BMW 545i Complaints
122 consumer complaints on file.
- #10779344October 2, 2015AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, SEATS
2005 BMW 545I E60 FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM: THIS MODEL BMW HAS EXPERIENCED A FAULT IN THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND IS NOT LISTED IN THE PAST RECALL WHICH CAN LEAD TO DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS AND THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE MAT OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AND UPON A PASSENGER GETTING INTO MY CAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I RECEIVED THE ERROR MESSAGE. I SPOKE WITH VARYING BMW DEALERSHIPS (IN DIFFERENT STATES) AND RECEIVED MIXED INFORMATION FROM THE RECALL WASN'T APPROVED YET TO THE CURRENT VERSION OF NO RECALL AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE FULL REPAIR COSTS. SPEAKING WITH BMW OF USA, THERE WAS APPARENTLY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALERSHIP NEVER MENTIONED THIS POSSIBILITY TO ME WHEN SPEAKING WITH THEM. AS OF NOW, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS EXPIRED SO SHOULD THIS ISSUE OCCUR ON YOUR CAR TODAY - YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL COST OF THE REPAIR WHICH IS IN EXCESS OF $1000 AND ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THERE IS A VAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON THE POOR QUALITY OF THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT USED BY BMW IN THESE MODELS LEADING TO THIS MALFUNCTION. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY THE E60 BMW MODELS WERE NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AS OTHER MODELS THAT WERE COVERED? THIS CAN GET SOMEONE SERIOUSLY HURT AND BMW IS PLACING THIS RESPONSIBILITY BACK ON THE CONSUMER WHEN THEY ARE AT FAULT. THIS ISSUE CLEARLY SPANS MANY MORE BMW MODELS THAT WERE LISTED IN THE RECALL AND CONSUMERS ARE BEING FORCED TO PAY THE BILL FOR POOR DECISIONS ON BMW'S PART. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE MORE ACTION AND ATTENTION PLACED ON THIS ISSUE BY THE NHTSA. RELATED INSTANCES OF THE SAME ISSUE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10778844September 30, 2015AIR BAGS
FRONT OCCUPANCY SEAT SENSOR MAT. THIS IS UNDER CAMPAIGN ID 08V384000. MY MAKE AND MODEL PLUS YEAR IS INCLUDED IN THIS. A CALL TO BMW STATES THAT MY CAR IS NOT IN THIS RECALL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10776600September 25, 2015TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
BOUGHT MY TIRE IN FEBRUARY OF 2015. HAD ISSUE IMMEDIATELY WITH IT DEFLATING ON ITS OWN WITH NO NOTICEABLE LEAKS. TOOK TO TIRE STORE I BOUGHT FROM THEY FOUND NO ISSUES. PUT INFLATE A TIRE IN IT AND SEEMED TO HELP FOR 2 MONTHS. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE OTHER DAY MY TIRE SHREDDED AND THE TREAD ALMOST CAME OFF THE WHEEL. GOT THE SAME TIRE ON OPPOSITE BACK WHEEL, HAVE NO ISSUES AT ALL WITH IT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10765042September 18, 2015POWER TRAIN
I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, IT APPEARS THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS STRUGGLING TO GET TO THE NEXT GEAR. THE RPMS WILL FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN AND SOMETIMES REV WAY UP BEFORE THE CAR KICKS LIKE I HAVE BEEN HIT. IF I TRY TO ACCELERATE FAST FROM A STOP, THE ENGINE WILL REV UP TO ABOUT 5K RPM AND STOP RESPONDING UNTIL I LET OFF THE GAS AND LET THE RPMS DROP DOWN AND THEN IT WILL KICK INTO GEAR. IF I SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST A STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE IT WILL MOST CERTAINLY KICK, SO I HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS. I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM WHEN PULLING OUT OF AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL ACT UP (WHICH IS MOST OF THE TIME) AND HINDER MY ACCELERATION. ONCE I GET UP TO CRUISING SPEED (ABOVE 45 MPH) IT RUNS SMOOTHLY, BUT IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT I DREAD EVERY TIME I HAVE TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION OR SLOW WAY DOWN. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND SAID IF IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION THEN THE SERVICE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. HE ASKED ME WHAT KIND OF GAS I USE AND I SAID SHELL HIGH OCTANE AND HE SAID THAT IS GOOD. OTHER THAN THAT, HE DIDN'T TELL ME MUCH MORE. I WANT TO SELL THE CAR NEXT SPRING BUT WHO WILL BUY IT WITH IT PERFORMING THIS WAY?
