IllustrationELV BLOCKED MESSAGE POPS ON FROM NO WHERE WHEN DRIVING STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED
2007 BMW 525XI
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 525XI 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
Limited mileage data: 16 of 20 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 8 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 →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 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 reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
Steering complaints
5 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT START. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT START. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,000. UPDATED 8/10/15*CN UPDATED 10/17/2017*CN
2007 BMW 525XI MODEL NOT LIMITED TO OR EXCLUSIVE OF THIS MAKE/MODEL BUT HAS A KNOWN ISSUE WHERE A RED LIGHT INDICATOR APPEARS ON THE DASH SIGNALING AN ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN FAULT HAS OCCURRED, DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF OR THE CAR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE STARTED AGAIN, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THIS HAS YET T…
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2007 BMW 525XI MODEL NOT LIMITED TO OR EXCLUSIVE OF THIS MAKE/MODEL BUT HAS A KNOWN ISSUE WHERE A RED LIGHT INDICATOR APPEARS ON THE DASH SIGNALING AN ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN FAULT HAS OCCURRED, DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF OR THE CAR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE STARTED AGAIN, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THIS HAS YET TO MAKE IT ON THE NHTSA DATABASE AS AN OFFICIAL RECALL BUT I HAVE RESEARCHED AND MADE NOTE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE ON THEIR BMW. THIS COULD LEAVE YOU IN A DANGEROUS POSITION IF YOU NEEDED TO LEAVE AN AREA AND WERE UNABLE TO START YOUR CAR AND IT COULD LEAVE YOU STRANDED AS IT COULD CAUSE A NO START SITUATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
2007 BMW 525XI MODEL NOT LIMITED TO OR EXCLUSIVE OF THIS MAKE/MODEL BUT HAS A KNOWN ISSUE WHERE A RED LIGHT INDICATOR APPEARS ON THE DASH SIGNALING AN ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN FAULT HAS OCCURRED, DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF OR THE CAR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE STARTED AGAIN, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THIS HAS YET T…
Read full complaint
2007 BMW 525XI MODEL NOT LIMITED TO OR EXCLUSIVE OF THIS MAKE/MODEL BUT HAS A KNOWN ISSUE WHERE A RED LIGHT INDICATOR APPEARS ON THE DASH SIGNALING AN ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN FAULT HAS OCCURRED, DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF OR THE CAR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE STARTED AGAIN, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THIS HAS YET TO MAKE IT ON THE NHTSA DATABASE AS AN OFFICIAL RECALL BUT I HAVE RESEARCHED AND MADE NOTE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE ON THEIR BMW. THIS CAR IS OUT OF THE 3 YEAR SERVICE WARRANTY AND THIS IS NOT COVERED OR A RECALLED ITEM AS OF TODAY. I AM FILING MY COMPLAINT AGAINST BMW SINCE IT WILL BE COSTING ME OVER $1000 TO HAVE THIS ADDRESSED/FIXED WHEN IN FACT IT IS ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR BY BMW ENGINEERING/MANUFACTURING AND IS A DEFECT IN THEIR DESIGN. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED FOR ALL BMW CUSTOMERS COVERING THE SPAN OF YEARS IN WHICH THE COMMONALITY HAS OCCURRED 2006-2007 325, 525 MODELS. *KB
Official recalls
113V564000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
Nov 12, 2013
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model year 2006 760i sedans, model year 2006-2007 750i, 750Li, and 760Li sedans, and model year 2006 X5 sports activity vehicles, equipped with certain seat types. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, free of charge. Additionally, owners of model year 2006-2007 3 Series with standard seats, 5 Series with comfort seats, and Z4 models, will receive an extended warranty on their front passenger seat occupant detection mat. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
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.