BMW 525i Complaints
438 consumer complaints on file.
- #11051020November 28, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, SUDDENLY WE BEGAN TO SMELL 'SOMETHING' BURNING, AND THEN THE IDRIVE SYSTEM DISPLAYED A BATTERY ICON LIGHT FOLLOWED BY THE MESSAGE "CHARGING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" AND CONTROL MESSAGES WARNING "YOUR BATTERY IS NOT BEING CHARGED". SECONDS AFTER THAT MESSAGE THE POWER IN THE VEHICLE BEGAN SURGING, AND ANOTHER MESSAGE DISPLAYED "4X4 SYSTEM AND DSC HAVE MALFUNCTIONED". AT THIS POINT WE WERE PULLING OVER, AND THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN FILLING WITH SMOKE. THE 4 OF US EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WITNESSED FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE BONNET. WE MANAGED TO MOVE SAFELY AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND CALL FOR HELP AS IT WENT UP IN FLAMES - BURNING COMPLETELY (BUMPER TO BUMPERR). IT HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11047515November 20, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
POSSIBLE BMW RECALL ISSUE (CAR SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE CAR OFF). CAR PURCHASED ON 11/8/17. ON 11/16/17, CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY WITH IGNITION OFF AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER, DRIVER HEARD THE CAR ALARM GO OFF WHICH PROMPTED HIM TO GO OUTSIDE AND SAW FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVER CALLED 911. CAR CONTINUED TO COMBUST SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE FIRE DEPT GOT TO OUR HOUSE. SEE PICTURES FOR DAMAGE. WE STILL HAVE THE BMW CAR IN QUESTION IN OUR DRIVEWAY.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11047323November 19, 2017AIR BAGS, SEATS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TAKATA RECALL THERE'S A AIRBAG SIGNALS ON DISPLAY SCREEN DOESN'T GO OUT OR CLEAR ANYTIME YOU START OR DRIVE THE CAR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11047358November 19, 2017ENGINE
OVERHEATED, I HAVE SPENT OVER $3000 TO REPAIR THE OVERHEAT PROBLEM, IT KEEP COMING BACK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11046039November 14, 2017AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF HOUSTON NORTH IN HOUSTON, TX WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER DETECTION MAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V428000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 158,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11043021November 3, 2017SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 BMW 525I ON A CITY STREET AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN THE BRAKES WERE NON EXISTENT. THE BRAKE PEDAL LOST ALL OF ITS PRESSURE AND WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN WITHOUT STOPPING THE VEHICLE. I COULD NOT STOP AT THE STOP SIGN AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP WAS USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHICH BARELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK SO I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION UNDER MY HOOD, I FOUND A BROKEN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE WHICH BROKE APART AND THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO BE INJURED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11034600October 19, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IT STARTED TO SMELL ELECTRICAL WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR PUT IT IN PARK AND TRYED TO TURN THE CAR OFF THE IGNITION WOULDNT TURN OFF AND MY ENTIRE CAR CAUGHT FIRE ..I SAW IT START ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UNDER THE HOOD I THREW WATER ON IT IT WOUNDNT GO OUT AND I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT HAPPENED IN PLACERVILLE WHEN I WAS VISITING FAMILY.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11015392August 15, 2017AIR BAGS
BAD AIR BAG
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11014976August 14, 2017SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING (STALLING) AFTER FULLY STOPPING AND REAPLYING BRAKE AT A LOWER SPEED. BRAKE PADEL IS BECOMING VERY HARD AND EVEN WITH ALL FOOT FORCE BRAKE PADEL IS NOT BEING DEPRESSED. I HAD MY KIDS IN THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I READ IT ONLINE SIMILAR PROBLEM ACCURED IN OTHER BMW MODEL AND RECALL BULLETIN WAS ISSUED. THIS ISSUE IS VERY SERIOUS AND I'M WILLING TO LET INVESTIGATORS CHECK MY VEHICLE IF THEY WISH TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11010814July 26, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MICRO POWER MODULE (MPM) STARTED SMOKING WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING ERRATIC ENGINE RPM, AND CAUSING SMOKE INSIDE CABIN AND BURNT ELECTRONICS SMELL. COMPLETE LOSS OF RADIO AND IDRIVE FUNCTIONALITY. MODULE IS LOCATED IN TRUNK UNDER THE SPARE TIRE. NOTIFIED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, AND THEY JUST SAID THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT