10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
33,500 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #6

Jan 142019

650

  • 51,000 miles
All the wiring to the standard xenon headlights and daytime running lights have deteriorated. It is a known problem by BMW, as they were using biodegradable wiring coating. The protective coating of the wires dries up, falls off and creates shorts leading to total headlight failure that cannot be repaired. There have been numerious complaints of these wires causing car and engine fires as well as dangerous situations where the headlights do not work. BMW refuses to fix the problem and their only fix is to have the consumer buy new headlights at roughly $1800 per light. In my case, both headlamps have deteriorated wire coating and exposed wires. The right headlamp has failed.

- Ft Lauderdale, FL, USA

problem #5

Jan 302019

650

  • miles
We have almost died in this car twice. The first time in 2017, I was driving down a city street and noticed smoke coming out of the hood. Immediately pulled over, and opened the hood to find starter in flames. Called the fire department to extinguish the fire and the car spent a week in the shop getting "repaired". this past week, again while driving on a city street, I smelled what smelled like burning metal. Pulled over immediately and looked under the hood however nothing was there. Felt a slight burn on myself and discovered that my heated seat had burned a a half dollar size hole if not bigger into the seat and burned through my expensive jacket and a sweater! this car is unsafe. After doing some research, we learned that thousands of BMW's catch on fire every year. We spent money on a luxury vehicle for more safety and comfort, not a death trap. I am scared to drive this car and have not done so since the last fire (burned seat).

- New York, NY, USA

problem #4

Feb 042019

650

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 650I. The contact attempted to close the convertible top on the vehicle, but it would not close due to an electrical short. In addition, the service vehicle warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to BMW of las vegas (6900 w sahara ave, las vegas, nv 89117, (702) 570-0279), but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and did not assist. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Los Vegas, NV, USA

problem #3

Feb 162018

650

  • 1 miles
Convertible top locks up randomly, get message to reduce speed due to top not being locked when it was fine the "ride" before, try to "lock", then windows go halfway down and stay stuck that way. This happens when in motion, on street or highway.

- Lakeland, FL, USA

problem #2

Nov 202016

650

  • miles
Shows the BMW logo then screen goes blank and keeps cycling the same way. The nav, radio, bluetooth, cd and the sos light error in the cluster. Safety alarks are all disabled and the vehicle is unable to detect or report if objects are near the bumper or sides of the vehicle. The unit stays running (maybe the fan) when I turn the car off and drains the battery.

- Santa Rosa, CA, USA

problem #1

Aug 122014

650 8-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
2nd time this has occurred in pouring rain while driving. I have a rag top convertible BMW that when it is pouring rain..water somehow permeates the back of the car and "fries" the electrical components as I am driving.. the first time it happened it fried the onboard ccc at 48,000 miles, and all the components and now it has apparently compromised the replaced parts in the trunk area.. I looked it up and it there is "service bulletin" NHTSA id number: 10028770.. and I am sorry but I think this is a safety hazard when I am driving in the rain.. and all of sudden all of my electrical components start to fizzle out.. and the hazard lights are activated..

- Baltimore , MD, USA