Vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine fire while parked due to fuel line separation under open recall 04V303000.
2004 BMW 545I
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 545I years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
38 reports with mileage · 6 unknown
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 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
44 reportsMY CAR HAS THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING EVERYTIME I START MY CAR. THE AIR BAG RECALL IS BY TAKATA IS FOR THE 2003 545I MODEL. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN SEP OF 2003 WITH THOSE TAKADA AIRBAGS.
DYNAMIC STEERING MALFUNCTION CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS
ELECTRICAL WIRING IN HEADLIGHTS ARE DISINTEGRATING. THE SHIELDING IS DRY ROTTING AND FLAKING OFF NEARLY EVERY WIRE IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS CAUSING THEM TO MALFUNCTION DURING DRIVING. LIGHTS WILL CUT OFF RANDOMLY. I'D IMAGINE THE WIRES ARE SHORTING OUT.
VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK, TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET LEAK, VALVE STEM LEAK.
BARE WIRES INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING, THESE ARE HID LIGHTS MADE BY HELLA FOR BMW THEY ARE OEM. WHEN CONTACTING BMWNA THEY SAY THAT'S NOT HOW THEY MAKE THERE LIGHTS AND BLAME HEAT AND THE CAR NOT BEING MAINTAINED AT A BMW DEALERSHIP, WELL THE REST OF THE WIRING ON THE CAR IS JUST FINE EVEN THE WIRES THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH A…
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BARE WIRES INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING, THESE ARE HID LIGHTS MADE BY HELLA FOR BMW THEY ARE OEM. WHEN CONTACTING BMWNA THEY SAY THAT'S NOT HOW THEY MAKE THERE LIGHTS AND BLAME HEAT AND THE CAR NOT BEING MAINTAINED AT A BMW DEALERSHIP, WELL THE REST OF THE WIRING ON THE CAR IS JUST FINE EVEN THE WIRES THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH A HIGH HEAT PRODUCING ENGINE... IT'S THE SAME EXACT ISSUE MERCEDES BENZ HAD ON THE W202 CHASSIS, WIRES THAT WOULD DEGRADE AT AN EXTREMELY FAST RATE. BUT FOR HEADLIGHTS THAT COST WELL OVER $1000 EACH. BUT MY QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FAMILY IS OUT AT NIGHT AND THERE HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTION BECAUSE OF SOMETHING BMW KNOWS ABOUT BUT REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND SAID FAMILY HAS A WRECK AND KILLS MULTIPLE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF A KNOWN PROBLEM. THIS IS MY SECOND ATTEMPT AT GETTING SOMETHING DONE THE FIRST WAS CONTACTING BMWNA WHICH EQUALED TO INSULTING SOMEONE'S KNOWLEDGE OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. ALSO THE HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER ADJUST, THE ANGEL EYES NO LONGER WORK BULBS BLOW AS SOON AS THEY ARE REPLACED AND CONSTANT WARNINGS THAT PARKING LIGHTS HAVE A MALFUNCTION. TELLING SOMEONE HEAT IS THE CAUSE MAKES AN AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY KINDA LOOK IGNORANT ESPECIALLY WHEN WIRES TOUCHING AN ENGINE ARE NOT EFFECTED BY HEAT AT ALL AND ARE STILL 100% FLEXIBLE AND HAVE NOT LOST ANY OF THE INSULATION. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE WIRES HAVE LIQUID ELECTRICAL TAPE USED, SHOULD ANY VEHICLE WITH 119XXX MILES HAVE SUCH AN ISSUE?