COULD POSSIBLY START A FIRE. SEVERAL BMW ONLINE FORUMS HAVE DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE. OTHERS HAVE REMEDIED THE PROBLEM BY RELOCATING THE MODULE TO A HIGHER PLACE IN THE TRUNK. MOST OF WHO OWN THESE CARS DO NOT KNOW THAT THESE VEHICLES HAVE THIS VULNERABILITY. VEHICLE WAS MOVING IN THE EARLY MORNING WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11005486July 15, 2017AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING APPEARS EACH TIME WE GET INTO THE VEHICLE AND START THE IGNITION. AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT RED ICON CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CAR DOES NOT COOL OR GET COLD UNTIL THE CAR IS IN MOTION. WE HAD A MECHANIC WHO WE PURCHASED THE CAR FROM 3 YEARS AGO TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BUT IT STILL CONTINUES TO NOT COOL PROPERLY.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11003723July 7, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND BLEW UP IN THE GARAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY THE BATTERY CABLE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED HOSPITALIZATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND THE CONTACT'S HOME WAS DAMAGED EXTENSIVELY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (CHAPMAN BMW IN PHOENIX, AR) WHERE A RECALL REPAIR OF THE BATTERY CABLE WAS PERFORMED. THE RECALL INFORMATION WAS LOST IN THE FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11003308July 6, 2017STEERING
LIGHTS OF THE STEERING WHEEL ITS BEEN LOCK CAME OUT, THE CAR WAS PARK AND WAS READY TO GO TO WORK, BUT WHEN I TURNED ON THE LIGHT SHOW UP ON THE PANEL, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT LOCK, I WAS ABLE TO TURN IT,, I TURN IT OFF AND ON AGAIN AND THE LIGHT STILL ON
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10984973May 11, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY BMW DRIVERS SEAT GET SO HOT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO CATCH FIRE ( I DON'T HAVE HEATED SEATS } SOMETIMES IN MOTION SOMETIME AFTER I SHUT TI OFF
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10971514April 9, 2017FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE THE THIRD TIME I WAS DRIVING CITY STREET CAR STOPPED HAD TO TOW IT HOME.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10970386April 3, 2017AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAS FAILED. REAR LEFT HAND BRAKE/BACKUP LIGHT IS PROBLEMATIC AND INTERMITTENTLY WORKS, USUALLY ONLY SHOWS UP ON CAR'S DASHBOARD WHILE IN REVERSE, BUT SOMETIMES WILL STAY ON-SCREEN DURING DRIVING. FRONT ASHTRAY OUTLET/CIGARETTE LIGHTER DOESN'T WORK.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10968236March 23, 2017AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAULT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10958698March 5, 2017SEAT BELTS
PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT ON,EFFECTING AIRBAG,BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER. CALLED BMW WAS TOLD VIN NUMBER NOT IN RECALL HOW CAN THAT BE RECALL IS FOR 2004 BMW. COST IS OVER 1000. CAR WAS STATIONARY.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10958241March 2, 2017STEERING
THE CAR WILL NOT START, A STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION AND A ENGINE MALFUNCTION MESSAGE APPEAR. HAD BMW MECHANICS TRY TO RESOLVE PROBLEM. CHANGED STEERING LOCK MECHANISM, REPROGRAM MODULES, CHANGE SEVERAL SENSORS, PLACE NEW BATTERY AND EVEN REPLACE THE DME. THE ONLY THING THAT SEEMS TO PARTIALLY ALLOW THE CAR TO START IS TO "RESET THE CAS" WITH A COMPUTER.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10954313February 13, 2017SEATS
LITERALLY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE BURNING A VERY DEEP HOLE THROUGH TO THE FRONT OF THE SEAT AND BURNING A HOLE IN MY JACKED THEN BURNING MY SKIN. IMMEDIATELY I NOTIFIED BMW WHO WAS EXTREMELY ACCOMMODATING EVEN HELPING ME SCHEDULE A REPAIR APPOINTMENT.. THEN THE DEALERSHIP CLOSEST TO ME CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T DO RECALLS AND THEY COULDN'T ASSIST ME. AFTER BMW NORTH AMERICA AUTHORIZED THIS. I HAD AN EXTRA VEHICLE UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN MY DAUGHTER BROUGHT OUR BMW X3 TO COLLEGE WITH HER. THEY HIGHLY SUGGESTED WE NOT USE THE VEHICLE UNTIL ITS REPAIRED THE SEAT HEATER KEEPS INTERMITTENTLY GOING OFF AND WON'T TURN OFF AND THEN IT STARTS BURNING . I'VE BEEN AFRAID OF DRIVING IT BECAUSE OF THE FRIGHTENING BURNING SMELL. I WOULDN'T BE WRITING U IF I WASN'T BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE BY BMW . NOW I'M WITHOUT TRANSPO AND I HAVE A CHILD WITH EPILEPSY WHO I NEED ADEQUATE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR. IT DIFFICULT BEING TOLD YES BY BMW NORTH AMERICA THEN THE DEALER WON'T ACCOMMODATE YOU UNLESS YOU CONSIDER REPLACING YOUR VEHICLE WITH A NEW BMW! I AM VERY UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED WITH W
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0