BMW X5 40E Battery Replacement – What Should You Expect?

The BMW X5 40E is a legendary vehicle that was first shown to the public in 2015. This is a vehicle that belongs to the F15 generation of the BMW X5 (2013-2018). You may ask why it is legendary and we'll tell you: this is the first plug-in hybrid released under the BMW brand and one of the most wanted luxury hybrid vehicles out there even now when it's no longer sold new.

Key facts and my opinion about the B48 engine (base for the 40e)

• Production years: 2014-now
• Average lifespan of B48: 140,000-160,000 miles
• Fuel supply type: direct injection
• Power range: 156-306 hp
• Fuel efficiency: good
• Engine block material: aluminum
• Engine reliability score: low
• The most common problems: intensive oil consumption, poor balance shaft bearings, very demanding to oil quality

How long should a battery go in your BMW X5 40E?

It's never good to estimate the lifespan of a certain module in your X5 because these cars are usually bought for abusing driving. And this is one of the reasons why we can't tell you the average lifespan of the battery. But still, we believe that with an average driving style of a BMW owner, this battery will live from 4 to 8 years.

It's pretty hard to say something about the mileage. We've seen a 40E that had made over 200,000 miles and it still had the original BMW battery that no one had replaced before. But we've also seen a couple of X5 hybrid SUVs with less than 40,000 miles on them and with battery replacement in their records. Why is that?

Here are the reasons:

• the lifespan of a battery in your hybrid BMW X5 depends on so many factors that its death is almost impossible to predict;
• sometimes, batteries in these cars failed because of water damage that occurred due to manufacturing problems and defects;
• the option of plug-in charging is not bad at all but it's one of the factors that can kill the battery earlier than you expect this to happen;
• unfortunately, the software for this vehicle is hard to call perfect, so you will probably need to adjust it with professionals;
• natural battery degradation is hard to avoid in any hybrid vehicle, and the lifespan of batteries is usually shorter than in EVs, for example;
• the battery pack is not that huge - only 9 kWh of capacity - that's why battery segments work at the peak of their capabilities at all times.

The BMW X5 40E could only go 14 miles in electricity-only mode (with using just a little gasoline for idling at times). Though, if you use the vehicle as a hybrid with charging the battery from time to time, you will get a magical gas consumption - about 68 mpg combined. Sounds good, right?

You may have already started counting how much money you can save if you only use this vehicle in hybrid mode. But bear in mind that in 3 or 5 years you will probably need to have the battery replaced and this will spoil your economy expectations. Let's see how bad the replacement is.

How to check the battery life in your BMW X5 40E?

First of all, you should take note of any natural changes that would occur in a car with a worn battery:

• the vehicle gets fewer miles in electricity-only mode;
• you need to charge the battery more often than usual;
• you get a message on the dash saying that the battery is failing;
• the all-electric mode turns off and the ICE jumps into action unexpectedly;
• in a hybrid mode, the engine works more often and longer than usual.

These are simple factors that you can use to analyze the condition of the battery in your hybrid X5. But they are useful in that case only when you own this vehicle for a long time and can notice any changes in its behavior. What should you do to check the battery in other cases? Let's see.

Here's what you can do to check the battery condition:

• Go to a BMW dealer. They have special equipment and software for battery checkups. They analyze the condition of your battery and print a special report that shows the remaining battery life percentage. If it's over 70%, you are good to go. But less than that isn't considered very good.
• Go to a specialized BMW shop. These guys don't have special equipment and software but they deal with BMW cars every day. And they perfectly know how to check the battery in your hybrid SUV using other methods.
• Provide a test charging. Ensure that the weather is good for a battery (not too hot or cold). Then, charge the battery to 100%. After that turn on all-electric mode and drive your BMW in the city traffic. Check when the battery charge reaches 5% and your ICE jumps into action. See how many miles you have driven. If it's over 12 miles, your battery is perfect. If it's less than 8 miles, the battery is dying.

Although the third method is not always precise and correct, it's the cheapest and the easiest way to check if the battery is OK.

If the all-electric range drops when it's cold outside, don't rush to the dealer for a battery replacement procedure. Batteries tend to lose their capacity faster in cold weather. Also, these vehicles are going to lose more charge if you are an abusive driver.

How is the battery replacement completed in your BMW X5 40E?

Well, we can say for sure that trying to replace the battery by yourself is a bad idea. BMW X5 owners who tried this don't recommend others even to think about it because it will not do anything good.

You can physically replace the battery and then you will find it's not working. After replacement, you will need to adjust the software for the new battery to work well with all the modules in your BMW. And this is impossible to make without professional equipment and some experience.

Also, we should say that the battery replacement labor cost is not that bad. The biggest part of the price of this procedure is in the battery itself, so the battery costs a lot. The labor can be as cheap as $200 in a specialized shop or about $600 in a dealership. But the prices may vary of course.

What's the price of the battery replacement for your BMW X5 40E?

The overall price for the total replacement of the battery in your BMW X5 hybrid (F15 generation) will cost about $5,000. This includes both parts and labor. You may also have it done a little cheaper in non-dealership service centers and shops.

But the good news is that you can replace some sections of the battery instead of replacing the entire battery. Even dealers offer this for saving your money. But you should understand that replacing a section will not make your battery in the BMW X5 40E new again. And it won't probably get much better.

Experienced mechanics recommend replacing the entire battery if it's failing. This will let you drive the X5 for another 7 years or something like that without experiencing any problems with the hybrid system.

How to prolong the life of the battery in your BMW X5 hybrid?

Well, we know some tips you may use to make the battery in the hybrid X5 live longer:

• never charge the battery to 100%, better stop charging when it is 85-90%;
• avoid discharging the battery to less than 10% of its full charge;
• don't ignore those errors and messages that tell you about battery malfunctions or hybrid system issues;
• don't use all-electric mode in winter and in very hot summer;
• avoid water damage to your battery or any dust and other debris in the battery compartment;
• check the battery life once every 2 years when the car is on its regular maintenance;
• avoid abusive driving because it adds to the battery wear;
• avoid using the hybrid mode on highways - this won't add much to the economy, but it will add to battery degradation.

Final words

We think that the BMW X5 40E is one of the most interesting plug-in hybrids of its epoch. Now, you can find much more technologically advanced and capable hybrid SUVs, but then it was one of the first representatives in the class. And now you can buy it used at a relatively good price. Of course, the first thing you should check before giving your money is the battery. If you own such a vehicle, make sure you control the battery life and understand when you need to replace it.