How to Find a BMW Vehicle's Maintenance History

by Lea Clark

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Regularly servicing your BMW is not only essential to keep the vehicle in working order, it is required to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty. If you purchase a new vehicle, make sure that for the duration of ownership all maintenance and repairs are properly documented. On the other hand, when purchasing a used BMW you will want to choose a vehicle with adequate service records. Currently, BMW keeps computerized records of all maintenance and warranty work completed at authorized BMW dealerships. If you own a new vehicle, or a pre-owned vehicle that has only been serviced at dealerships, it may be fairly easy to obtain complete service records. If your vehicle has been serviced at non-authorized dealerships, you will have to do a little more digging to come up with your vehicle maintenance history.

Step 1

The easiest way to determine service records is to look in your owner’s manual. There is a maintenance record section in all owners’ manuals. Although this used to be the main place to find proof of maintenance, now that everything is computerized, technicians are not as likely to take the time to fill out the manual. If your owner’s manual is blank, move on to the next step.

Step 2

Talk to your BMW service department. With the vehicle identification number -- VIN -- they can access service records completed at authorized BMW dealerships. If you already have a relationship with a service adviser; it may be fairly easy to obtain this information over the phone. If the vehicle is more than a couple years old, it easier to visit the dealership to obtain a print out of the service history.

Step 3

Purchase a CARFAX vehicle report. Visit the CARFAX website, enter the vehicle's VIN. The report will list all services completed at participating repair shops, as well as body shops.

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