemCustomers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific 550i Sedan. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2013 550i Sedan take?

9.0 qt of 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40 OIL MEETING BMW SPECIFICATION LL01, per the factory manual.

Does the 2013 550i Sedan have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 550i Sedan get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 25 highway / 20 combined mpg.