BMW ZF 5HP Transmission Guide

ZF 5HP · five-speed automatic · BMW designations A5S 310Z, A5S 325Z, A5S 440Z, A5S 560Z · US-market cars 1990-2006 · E31, E32, E34, E36, E38, E39, E46, E53, E85

Part of the BMW transmission guide. To find the gearbox in a particular car, use the E-series lookup or the F and G series lookup.

The ZF 5HP is the five-speed automatic BMW fitted to most of its six- and eight-cylinder cars through the 1990s and early 2000s. BMW does not use the ZF names in its own paperwork. It calls the gearboxes A5S, followed by a number and a maker letter: A5S 310Z (ZF 5HP18), A5S 325Z (5HP19), A5S 440Z (5HP24) and A5S 560Z (5HP30).

It sits between the older four-speed ZF and GM automatics and the six-speed ZF 6HP that replaced it. In some cars it ran alongside GM's five-speed: the E46 325i and 330i, for example, were built with either the ZF A5S 325Z or the GM A5S 390R.

Quick read

• Ownership position: Not established yet. We are still researching how these gearboxes age in service.
• Reliability: No family-wide verdict. BMW service bulletins cover specific production windows and specific problems, listed below.
• Cost to own: Not established yet.
• Power potential: Not established yet. BMW names a maximum input torque in the gearbox designation: 310, 325, 440 and 560 Nm.
• Main watch item: Which A5S variant and which plate colour you have. BMW specified different fluids for the black-plate and green-plate A5S 310Z.

ZF 5HP At a Glance

Technical Specifications

Capacity by car, from BMW parts data

The fill figure below is the parts-catalog fill quantity in liters. On the A5S 310Z rows the parts data gives 3.0 liters for some cars and 9 or 10.6 for others, while BMW technical data gives about 7.8 or 8.9 liters total and about 3.0 to 3.3 liters for an oil change, so check which figure you need before you buy fluid. A blank means the parts data gives no figure.

Which BMWs Have It

Variants

• A5S 310Z (5HP18): fitted to the E34, E36 and, in the E36 M3 and 328i rows, to cars built to 08/1999. BMW lists two versions: a black-plate unit with an oil-change interval and a green-plate lifetime-fill unit.
• A5S 325Z (5HP19): the E46 and E85 Z4 unit, and the E39 530i from 03/2001 in BMW parts data.
• A5S 440Z (5HP24): the V8 E38 740i and E39 540i, and the E53 X5 4.4i and 4.6is. BMW calls it lifetime fill on all models.
• A5S 560Z (5HP30): the larger V8 and V12 unit in the E31, E32, E34 540i, E38 and the early E39 540i. BMW lists a black-plate version with conventional lock-up and a green-plate version with controlled lock-up, both on ATF 4. It also says Shell LA 2634, the earlier fluid, is no longer available and that a complete oil change to the new lifetime oil is required.

Service Parts at a Glance

These BMW part numbers were looked up in BMW parts data (December 2019 data date). Fitment is the list of US BMW models the catalog shows. Several models carry two automatics, so confirm the gearbox code on the plate before ordering.

Known Failure Points and Service Items

Only items a BMW document or an NHTSA recall backs are listed. Frequency is not established.

01 Wiring connector crimp, A5S 440Z (E39 540i, E38 740i)

BMW's service information says the transmission connector crimps on the wiring harness could have too high a contact resistance on a small number of cars, because of poor crimping in manufacture. Affected cars were the 540i E39 and 740i E38 with the A5S 440Z, built May 1997 to August 1997. The fix BMW gives is to recrimp the connections with a special tool. Watch for a gearbox that stays in the selected gear or shifts down for no reason, with fault code 22 (oil temperature sensor) stored.

02 Faulty ring gear, A5S 440Z (E38 and E39)

A BMW bulletin from December 1998 says some E38 and E39 cars with the A5S 440Z could have a faulty ring gear. It names the M57 and M62 engines and a build window of 09/15/1998 to 10/27/1998, and its remedy is to replace the automatic transmission. A second bulletin from July 1999 covers 29 replacement gearboxes sold as spare parts between 08/1998 and 05/1999, identified by transmission serial number from the type plate. Watch for loud noises from the gearbox, and in the worst case no reverse gear with forward movement only in fourth.

03 Conversion to lifetime fluid (service item)

BMW's lifetime-oil bulletin says that the earlier automatics were converted to lifetime oil to reduce service cost. It lists Esso LT 71141 for the A5S 310Z, 440Z and 560Z and says different oils must not be mixed.

04 Gear-position switch recall, A5S 440Z (X5 4.4i)

NHTSA recall 01V196000, filed in June 2001, covers the X5 4.4i, which NHTSA lists under model year 2001; in BMW parts data that car carries the A5S 440Z. Contact wear inside the gear-position switch could put the gearbox into its emergency program while the car stood in park or neutral, leaving only the lower gears and reduced engine power. Dealers replaced the switch. Watch for a gearbox fail-safe warning and a car that will only pull in low gears.

Reliability Verdict

Not established yet. We are still researching this gearbox family.

Power Potential

Not established yet. BMW's only stated limit in the documents we opened is the input torque encoded in the designation.

Cost of Ownership

Not established yet.

Common Questions

What BMWs have the ZF 5HP automatic?

BMW parts data lists the A5S 310Z, 325Z, 440Z or 560Z in US E31, E32, E34, E36, E38, E39, E46, E53 and E85 cars built between 1990 and 2006.

What fluid does an A5S 325Z take?

BMW specifies ATF 4, a lifetime fluid with BMW part number 83 22 2 344 206. BMW's bulletin says the A5S 325Z has a lifetime oil filling and must only be refilled with the approved fluid.

How much fluid does an E46 with the A5S 325Z hold?

BMW parts data gives a fill of 8.9 liters for most E46 A5S 325Z cars, and BMW technical data gives a total volume of about 9.0 liters.

Does the A5S 560Z use the same fluid as the A5S 325Z?

Yes. BMW lists ATF 4, part number 83 22 2 344 206, for the A5S 560Z, and says the earlier Shell LA 2634 fluid is no longer available.

What does A5S 325Z mean?

A means automatic, 5 is the number of gears, S is the type of top gear, 325 is the maximum input torque in Nm, and Z is ZF. BMW's table maps the A5S 325Z to the ZF 5HP19.

Sources

• BMW service documentation: transmission designations and maker table.
• BMW Service Information SI 24 05 96 (143): automatic transmission fluids, enclosures 4 to 7.
• BMW Service Information 24 02 96 (074): lifetime oil in automatic transmissions.
• BMW Service Information 24 01 99 (396): no or implausible gearshifts, fault code 22.
• BMW Service Information 00 24 09 01 (12/1998) and 00 24 11 01 (07/1999): faulty ring gear, A5S 440Z.
• BMW technical data: transmissions in general and filling capacities, groups 23 and 24.
• BMW parts catalog data, December 2019 data date: fluid table, fitment and part numbers.