The Lemon Index
BMW's 4.4 L / 4.8 L naturally aspirated V8 in the 5 Series, 7 Series, X5, model years 2002–2010. YouTube likes the 2006 best.
Less liked than most on YouTube: YouTube owner tone 43/100, #125 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record.
Reliability by year
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2006 (46) and least about the 2003 (35); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
Owner score = the whole car's Lemon Index where this was its only engine that year; a gray dot means the model shared engines, so the number isn't this engine's alone. How we count
How each number is matched to the engine: (a) complaints filed under a version name that used only this engine that year (e.g. "335I"); (b) the model had only this engine that year, so its Lemon Index (complaints per car sold vs the average car) applies to every car with this engine; "all engines combined" = the model had several engines under one name, so its number is not this engine's alone. Owner complaints cover the whole car (brakes, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine. None of these is a failure rate. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts that name the engine or a version that used it. A video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of its generation, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars with it | Owner complaints | Complaints naming "N62" | YouTube says | Top complaint areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | BMW 7 Series 745i, 745li | 94 complaints (b: only engine in BMW 7 Series; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 0 | 41 (19 videos, 9 naming 2002) | transmission & drivetrain, air bags, electrical |
| 2003 | BMW 7 Series 745i, 745li | 82 complaints (a: filed as 745i) | 0 | 35 (13 videos, 3 naming 2003) | transmission & drivetrain, brakes, air bags |
| 2004 | BMW 5 Series 545i BMW 7 Series 745i, 745li BMW X5 X5, X5 4.8IS | 101 complaints (a: filed as 545i, 745i) | 3 | not enough videos | transmission & drivetrain, air bags, engine |
| 2005 | BMW 5 Series 545i BMW 7 Series 745i, 745li BMW X5 X5, X5 4.8is | 119 complaints (a: filed as 545i, 745i) | 1 | 44 (16 videos, 5 naming 2005) | air bags, electrical, transmission & drivetrain |
| 2006 | BMW 5 Series 550i BMW 7 Series 750i, 750li BMW X5 X5, X5 4.8is | 296 complaints (a: filed as 550i, 750i) | 0 | 46 (22 videos, 5 naming 2006) | transmission & drivetrain, air bags, locks & latches |
| 2007 | BMW 5 Series 550i BMW 7 Series 750i, 750li BMW X5 X5 4.8i | 148 complaints (a: filed as 550i, 750i) | 3 | 43 (22 videos, 4 naming 2007) | air bags, locks & latches, transmission & drivetrain |
| 2008 | BMW 5 Series 550i BMW 7 Series 750i, 750li BMW X5 X5 4.8i | 114 complaints (a: filed as 550i, 750i) | 0 | 45 (24 videos, 6 naming 2008) | transmission & drivetrain, electrical, body & structure |
| 2009 | BMW 5 Series 550i BMW X5 X5 xDrive48i | 2 complaints (a: filed as 550i) | 0 | 46 (11 videos, 3 naming 2009) | tires |
| 2010 | BMW 5 Series 550i BMW X5 X5 xDrive48i | all engines combined: BMW 5 Series Index 75; BMW X5 Index 28 | 0 | not enough videos | — |
Every US version with this engine
| Model and version | Years | Power |
|---|---|---|
| BMW 5 Series 545i | 2004–05 | 329 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 550i | 2006–10 | 362 hp · 361 lb-ft |
| BMW 7 Series 745i | 2002–05 | 329 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW 7 Series 745li | 2002–05 | 329 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW 7 Series 750i | 2006–08 | 362 hp · 361 lb-ft |
| BMW 7 Series 750li | 2006–08 | 362 hp · 361 lb-ft |
| BMW X5 X5 | 2004–06 | 315 hp · 325 lb-ft |
| BMW X5 X5 4.8IS | 2004 | 355 hp · 369 lb-ft |
| BMW X5 X5 4.8is | 2005–06 | 355 hp · 369 lb-ft |
| BMW X5 X5 4.8i | 2007–08 | 350 hp · 350 lb-ft |
| BMW X5 X5 xDrive48i | 2009–10 | 350 hp · 350 lb-ft |
Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Engine and power: Wikipedia, BMW N62 (BMW ratings; US figures can differ by a few hp).
Quick answers
What cars have the BMW N62 engine?
In the US: the 5 Series, 7 Series, X5, model years 2002–2010. See the version table for each one.
Is the N62 reliable?
Not one of the safer bets on our data. YouTube owner tone 43/100, #125 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record. The most owner complaints (about any part of the car) filed under version names that used this engine were for the 2006 (296). Counts follow sales, so this is not a failure rate. Government complaints are filed by model and year, not engine, and they cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate. We only credit a number to this engine where the version name or the model year leaves no doubt. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the N62 make?
BMW rated it at 315 to 362 hp in US versions, depending on the car and year.