BMW xDrive Transfer Case Guide

xDrive is BMW's all-wheel drive system. Its centre piece is the transfer case, which BMW's service literature calls an ATC unit, short for Active Torque Control, followed by a number or number and letter such as ATC300, ATC35L or ATC450. This page lists which US-market BMWs carry which transfer case, what each takes in fluid and how much, and the BMW part numbers.

Part of the BMW differential guide. To look up a particular car, use the E-series lookup or the F and G series lookup.

The data covers cars built to December 2019. Older all-wheel-drive cars use differently named units, listed in the same tables.

Quick read

• What it is: a transfer case with an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch that sends drive torque to the front axle while the rear axle is always driven.
• Codes in the US data: ATC300, ATC400, ATC500, ATC700, ATC350, ATC35L, ATC450, ATC45L and ATC13, plus the older NV 124, NV 125 and LWX 500 units, a PTO unit on the front-drive based X1 and X2 and an unnamed unit on the E30 325iX.
• Fluid: BMW DTF 1 for the ATC units named in its table (13, 14, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 700, 35L and 45L), with different oils for the E30 and E34 325iX and 525iX, the E46, the E53 without the ATC unit and the front-drive based cars.
• Capacity: the parts catalog lists transfer case fills from 0.24 L to 0.9 L, depending on the unit.
• Main watch item: not established as a failure; BMW publishes retrofit procedures that add an oil drain plug to the ATC 35, ATC 35L and ATC 45L transfer cases.

ATC Transfer Case At a Glance

Transfer Case Lookup by Code

One row per transfer case code and chassis. Fills come from the parts catalog's fluid notes; a blank means the catalog does not state the fill for that row.

Variants

ATC300 on the E60, E61 and E90 to E93

BMW's service training says the E83 xDrive with the ATC400 would not fit the transmission tunnel of the E60, E61, E90, E91 and E92, so those cars use the ATC300, which sends torque to the front axle through gears.

ATC400 and ATC500 on the E83 and E53, ATC700 on the E70

BMW's training lists the ATC500 for the E53, the ATC700 for the E70 and the ATC400 for the E83; the units differ in the number of plates in the clutch and in how the propeller shaft joins the front axle, and the E53 and E70 units are built stronger for higher engine torque.

ATC350, ATC35L, ATC450 and ATC45L

BMW's functional description of the F01 xDrive says the ATC350 uses a spur gear unit and has no separate oil pump, and that the X5 ATC450 uses a chain.

The parts catalog lists the ATC350 on E84, F01, F02, F07, F10 and the ATC35L on E84, F01, F02, F06, F07, F10, F12, F13, F22, F23, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F36.

It lists the ATC450 on E70, E71, F25 and the ATC45L on E70, E71, F15, F16, F25, F26, F85, F86.

ATC13 on the G-series and the F90 to F98 M cars

BMW's fluid table groups ATC 13 and ATC 14 with the other ATC units under DTF 1.

Earlier all-wheel-drive units

The E30 325iX and E34 525iX take ATF D2, the E46 xi cars use the NV 124 unit with manual gearbox oil MTF-LT-2, and the E53 with the NV 125 or LWX 500 unit takes ATF D3.

Hang-on clutch and PTO units

The front-drive based F39, F40, F44, F45, F46, F48 and F49 cars and MINI F54 and F60 use a transfer box with a power take-off, and BMW's fluid table lists OSP and SAF-XO for it.

Service Parts at a Glance

Fluid and transfer case numbers checked against BMW's parts catalog, data to December 2019.

BMW's July 2024 bulletin lists DTF 1 as 83 22 5 A4F 016 in a 1-litre can, which is newer than the number in the 2019 parts data.

Transfer case units

Part numbers for the transfer case itself, new and exchange, by code. Status is the parts catalog status as of December 2019.

Known Failure Points and Service Items

No recall for a transfer case failure itself was found in NHTSA's records for BMW cars. The xDrive driveline recalls below involve the front driveshaft, the front differential mounting and a joint at the transfer case output, followed by the BMW documents that bear on transfer case service.

