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2002 BMW 5 Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
7Owner complaints

Model-year median: 5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
2
19992
20003
20017
20029
200364
200421
2005
Compare all 5 Series years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
2Engine
1Engine And Engine Cooling
1Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1Exterior Lighting
1
All reported categories
Structure
1Suspension
1Unknown Or Other
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 7 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

1 reports
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160,000 miles · Feb 19, 2019
EngineStructureUnknown Or OtherFire

I HAVE A 2002 525I WHICH I DROVE TO WORK ON JANUARY 15, 2019. AFTER BEING IN WORK FOR 15 MINUTES, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE TOP OF THE HOOD, UNDER THE HOOD, AND UNDER THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE PVC RECALL FOR 2007-2011, BUT I ALSO …

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I HAVE A 2002 525I WHICH I DROVE TO WORK ON JANUARY 15, 2019. AFTER BEING IN WORK FOR 15 MINUTES, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE TOP OF THE HOOD, UNDER THE HOOD, AND UNDER THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE PVC RECALL FOR 2007-2011, BUT I ALSO READ "BMW HAD LOOKED INTO HEAT DAMAGE INVOLVING THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM AS EARLY AS 2007 BUT STEPPED UP ITS ANALYSIS WORK IN SEPTEMBER." THAT WAS FROM A CHRONOLOGY REPORT PROVIDED BY BMW TO NHTSA, AND QUOTED FROM ABCNEWS.GO.COM. WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS BMW DIDN'T LOOK BACK ANY EARLIER THAN 2007. IT WAS TERRIFYING, AND THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. WHAT IS BMW DOING ABOUT THIS? AND WHAT IS MY NEXT COURSE OF ACTION?

NHTSA ODI #11181196

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.