31 00... Information on replacing shock absorbers
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 50 other vehicles, including the 2016 BMW M5, 2016 BMW ActiveHybrid 5, 2016 BMW 550i xDrive, 2016 BMW 550i, and 2016 BMW 535i xDrive. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Situation:
When a shock absorber is faulty on one side (leaking, noises, etc.), often both shock absorbers on the axle in question are replaced.
Effect:
This is not necessary for technical reasons and causes the manufacturer not to recognize the unnecessarily removed shock absorbers as defective parts. Unnecessarily high costs for the customer can be avoided by replacing the shock absorber on one side only.
Procedure:
If one shock absorber is damaged, it is only necessary to replace both shock absorbers when the car has driven in excess of 80 000 km.
Exception : On all M-models, when a limit value is exceeded on one side, it is still necessary always to replace both shock absorbers on the relevant axle.