BMW X5 Spark Plugs: Intervals, Fitment & Warning Signs

A genuinely honest account: a persistent, cylinder-specific misfire survived swapping the coil and fitting both a new plug and new coil to test — worth being prepared for further investigation if the fault doesn't clear after this.

Illustration for editorial purposes

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OEM Part Number: confirm via engine code — aftermarket NGK 91874 / Bosch 0 242 145 541 and 0 242 145 515

Accuracy note: Covers the BMW X5 (F15 2013-2018) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Spark plugs are engine-specific — thread size (M12 vs M14), reach, heat range, electrode type (copper, platinum, iridium) and gap all change between engines in the same car, and the catalogue listings below cover every petrol engine in the generation without always saying which plug fits which. Match the plug to your engine code (on the V5C or the engine cover), fit a full set of the same type, and use the maker's gap and torque. Genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one.

Petrol engines in this generation	xDrive28i 245 HP; sDrive35i and xDrive35i 306 and 326 HP; xDrive50i 408, 449 and 452 HP; X5 M 575 HP; xDrive40e plug-in hybrid 279 and 313 HP
Spark plugs (aftermarket)	NGK 91874 (iridium, gap 0.8 mm, 14 mm, M12x1.25); NGK 97506 (iridium, 14 mm Bi-Hex, M12x1.25); NGK 5987 (platinum, 16 mm, M14x1.25); Bosch 0 242 145 541 and 0 242 145 515 (gap 0.8 mm, M12x1.25); Bosch 0 242 240 653 (gap 0.7 mm, M14x1.25); Champion OE242 and OE243 (platinum, gap 0.8 mm, M12x1.25); Champion OE259 (iridium, gap 0.74 mm); Champion CET12P (platinum, gap 0.75 mm, M14x1.25)
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	Denso SXB24HCF-D7 quotes OE 12 12 0 050 948; Denso K20TT quotes OE 1WT318110
Fitment notes	Most plugs are 14 mm hex, M12x1.25 iridium or platinum for the turbo V8 and six-cylinder engines, with a few 16 mm M14x1.25 plugs (NGK 5987, Champion CET12P, Denso K20TT nickel) likely for the four-cylinder engines; no engine codes are given.

BMW X5 Spark Plugs: A Cheap Part That Causes Expensive-Feeling Problems

On the BMW X5, spark plug wear tends to creep in quietly — idle gets a little rougher, throttle response softens slightly — the kind of symptoms that get blamed on almost anything else under the bonnet. Given how cheap the part itself is, it's an easy one to put off for longer than makes sense.

Before you buy: plug type and gap specification vary by engine size and generation. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

BMW X5 Spark Plugs: What They Do

Inside each cylinder of the BMW X5, spark plugs ignite the compressed fuel-air mixture, and their condition has a direct effect on combustion efficiency, fuel economy and how smoothly the engine runs. Petrol engines can't function without them; diesels don't use spark plugs, relying on compression alone to ignite fuel.

BMW X5 Spark Plugs: Generations, Engines & Spark Plug Count

Diesel variants (25d, 30d, 40d, 40e diesel plug-in hybrid)	Not applicable — diesel engines use compression ignition and have no spark plugs at all
Petrol four-cylinder (25e plug-in hybrid, 40e petrol plug-in hybrid on some model years)	4 spark plugs — one per cylinder
Petrol six-cylinder (30i, 40i, 45e plug-in hybrid)	6 spark plugs — BMW's inline-six family, genuinely a different engine from the four-cylinder units
Petrol V8 (50i, M50i, X5 M)	8 spark plugs — BMW's twin-turbo V8; early N63 examples (2008–2012) have a well-documented reputation for higher oil consumption and turbocharger issues worth knowing about alongside plug replacement

BMW X5 Spark Plugs: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: HOW TO CHANGE SPARKPLUGS ON A BMW X5 2014-2018 AT HOME

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F15 X5 2014-2018

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A Genuinely Honest, Real Account Worth Knowing — BMW X5 Spark Plugs

If a specific cylinder keeps misfiring despite trying to fix it, this is genuinely worth knowing: one documented case saw a persistent misfire on a specific cylinder survive swapping the coil to a different cylinder, then fitting both a brand new spark plug and a new coil specifically to test — with the misfire still occurring immediately on every single startup afterward. It's genuinely worth knowing that even replacing both the plug and coil together isn't always guaranteed to resolve a stubborn, cylinder-specific misfire, worth being prepared for further investigation into wiring, the injector, or a compression issue on that specific cylinder if the fault persists.

A genuinely useful diagnostic technique worth trying first: swapping a suspect coil to a different cylinder is a direct way to confirm whether a misfire is genuinely coil-related — if the misfire follows the coil to its new position, this confirms it; if it stays on the original cylinder instead, the cause is more likely the plug or something else entirely on that specific cylinder.

It's also genuinely worth knowing that coil packs have been documented failing even on cars with genuinely low mileage, worth knowing that mileage alone isn't a reliable indicator of whether this specific component needs replacing.

BMW X5 Spark Plugs: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Spark Plugs Guide for symptoms of worn plugs, why matching your exact plug specification matters, and trusted brands to buy from.

More BMW Spark Plugs

The same part, covered across other BMW models.