Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 2 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

1 reports

Clear category filter

100,000 miles · Jun 24, 2015

Exterior Lighting

Read full complaint

THE PLASTIC COVERS ON THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY BMW BECAME CRAZED/FROSTED. EVERY BMW OF THIS VINTAGE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I SHOWED THIS TO OCCUR IN 2010 AT 100,000 MILES, BUT IN FACT IT WAS A STEADY DEGRADATION OVER SEVERAL YEARS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. CAUSING RISK AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE CRAZING/FROSTING RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL GLARE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I ASKED ABOUT RECALLS/REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS DEFECT AT MY LOCAL BMW DEALER; THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DISMISSED IT AS A NORMAL AGING ISSUE. I STRONGLY DISAGREE. A CAR OF THIS PRICE, OR ANY PRICE, SHOULD HAVE HEADLIGHTS THAT LAST LONGER THAN A FEW YEARS. I REPLACE THE HEADLAMP COVERS IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE, BUT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $1238 FOR EACH SIDE. YES, $1238. THIS WAS A QUITE EXPENSIVE AUTO, BUT REGARDLESS OF COST, THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL....UPDATED 07/30/15 *BF THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WAS A NORMAL AGING ISSUE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIGHT OUTPUT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. UPDATED 09/01/15. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10730119

Official recalls

19V015000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 14, 2019

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000-2003 525i Sedan, 530i Sedan, 540i Sedan, 2001-2003 525i Sports Wagon and 540i Sports Wagon vehicles, and 2000-2004 X5 SAV 3.0i, X5 SAV 4.4i, and X5 SAV 4.6is vehicles. This recall affects certain vehicles where the original steering wheel has been replaced with the optional sports steering wheel. The sports steering wheel has a frontal air bag inflator that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for an optional sports steering wheel with an affected inflator. Dealers will replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

15V318000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

May 28, 2015

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.