← New search

2008 BMW 535I

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

Other model years Selected year
Compare all 535I 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

67 reports with mileage · 7 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.

  • Engine. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 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 reports4 fire reports1 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

9 reports
Clear category filter
97,000 miles · Feb 24, 2021
Fuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

HPFP IS GOING BAD ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON LONG CRANK START

NHTSA ODI #11397808

65,000 miles · Mar 7, 2019
Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

CAR REDUCED POWER, SHAKES AND WILL NOT RUN ANYMORE. IS SO UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING THIS SPECIALLY IN THE FWY VERY SCARY.

NHTSA ODI #11184969

4 miles · Aug 18, 2018
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

CURRENTLY HAVING ISSUES WITH A WASTEGATE RATTLE ON TURBOS. ROUGH ENGINE IDLE. HAVING MULTIPLE MISFIRES, AND STUCK OPEN FUEL INJECTORS. CAUSING TAILPIPES TO EXCESSIVELY SMOKE (WHITE COLOR) WHILE GOING INTO LIMP MODE COULD NOT GO PAST 20MPH AND SURGING. ISSUES HAPPEN WHEN STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO GET VEHICLE TOWED HOME…

Read full complaint

CURRENTLY HAVING ISSUES WITH A WASTEGATE RATTLE ON TURBOS. ROUGH ENGINE IDLE. HAVING MULTIPLE MISFIRES, AND STUCK OPEN FUEL INJECTORS. CAUSING TAILPIPES TO EXCESSIVELY SMOKE (WHITE COLOR) WHILE GOING INTO LIMP MODE COULD NOT GO PAST 20MPH AND SURGING. ISSUES HAPPEN WHEN STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO GET VEHICLE TOWED HOME. 'FUEL INJECTOR RECALL 16E-A01 'HPFP RECALL- COULD NOT FIND NUMBER 'TURBO RECALL- COULD NOT FIND NUMBER

NHTSA ODI #11120793

132,047 miles · Aug 5, 2018
Electrical SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control

DRIVING FAMILY DOWN THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH. I LOOSE ALL POWER IN THE CABIN. THE CAR STARTS THROWING ALL WARNING LIGHTS, ABS, STEERING,SWAY CONTROL, TRANSMITION, ETC. ENGINE STILL RUNNING WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL HAD TO USE E BRAKE TO PULL OVER THEN IT WANTED TO KEEP GOING HAD TO TURN CAR OFF TO STOP IT. CALLED TOW TRUCK S…

Read full complaint

DRIVING FAMILY DOWN THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH. I LOOSE ALL POWER IN THE CABIN. THE CAR STARTS THROWING ALL WARNING LIGHTS, ABS, STEERING,SWAY CONTROL, TRANSMITION, ETC. ENGINE STILL RUNNING WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL HAD TO USE E BRAKE TO PULL OVER THEN IT WANTED TO KEEP GOING HAD TO TURN CAR OFF TO STOP IT. CALLED TOW TRUCK SENT FAMILY HOME.

NHTSA ODI #11115823

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2018
SeatsVehicle Speed Control

TIP IN AS IT IS CALLED, LAG IN THE RESPONSE TIME FROM WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL TILL THE CAR ACTUALLY TAKES OFF. ALSO PASSENGER SIDE SEAT SENSOR SENSING SOMEONE IS THERE WHEN THEY ARE NOT CAUSING THE FASTEN SEAT BELT ERROR TO CONTANTLY GO OFF.

NHTSA ODI #11075764

98,000 miles · Jun 28, 2014
EngineVehicle Speed Control

DURING HIGHWAY TRAVELING UPON ACCELERATION TO CHANGE LANES THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND STALL. A ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME/REDUCED POWER. I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR ABOUT 45 MPH BECAUSE IT BEGAN TO SHAKE AS IF IT WAS GOING TO CUT OFF. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT IS WAS NOT THE HPFP (HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP). I WAS TOLD THAT ALL S…

Read full complaint

DURING HIGHWAY TRAVELING UPON ACCELERATION TO CHANGE LANES THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND STALL. A ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME/REDUCED POWER. I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR ABOUT 45 MPH BECAUSE IT BEGAN TO SHAKE AS IF IT WAS GOING TO CUT OFF. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT IS WAS NOT THE HPFP (HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP). I WAS TOLD THAT ALL SIX FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF ITS UNRELIABILITY! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10606648

