NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
84 reports62,000 miles · Feb 2, 2011
Air Bags
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO PASSENGER SEATED. THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO RECALL 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THAT SHE WO…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO PASSENGER SEATED. THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO RECALL 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THAT SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND OFFERED HER A 50% PERCENT DISCOUNT TOWARDS REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,805 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
NHTSA ODI #10379992
78,000 miles · Dec 7, 2010
SeatsFire
THE DRIVERS SEAT CATCH FIRE FROM SEAT HEATER ON BMW 525I FROM YEAR 2004 . *TR
NHTSA ODI #10369486
Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2010
Air Bags
2004 BMW 525I AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON*CW THE CONSUMER STATED 7 TO 8 MONTHS LATER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED AGAIN. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL. THE CONSUMER WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR AGAIN AND SAID EVERY THING WAS OK. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT…
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2004 BMW 525I AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON*CW THE CONSUMER STATED 7 TO 8 MONTHS LATER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED AGAIN. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL. THE CONSUMER WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR AGAIN AND SAID EVERY THING WAS OK. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10319730
79,000 miles · Mar 5, 2010
Air Bags
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND HAD A PASSENGER SITTING NEXT TO ME WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE LIGHT HAS STAYED ON AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. THE MESSAGE ON THE SCREEN SAYS THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT GO OFF IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10316949
51,545 miles · Dec 8, 2009
SeatsFire
THE SEAT WARMER MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE IN MY DRIVER SEATS AND ALSO A HOLE IN MY PANTS. IF I HAD A PIECE OF PAPER OR SOMETHING IN MY BACK PAPER, IT WOULD HAVE SET IT ON FIRE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10294976
92,000 miles · Sep 22, 2009
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
I OWN A 2004 BMW 525I WITH 92,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I EXPERIENCED MY CAR CUTTING BACK AND THOUGHT I NEEDED A TUNE UP. I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO STATED I DIDN'T NEED A TUNE UP. HE REQUESTED THAT I BRING THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP. THE NEXT WEEK I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN LOSING ACCELERATION. THE MESSAGE ON THE DIAG…
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I OWN A 2004 BMW 525I WITH 92,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I EXPERIENCED MY CAR CUTTING BACK AND THOUGHT I NEEDED A TUNE UP. I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO STATED I DIDN'T NEED A TUNE UP. HE REQUESTED THAT I BRING THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP. THE NEXT WEEK I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN LOSING ACCELERATION. THE MESSAGE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SCREEN STATED "TRANSMISSION FAULT". CAR WILL LOSE ACCELERATION AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO INTO "REVERSE". FAILSAFE STATUS..DRIVE MODERATELY. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC. HE PUT THE CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND STATED NO CODE WAS INDICATED. IT DID NOT SHOW ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I FOLLOWED UP BY MAKING A CALL TO A LOCAL BMW DEALER. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED. I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WAS DEVASTATED. I CALLED BMW NA AFTER I READ THAT NUMEROUS BMW OWNERS HAVE AND ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW NA WAS NOT WILLING TO OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE ENGINE'S AT BMW DID NOT AGREE THAT THE "NO REVERSE" TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS A RECALL ISSUE. I RECEIVED A FOLLOW UP CALL ON 9/22/09 FROM BMW NA RESTATING THE FACT THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE. I FEEL THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINEERING OF ALL BMW TRANSMISSIONS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10284870
70,000 miles · Sep 8, 2009
Power Train
2004 525I BMW WITH 70,000 MI HAD TRANSMISSION GO OUT SUDDENLY. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION IS A TOTAL LOSS AND IT IS NOTHING THAT I DID OR COULD HAVE PREVENTED, BUT THE REPAIR BILL IS ~7,000.00. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10283339
50,000 miles · Aug 11, 2009
Wheels
THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL DRIVING. THE RIM HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK AFTER 50K MILES. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF THE CRACKS IN THE RIM AND CAN PROVIDE THESE IF NEEDED. I'M HAVING THE RIM REPAIRED BECAUSE THE COST IS TO HIGH TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS A GENUINE BMW RIM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10280160
14,791 miles · Jul 27, 2009
Air BagsSeat Belts
SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2005 (WITH ONLY 14,000) I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT MAT SENSOR OF MY BMW 2004. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. IT WAS SERVICED. RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES WITH OVER 50,000 MILES, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I WENT ONLINE TO THE BMW OF NORTH AMERICA W…