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10723051June 2, 2015AIR BAGS
LOW SPEED CRASH IN FEBUARY 2015 AIRBAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON BUT DIDN'T DEPLOY. THIS ITEM HAD BEEN REPLACED DUE TO RECALL IN 2011 AND BMW SAID I HAD TO PAY FOR SEAT MAT THAT MALFUNCTIONED AND TO BE PUT IN. NO PASSENGER IN CAR DURING IMPACT I WAS ALONE. I DON'T FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE MY PROBLEM OR THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SAID PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS A FAULTY PART AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY BMW AND RECALL DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10680728February 2, 2015AIR BAGS
I TURNED ON MY CAR AND A NOTIFICATION APPEARED ON THE IDRIVE THAT THERE WAS A PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILURE. I READ THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND CALLED MY LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP TO GIVE THEM MY VIN TO SEE IF MY VEHICLE WOULD BE ON THE RECALL. I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS NOT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT FITS THE CRITERIA FOR THE RECALL AND IF THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10672585January 14, 2015AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT CENTRAL MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10663024December 9, 2014AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2004 BMW 545I. ON THE SECOND TIME HAVING A PASSENGER IN THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I WAS ALERTED BY A CHIME AND MESSAGE THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG / SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAD FAILED. ALSO NOTICED WAS THAT WHEN TURNING ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER, THE SEAT GOT VERY HOT IN ONE PARTICULAR SPOT- ON THE LEFT SIDE NEAR MY HIP (HOT ENOUGH THAT I RECEIVED A MINOR BURN ON MY LEG THROUGH A PAIR OF JEANS). I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AS I WAS MADE AWARE THAT THERE WERE RECALLS ON OTHER MODELS FOR THE SAME REASONS, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR EITHER ISSUE ON MY MODEL. THE REPRESENTATIVE SIMPLY EXPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT FIXING THE ISSUES WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE. I BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS DEFECTS THAT COULD AFFECT MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10643690October 9, 2014AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10633682September 16, 2014SEATS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT WARMER, OVERHEATED AND BURNED THE CONTACTS CLOTHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATED ELEMENT WAS FRACTURED CAUSING THE DRIVERS SEAT TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10632248September 10, 2014POWER TRAIN
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE A SAFE CAR FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING AND AN EXCESSIVELY HARSH 2-1 DOWNSHIFT OCCURS WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOP. ALSO, TRANSMISSION "BANGS" INTO GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A FULL OR A "ROLLING" STOP. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES ON A DAILY BASIS. ONE TIME IN SPECIFIC I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 4 YEAR OLD NIECE AND IT CAUSED HER TO BECOME ALARMED AS WELL AS INJURE HER NECK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE, THE DEALERSHIP IS SAYING THAT THEY WILL CHARGE ME AN RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE FOR THE TRANSMISSION. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A "NO CHARGE" REPAIR OR FIX SEEING THAT NO CAR SHOULD BEHAVE IN THIS MANNER. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE, AS I AM NO LONGER DRIVING THE CAR AND TAKING THE BUS IN FEAR OF CAUSING ANY INJURY TO MY LOVED ONES. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10627222August 21, 2014POWER TRAIN
FOR MANY YEARS, AND AFTER MANY "REPAIRS" MY 2005 BMW 545I, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW, HAS NEVER RUN RIGHT. BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS AN ISSUE, BUT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR IT. I HAVE SPENT MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN SEARCH OF A PERMANENT FIX, BUT THE LAST BMW DEALER I DEALT IS MIFFED ON SOLVING THE PROBLEM. WHEN APPROACHING BETWEEN 25-35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION "SLAMS" AND FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED. IT IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. I HAVE TO SLIGHTLY LET UP ON THE GAS IN THESE SPEEDS IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO RUN RIGHT WITHOUT AN EMERGENCY LIGHT COMING ON SAYING "TRANSMISSION FAULT; DRIVE MODERATELY." THIS CAN BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THE CAR IS SENSING THE FAULT AND IT WILL NOT ALLOW ONE TO DRIVE MUCH ABOVE 50 MPH WITHOUT STRAINING THE ENGINE. GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 50MPH IN MY AREA CAN BE A HAZARDOUS ACTIVITY! THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS SITUATION WITH THE CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT UP AND THRU THE PRESENT DATE, AUG, 21, 2014. I HAVE NO FAITH IN THE ENGINE/POWER TRAIN/TRANSMISSION. THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST BMW. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10626504August 20, 2014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ODOMETER WAS ROLLED BACK TO 89,151. HTTP://SFBAY.CRAIGSLIST.ORG/SBY/CTO/4622086070.HTML SELLER'S AD: I HAVE THIS BM. IN GREAT SHAPE AND SUPER CLEAN IN AND OUT V8 89300 MILES ALL,POWER IN SIDE NAVIGATION ,CD STEREO SUNROOF LEATHER SEATS MORE INFO PLEASE CALL ME OR EMAIL ME THANKS. SE HABLA SPANOL[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10605623June 24, 2014AIR BAGS
AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR, THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RESTRAINT AND AIRBAG LIGHT SHOWED UP AS A MALFUNCTION. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I NOTICE THAT BMW HAD A RECALL ON A SEAT MAT SENSOR ON 200,000 5 SERIES. I ALSO DID SOME RESEARCH AND NOTICE THAT THERE IS A GREAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN BECAUSE THE SEAT MAT SENSOR IS BAD THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10604260June 18, 2014SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10592042May 16, 2014SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS
I BOUGHT MY 2005 BMW 545I AFTER A WEEK MY SEATBELT AND AND AIRBAG LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OUT, EVEN WITH SEATBELT LOCKED IN, IS THERE A RECALL SO I CAN GET THIS FIX AND FEEL SAFE WHEN DRIVING MY CAR. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10588289May 14, 2014AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN RECALL NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE NOTICE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE RECALL REPAIR WOULD BE PERFORMED. THERE WERE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10587017May 7, 2014SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN BRAKING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PUMP, BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP SEAL, AND THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000. UPDATED 11/20/14*LJ
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10559698January 13, 2014AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING INTO HIS DRIVEWAY AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10559738January 13, 2014AIR BAGS
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER SAID PROBLEM WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY. INFORMATION I FOUND ON THE INTERNET AND BMW SITES SAY IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. I AM AFRAID IF I'M IN AN ACCIDENT, MY PASSENGER COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED, OR KILLED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0