43,750 miles · May 27, 2014
EngineVehicle Speed Control

WE WERE STOPPED AND WAITING AT A RED LIGHT THEN PRESSED ACCELERATOR WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. THE CAR STARTS MOVING THEN SUDDENLY LOSES ALL POWER WITHIN SECONDS WHILE ENTERING A VERY BUSY FREEWAY ONRAMP. AFTER LOSING POWER AND CAR IS DEAD, A WARNING MESSAGE APPEARS. WARNING SAYS CAR IS "OVERHEATED AND TO STOP, DANGER OF BURNS…

Read full complaint

WE WERE STOPPED AND WAITING AT A RED LIGHT THEN PRESSED ACCELERATOR WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. THE CAR STARTS MOVING THEN SUDDENLY LOSES ALL POWER WITHIN SECONDS WHILE ENTERING A VERY BUSY FREEWAY ONRAMP. AFTER LOSING POWER AND CAR IS DEAD, A WARNING MESSAGE APPEARS. WARNING SAYS CAR IS "OVERHEATED AND TO STOP, DANGER OF BURNS WITH HOT WATER PUMP." CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR 2 HOURS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING BEFORE LOSING ALL POWER AND CONTROL OF THE CAR. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND DID NOT EXPLAIN THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OR LACK OF WARNING. THE CAR HAS HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE CAR ALSO HAS HAD SEVERAL WARNINGS OF SUDDEN POWER LOSS THAT THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. THE SUDDEN STOP ON THE FREEWAY CAUSED US TO BE NEARLY REAR-ENDED A FEW TIMES BEFORE THE POLICE CAME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10594414

60,000 miles · Oct 11, 2013
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, PANEL INDICATES THAT THE TEMPERATURE IS HIGH, AND ADVISES TO DRIVE MODERATELY. PULLED OVER ONE LANE. BEFORE BEING ABLE TO PULL OVER COMPLETELY, A NEW INDICATION SHOWS ON THE PANEL, INSTRUCTING THAT THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATED. VEHICLE QUICKLY POWERS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. UNABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE …

Read full complaint

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, PANEL INDICATES THAT THE TEMPERATURE IS HIGH, AND ADVISES TO DRIVE MODERATELY. PULLED OVER ONE LANE. BEFORE BEING ABLE TO PULL OVER COMPLETELY, A NEW INDICATION SHOWS ON THE PANEL, INSTRUCTING THAT THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATED. VEHICLE QUICKLY POWERS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. UNABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE BEFORE THE CAR IS TRAVELING UNDER 20 MPH. LIMPED TO THE ROAD SIDE WITH OTHER CARS BUZZING BY AT DANGEROUSLY DIFFERENT SPEEDS AS COMPARED TO MY OWN. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHILE GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH, CAUSING OTHER DRIVERS TO SLAM THEIR BRAKES AND HONK PROFUSELY AT ME. THE DECELERATION HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. WITH LOTS OF TRAFFIC, THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS AND DIFFICULT SITUATION TO MANAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. THE FACT THAT A CRASH DID NOT OCCUR IS A MATTER OF LUCK. AFTER PULLING OFF TO THE SIDE AND LETTING THE CAR COOL FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE SLOWLY, LONG ENOUGH TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT, ABOUT 500 FEET AWAY. CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. CAR IS NOW AT DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10547626

102,000 miles · Jun 18, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

I JUST HAD TO HAVE MY WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT REPLACED ON MY 2008 535I. I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAPPENS SO OFTEN, THEY KEEP THE PART ON THE SHELF! ARE THERE REALLY NO RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM?? ALSO, MY RIGHT TAIL LIGHT SHORTED OUT. I ASKED THE SHOP WHY...HE SAID THIS ALSO HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. THE WIRES FRY! NOT COOL.I REALLY THINK…

Read full complaint

I JUST HAD TO HAVE MY WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT REPLACED ON MY 2008 535I. I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAPPENS SO OFTEN, THEY KEEP THE PART ON THE SHELF! ARE THERE REALLY NO RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM?? ALSO, MY RIGHT TAIL LIGHT SHORTED OUT. I ASKED THE SHOP WHY...HE SAID THIS ALSO HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. THE WIRES FRY! NOT COOL.I REALLY THINK SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS. WHEN I WAS TOLD THEY REPLACE THEM ALL OF THE TIME, I WAS SHOCKED. THAT COST ME $1102.62 TO FIX. THE GUY WHO TOWED ME SAID HE MAKES SEVERAL TRIPS A WEEK FOR PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10520412

Official recalls

1

13V407000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights

Sep 11, 2013

BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.