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2008 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

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

Limited mileage data: 7 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 3 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 →
  • Exterior Lighting. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

3 reports
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94,000 miles · Feb 16, 2016
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

JUST BOUGHT A USED 2008 528I (E60) W/94K MILES, IN OTHERWISE PERFECT CONDITION. WENT TO CHANGE THE ANGEL EYES FROM DRAB YELLOW TO LUX LED'S. NOTICED BARE WIRES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BULB CONNECTORS, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR. TRIED TO USE ELECTRICAL TAPE, JUST MADE MORE BARE WIRE. THE MORE I TOUCHED THE WIRES, THE MORE INSULAT…

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JUST BOUGHT A USED 2008 528I (E60) W/94K MILES, IN OTHERWISE PERFECT CONDITION. WENT TO CHANGE THE ANGEL EYES FROM DRAB YELLOW TO LUX LED'S. NOTICED BARE WIRES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BULB CONNECTORS, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR. TRIED TO USE ELECTRICAL TAPE, JUST MADE MORE BARE WIRE. THE MORE I TOUCHED THE WIRES, THE MORE INSULATION FLAKED OFF, ALMOST LIKE A POWDER. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. CAN'T POSSIBLY BE SAFE. DEFINITELY A FIRE HAZARD. NEIGHBOR BROUGHT OVER A BOTTLE OF LIQUID TAPE, AND I RE-COATED ALL THE BARE WIRE I COULD SEE, MAKING SURE EACH WIRE WAS SEPARATED SO A SHORT WOULD NOT OCCUR. THAT IS A GOOD TEMPORARY FIX. WILL HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS PROBLEM, SINCE MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE HEADLIGHT WIRING IS MADE WITH BAD, QUICKLY DEGRADING WIRE INSULATION. A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT IN OTHERWISE GOOD GERMAN QUALITY AND ENGINEERING. I GUESS THE SOURCE PROCURER AT THE FACTORY SAVED BMW SOME BIG BUCKS ON THAT WIRE!! THIS IS DEFINITELY A NHTSA SAFETY RECALL ISSUE. TORT LAWYERS SHOULD HAVE A FIELD DAY ON THIS ONE. PHOTOS OF THIS PROBLEM ARE AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFORUMS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?2132684-HEADLIGHT-WIRE-JACKETS-JUST-FLAKE-OFF

NHTSA ODI #10836474

48,000 miles · Apr 29, 2015
Electrical System

( I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER THIS VEHICLE) WHILE REPLACING A BURNT OUT HEADLIGHT, I NOTICED THAT THE INSULATION IN THE SEALED HEADLIGHT WAS MISSING. WHEN I CHECKED THE OPPOSITE SIDE, I FOUND THE SAME THING, THE INSULATION WAS BROKEN AND MISSING. BEING THAT THIS IS A SEALED HEADLIGHT HOUSING, I AM UNABLE TO REMOVE AND REPAIR …

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( I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER THIS VEHICLE) WHILE REPLACING A BURNT OUT HEADLIGHT, I NOTICED THAT THE INSULATION IN THE SEALED HEADLIGHT WAS MISSING. WHEN I CHECKED THE OPPOSITE SIDE, I FOUND THE SAME THING, THE INSULATION WAS BROKEN AND MISSING. BEING THAT THIS IS A SEALED HEADLIGHT HOUSING, I AM UNABLE TO REMOVE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. BMW PARTS STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IS NOT SOLD FOR THOSE LIGHTS. ONE HAS TO PURCHASE A COMPLETELY NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT A AVERAGE COST OF $700.00+. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10713565

79,000 miles · Jan 22, 2015
Electrical SystemSteering

OUR 2007 BMW 530XI DEVELOPED A STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTION WARNING. A RED STEERING WHEEL WITH A PADLOCK APPEARS ON THE DASH SCREEN WITH A WARNING ON THE COMPUTER. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND UNLOCKS PERFECTLY EVERY TIME. THE CAR IS DRIVABLE. THE DEALER SAYS THE STEERING LOCK MODULE MUST BE REPLACED FOR $600. I FOUND TH…

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OUR 2007 BMW 530XI DEVELOPED A STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTION WARNING. A RED STEERING WHEEL WITH A PADLOCK APPEARS ON THE DASH SCREEN WITH A WARNING ON THE COMPUTER. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND UNLOCKS PERFECTLY EVERY TIME. THE CAR IS DRIVABLE. THE DEALER SAYS THE STEERING LOCK MODULE MUST BE REPLACED FOR $600. I FOUND THAT THIS IS A RAMPANT PROBLEM ON BMWS AND THAT BMW CORPORATION IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10678436

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.