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2003 BMW 5-SERIES

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

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: 5 of 6 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. 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 reports1 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2016
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL. MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, I RECEIVED INFORMATION IN THE FORM OF A WARNING THAT MY CAR HAD AIRBAGS THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED THE BMW CENTER ON S.DIXIE HIGHWAY NEAR 160 STREET IN MIAMI AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME. AFTER A LONG ENOUGH WAIT, I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. AFTER A…

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TAKATA RECALL. MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, I RECEIVED INFORMATION IN THE FORM OF A WARNING THAT MY CAR HAD AIRBAGS THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED THE BMW CENTER ON S.DIXIE HIGHWAY NEAR 160 STREET IN MIAMI AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME. AFTER A LONG ENOUGH WAIT, I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. AFTER ANOTHER PERIOD OF TIME, I TOOK MY CAR TO THEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE AIRBAG HAD BEEN ORDERED AND THAT I WILL BE NOTIFIED AS SOON AS IT COMES IN. AFTER ANOTHER LONG WAIT, I CALLED AND LATER WENT BACK WITH MY CAR BUT STILL GOT THE SAME RUN-AROUND. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 2 YEARS SINCE I CONTACTED BMW. I AM LUCKY THAT NOTHING BAD HAS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING MY CAR. WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET THE SERVICE THAT I NEED? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10919330

68,000 miles · Nov 3, 2008
Air BagsInjury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 540. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIR BAG AND REAR DOOR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, INJURING HER LEFT ARM AND LEG. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A BMW DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 540. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIR BAG AND REAR DOOR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, INJURING HER LEFT ARM AND LEG. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A BMW DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000.

NHTSA ODI #10247522

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.