IN 10/17 I BOUGHT THE ABOVE VEHICLE FROM PRIVATE OWNER. FROM THE TIME I STARTED DRIVING IT TO CURRENTLY, THE CONTROL DISPLAY HAS BEEN SHOWING A PASSENGER AIRBAG AND/ORSEATBEIT WARNING. THE CURRENT WARNING READS: "PASS. RESTRAINT SYSTEM. FAULT IN PASSENGER-RESTRIANT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITE…
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IN 10/17 I BOUGHT THE ABOVE VEHICLE FROM PRIVATE OWNER. FROM THE TIME I STARTED DRIVING IT TO CURRENTLY, THE CONTROL DISPLAY HAS BEEN SHOWING A PASSENGER AIRBAG AND/ORSEATBEIT WARNING. THE CURRENT WARNING READS: "PASS. RESTRAINT SYSTEM. FAULT IN PASSENGER-RESTRIANT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER." THE DISPLAY BETWEEN THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER SHOWS A RED AIRBAG SYMBOL AND A RED FASTEN SEATBELT SYMBOL, WHICH DO NOT GO OFF WITH OPERATION OF VEHICLE. THESE 2004/2005 BMW 545I HAD A NHTSA SAFETY RECALL (08V384000) BUT CERTAIN VINS, INCLUDING MINE WERE NOT INCLUDED. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY, BECAUSE CLEARLY NOT KNOWING WHETHER YOUR AIRBAG & BELT TENSIONER & BELT FORCE LIMITER ARE WORKING PROPERLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS CONCERN, PLEASE SEE AT LEAST 10 OTHER PEOPLE LISTING THIS PROBLEM WITH "WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM" UNDER BMW 545 I SEATBELT PROBLEMS. MY MECHANIC HAS TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO RESET THESE WARNINGS, BUT THEY ALWAYS COME BACK. NHTSA'S JOB IS TO PROTECT CAR OWNERS RE REAL SAFETY CONCERNS; I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DO THIS. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT AND NOT KNOW IF AIRBAGS AND SEATBELTS WILL OPERATE PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH?20 THANK YOU. *JS *JS
SAME PROBLEM EVERYONE ELSE HAS WITH PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION. $1500+ REPAIR, BUT WILL DO IT AGAIN, AS IT IS FAULTY PARTS. SOMEONE SITS DOWN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT TOO HARD, AND IT SETS OFF THE WARNING.
TAKADA RECALL. MY CAR'S MAKE CRACKING NOISE OR GROANED NOISES AS SOME OTHER E60 OWNERS DESCRIBED. THE NOISES SOUNDED AS THE CAR START ROLLING AT LOW SPEED WHETHER GO STRAIGHT OR TURN A LITTLE TO LEFT OR RIGHT. IT'S HAPPENED EVERY TIME. THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON DURING DRIVE AND IT IS OFF WHEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE NEXT T…
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TAKADA RECALL. MY CAR'S MAKE CRACKING NOISE OR GROANED NOISES AS SOME OTHER E60 OWNERS DESCRIBED. THE NOISES SOUNDED AS THE CAR START ROLLING AT LOW SPEED WHETHER GO STRAIGHT OR TURN A LITTLE TO LEFT OR RIGHT. IT'S HAPPENED EVERY TIME. THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON DURING DRIVE AND IT IS OFF WHEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE NEXT TIME I START THE CAR IS STILL REMAIN STAYED ON, AND IT'S GOES OFF DURING DRIVE. THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS NOT FIRM UNLIKE E39 IS MORE FIRM. I FOUND A FORUM WHERE THE E60 OWNERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM AND THE DEALER SOLVED THE PROBLEMS I MENTIONED ABOVE BY JUST REPLACE THE TAKATA AIRBAG AND MAYBE AN UPDATE OF SOFTWARE INVOLVED. IN CONCLUSION TO MY COMPLAINT REGARDING TAKADA AIRBAG THE BMW SHOULD OPEN A RECALL FOR MY CAR OR ADD MY CAR TO THE RECALL LIST AS IT'S NOT SAFE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. PLEASE HELP, THANK YOU.
MY I DRIVE OR CCC HAS MALFUNCTIONED. AT FIRST THE SCREEN WOULD TURN ON AND OFF OR FREEZE UP. FINALLY THE SCREEN WENT BLANK. THIS UNIT PROVIDE THE SAFETY INFORMATION OF THE VEHICLE. THIS UNIT ALSO PROVIDES THE COMMUNICATIONS SUCH AS BLUETOOTH AND HANDS FREE FUNCTIONS. THIS UNIT ALSO PROVIDES ALL THE SERVICE INFORMATION/ BASIC…
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MY I DRIVE OR CCC HAS MALFUNCTIONED. AT FIRST THE SCREEN WOULD TURN ON AND OFF OR FREEZE UP. FINALLY THE SCREEN WENT BLANK. THIS UNIT PROVIDE THE SAFETY INFORMATION OF THE VEHICLE. THIS UNIT ALSO PROVIDES THE COMMUNICATIONS SUCH AS BLUETOOTH AND HANDS FREE FUNCTIONS. THIS UNIT ALSO PROVIDES ALL THE SERVICE INFORMATION/ BASICALLY IT LIKE DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH OUT A BRAIN. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH OTHER BMW OWNER.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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