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SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2005 (WITH ONLY 14,000) I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT MAT SENSOR OF MY BMW 2004. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. IT WAS SERVICED. RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES WITH OVER 50,000 MILES, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I WENT ONLINE TO THE BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WEBSITE AND THERE'S A RECALL FOR CAR (SAME MODEL AND YEAR AS MINE) BUT, THEY SAID MINE IS NOT INCLUDED. I WENT TO THIS BMW FORUMS AND I REALIZED I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING THIS CONSEQUENCES. (GO TO GOOGLE AND TYPE E60 BMW RECALL ) SOME OF THEM RECALLED HAVING REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO YOU GUYS BEFORE. THIS IS A SAFETY DEVICE THAT GOES INSIDE THE PASSENGER SEAT AND SENSES BY WEIGHT ACTIVATE OR DEACTIVATE THE AIRBAGS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278465
93,000 miles · Jul 27, 2009
Electrical System
RADIO,NAVIGATION,CD,PHONE,NOT WORKING. I DRIVE IS BLINK. CAR HAS 93,000 MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278390
NHTSA investigations
1EA08001 · BMW Airbag Light Illumination
Opened Jan 4, 2008 · Closed Dec 31, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
BMW IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON APPROXIMATELY 200,000 MY04 THROUGH MY06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05 TO CORRECT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AREMY04- 06/ 5-SERIES WITH STANDARD AND SPORT SEATS, MY04-06/ X3-SERIES AND MY06/ 3-SERIES WITH SPORT SEATS. IN ADDITION, BMW WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT TO 10-YEAR/UNLIMITED MILEAGE ON APPROXIMATELY 120,000 REMAINING MY04-06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ARE MY 06/ 6 SERIES, MY 06/ 3-SERIES WITH STANDARD SEATS, MY04-05/ Z4, MY04-06/ 7 SERIES, MY 06/ X5, AND MY04-06/ 5-SERIES WITH COMFORT SEATS.THE AVERAGE FREQUENCY OF FAILURES AMONG THE EXTENDED WARRANTY GROUPS WAS LESS THAN 1/7TH OF THE RECALL VEHICLE GROUPS.PLEASE SEE BMW'S 08V-384 RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR FURTHER DETAILSDEPENDING ON SEAT CONFIGURATION AND VEHICLE GEOMETRY, THE OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT CAN FATIGUE DURING USE DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT.SPECIFICALLY, OVER TIME, MICRO-CRACKS COULD DEVELOP IN THE SIDE FLANKS OF THE MAT CAUSING A BROKEN CIRCUIT.A BROKENCIRCUIT CAN LEAD TO THE DEACTIVATION OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE ILLUMINATION OF BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Air Bags
BMW IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON APPROXIMATELY 200,000 MY04 THROUGH MY06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05 TO CORRECT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AREMY04- 06/ 5-SERIES WITH STANDARD AND SPORT SEATS, MY04-06/ X3-SERIES AND MY06/ 3-SERIES WITH SPORT SEATS. IN ADDITION, BMW WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT TO 10-YEAR/UNLIMITED MILEAGE ON APPROXIMATELY 120,000 REMAINING MY04-06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ARE MY 06/ 6 SERIES, MY 06/ 3-SERIES WITH STANDARD SEATS, MY04-05/ Z4, MY04-06/ 7 SERIES, MY 06/ X5, AND MY04-06/ 5-SERIES WITH COMFORT SEATS.THE AVERAGE FREQUENCY OF FAILURES AMONG THE EXTENDED WARRANTY GROUPS WAS LESS THAN 1/7TH OF THE RECALL VEHICLE GROUPS.PLEASE SEE BMW'S 08V-384 RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR FURTHER DETAILSDEPENDING ON SEAT CONFIGURATION AND VEHICLE GEOMETRY, THE OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT CAN FATIGUE DURING USE DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT.SPECIFICALLY, OVER TIME, MICRO-CRACKS COULD DEVELOP IN THE SIDE FLANKS OF THE MAT CAUSING A BROKEN CIRCUIT.A BROKENCIRCUIT CAN LEAD TO THE DEACTIVATION OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE ILLUMINATION OF BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT.
Air Bags:frontal
BMW IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON APPROXIMATELY 200,000 MY04 THROUGH MY06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05 TO CORRECT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AREMY04- 06/ 5-SERIES WITH STANDARD AND SPORT SEATS, MY04-06/ X3-SERIES AND MY06/ 3-SERIES WITH SPORT SEATS. IN ADDITION, BMW WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT TO 10-YEAR/UNLIMITED MILEAGE ON APPROXIMATELY 120,000 REMAINING MY04-06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ARE MY 06/ 6 SERIES, MY 06/ 3-SERIES WITH STANDARD SEATS, MY04-05/ Z4, MY04-06/ 7 SERIES, MY 06/ X5, AND MY04-06/ 5-SERIES WITH COMFORT SEATS.THE AVERAGE FREQUENCY OF FAILURES AMONG THE EXTENDED WARRANTY GROUPS WAS LESS THAN 1/7TH OF THE RECALL VEHICLE GROUPS.PLEASE SEE BMW'S 08V-384 RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR FURTHER DETAILSDEPENDING ON SEAT CONFIGURATION AND VEHICLE GEOMETRY, THE OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT CAN FATIGUE DURING USE DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT.SPECIFICALLY, OVER TIME, MICRO-CRACKS COULD DEVELOP IN THE SIDE FLANKS OF THE MAT CAUSING A BROKEN CIRCUIT.A BROKENCIRCUIT CAN LEAD TO THE DEACTIVATION OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE ILLUMINATION OF BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT.
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
BMW IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON APPROXIMATELY 200,000 MY04 THROUGH MY06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05 TO CORRECT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AREMY04- 06/ 5-SERIES WITH STANDARD AND SPORT SEATS, MY04-06/ X3-SERIES AND MY06/ 3-SERIES WITH SPORT SEATS. IN ADDITION, BMW WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT TO 10-YEAR/UNLIMITED MILEAGE ON APPROXIMATELY 120,000 REMAINING MY04-06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ARE MY 06/ 6 SERIES, MY 06/ 3-SERIES WITH STANDARD SEATS, MY04-05/ Z4, MY04-06/ 7 SERIES, MY 06/ X5, AND MY04-06/ 5-SERIES WITH COMFORT SEATS.THE AVERAGE FREQUENCY OF FAILURES AMONG THE EXTENDED WARRANTY GROUPS WAS LESS THAN 1/7TH OF THE RECALL VEHICLE GROUPS.PLEASE SEE BMW'S 08V-384 RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR FURTHER DETAILSDEPENDING ON SEAT CONFIGURATION AND VEHICLE GEOMETRY, THE OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT CAN FATIGUE DURING USE DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT.SPECIFICALLY, OVER TIME, MICRO-CRACKS COULD DEVELOP IN THE SIDE FLANKS OF THE MAT CAUSING A BROKEN CIRCUIT.A BROKENCIRCUIT CAN LEAD TO THE DEACTIVATION OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE ILLUMINATION OF BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT.
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