01 Front differential bolts, 2004 X5 (NHTSA 03V475000)

NHTSA recall 03V475000 covers 2004 X5 vehicles on which the bolts holding the front differential, the right output shaft housing flange at the engine and the right engine support may not have been tightened enough. If they work loose, the engine and transmission housings can be damaged and the right output shaft can come off, which affects control of the vehicle. Dealers inspect and retighten the fasteners.

Watch for a 2004 X5 with no record of this recall; NHTSA names loose drivetrain fasteners and a detached right output shaft as the risk.

02 Front driveshaft bolts, 2011 328i xDrive and 335i xDrive (NHTSA 11V476000)

NHTSA recall 11V476000 covers model year 2011 328i xDrive and 335i xDrive cars built February 8 to July 29, 2011, whose front driveshaft bolts may not have been tightened to specification. Loose bolts can end drive to the front wheels and lead to a breakdown. Dealers replace the bolts.

Watch for a loss of front-wheel drive on these cars, and check that the recall was done.

03 Front driveshaft universal joint, X5 and X6 (NHTSA 16V311000 and 17V138000)

NHTSA recall 16V311000 covers model year 2011 X5 xDrive35i, xDrive50i, xDrive35d and X5 M, X6 xDrive35i, xDrive50i and X6 M, and the 2011 X6 ActiveHybrid built from April to November 2010; recall 17V138000 covers 2011 to 2013 X5 and 2011 to 2014 X6 models and the 2011 X6 ActiveHybrid for the same problem. Water and dirt can get into the front driveshaft universal joint, wear it and make it fail, and then the front wheels are no longer driven. Dealers replace the front driveshaft.

Watch for a loss of front drive on an E70 X5 or E71 X6, and check that the driveshaft was replaced under the recall.

04 Joint at the transfer case output, 328d xDrive (NHTSA 20V185000)

NHTSA recall 20V185000 covers 2013 to 2016 328d xDrive sedans and 2013 to 2015 328d xDrive wagons. The constant velocity joint that carries power from the transfer case to the rear driveshaft can be damaged and cut power to the rear wheels, and a parked car can roll if the parking brake is off. Dealers replace the joint and inspect the transfer case, replacing it if needed.

Watch for a loss of drive to the rear wheels on these 328d xDrive models, and check that the recall was done.

05 Oil drain plug retrofit, ATC 35, 35L and 45L

BMW publishes repair instructions for retrofitting an oil drain plug to the ATC 45L transfer box, and a second procedure that covers the ATC 35, ATC 35L and ATC 45L.

Watch for a transfer case that has never had its oil changed because the case has no drain plug.

06 Oil level set through the diagnosis system, G-series

BMW's repair literature for the G-series xDrive cars has the transfer case oil level corrected with a service function in the diagnosis system during the test procedure.

Watch for this when topping up a G-series transfer case: BMW describes the level check as a diagnosis function, not only a dipstick or plug check.

Common Questions

What BMWs have the ATC300 transfer case?

BMW's training lists the ATC300 for the E60, E61, E90, E91 and E92 xDrive cars.

What fluid goes in a BMW xDrive transfer case?

BMW's fluid table gives DTF 1 for the ATC units listed in it, with other oils for the E30, E34, E46, E53 and front-drive based cars.

How much fluid does an xDrive transfer case hold?

The parts catalog lists 0.24 L to 0.9 L depending on the unit, for example 0.52 L for the ATC300 and 0.44 L for the ATC35L and ATC350.

What does ATC stand for?

BMW's training says ATC stands for Active Torque Control.

Does xDrive always send power to the front wheels?

No; BMW says the rear axle is always driven, and the clutch in the transfer case sends torque to the front axle as the DSC system requires.

Sources

• BMW parts catalog data, transfer box, exchange transfer box, front differential and fluid tables, data to December 2019.
• BMW service technology: xDrive E60, E61, E90, E91, E92 (27 01 05 (128)); xDrive E53, E70, E83 (27 01 03 (048)); functional description of xDrive with transfer box.
• BMW service information 27 01 96 (146), operating fluids for transfer boxes, enclosures 1 to 4, issue 07/2020, update 07/2024.
• BMW repair instructions for retrofitting a transfer box oil drain plug, and for the G-series transfer box oil level.
• NHTSA recall records 03V475000, 11V476000, 16V311000, 17V138000 and 20V185000, api.nhtsa.gov recall data (opened October 1, 2026).