Page 2 of 2 · complaints 51–67 of 67

2007 BMW 530Xi complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2007 record →

Steering
Filed Jun 11, 201261,200 milesNY

THE CAR BATTERY DIED AFTER SITTING FOR 6 DAYS, UPON RECHARGING THE BATTERY, THE CAR STARTED UP AND MANY WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING STABILITY CONTROL ISSUE, HIGH DISCHARGE ON BATTERY, STEERING LOCK; AND DATE/TIME RESET. ONCE WE RESTARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN DRIVING, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS WENT AWAY EXCEPT FOR THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LIGHT. WARNING LIGHT SAYS "ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION. THE WHEEL CANNOT BE UNLOCKED/LOCKED. PLEASE SEE THE NEAREST BMW DEALER FOR SERVICE". AFTER READING REVIEWS, I SEE A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE WHERE THE WARNING LIGHT OCCURS ONCE A BATTERY BECOMES DISCHARGED. ONCE BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REQUIRE A WHOLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL THAT IF THE BATTERY DID NOT DIE DUE TO IT SITTING, THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE. THANK YOU *TR

Steering
Filed May 24, 201270,220 milesNJ

STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING APPEARS NECESSITATING EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THIS FLAW APPEARS SINCE 2006 AND ACROSS MODELS: THE 1 SERIES 3 SERIES AND 5 SERIES. THE CONDITION ISN'T BROUGHT ON BY ANY INCIDENTS. *TR

Seat Belts
Filed May 16, 2012PA

VEHICLE SAYS PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION - PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE YEAR 2004-2006 MODELS, FOR THE SAME REASON (PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION). THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER THE 2007 MODEL. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND A SAFETY ISSUE! BMW IS CHARGING FOR THIS WHEN IT SHOULD BE FREE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR THE LATER MODELS AS WELL. WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM IN A ACCIDENT. THIS IS GROSS NELIGENCE AND THEY DESERVE TO BE SUED.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed May 3, 2012NJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 530XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSTANTLY OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH THE WATER PUMP AND THE THERMOSTAT. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE IF IT WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,578. UPDATED 6/4/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. THE RECALL DID NOT COVER HIS MODEL YEAR. UPDATED 06/07/12 *JS

Air Bags
Filed Jan 9, 201285,000 milesPA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 530XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A SEAT PAD WOULD MOST LIKELY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Aug 19, 201135,000 milesPA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 530XI. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL), BUT THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THE VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 16, 201187,000 milesVA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 530XI SPORTS WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A MESSAGE INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED THAT THE MAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,400.

Electrical System
Filed May 31, 201183,000 milesMI

WATER COLLECTS IN SPARE TIRE WELL, BATTERY WELL, AND PASSENGER FRONT HEADLIGHT, CAUSING MASSIVE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 2009 AFTER OWNERSHIP OF THIS USED BMW 2006 530XI WAGON FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS 23 MAY 2011. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Feb 6, 201137,610 milesCO

FUEL LEAKS IN GARAGE AFTER FILLUP OF EMPTY TANK. OCCURRED AFTER TEMPERATURES BELOW 20 DEG F. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Feb 6, 201134,300 milesCO

GAS ODOR IN GARAGE; SEALS LEAKING ON THE FUEL TANK; SEALS REPLACED. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Feb 2, 201149,000 milesCO

WHEN REFEULING ON LOW FUEL IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 15 DEG F THE TANK SEALS FAIL AND LEAK OR EMIT FUEL VAPORS AFTER FILLING TANK BETWEEN HALF WAY AND FULL. THIS HAS OCCURRED AND BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 5 TIMES ON THE SAME MODE OF FAILURE ALTHOUGH 1 WAS IN WARMER TEMPERATURES. THE ENTIRE TANK WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME, 2ND TIME THE FUEL PUMP, 3RD TIME NO ISSUE FOUND (HIGHER TEMP), 4TH TIME 2 SEALS REPLACED, 5TH TIME ONE SEAL REPLACED. GIVEN THE MODE OF FAILURE STRONGLY SUSPECT A PRESSURE EQUALIZATION PROBLEM IS OCCURING WITH WARMER 40-50 DEG F FUEL ENTERING THE COLDER TANK CAUSING SUBSEQUENT SEAL FAILURES. *TR

Structure › Body
Filed Nov 15, 201044,238 milesMA

2007 BMW 530XI, HAS WATER LEAKING ONTO REAR FLOOR FROM ROOF DRAIN BEHIND SUNROOF. THIS ROOF DRAIN REQUIRES THE SUNROOF TO BE REMOVED, HEADLINER TO BE TAKEN DOWN AND RUBBER PIPES TO BE CHANGED IN ORDER TO ENSURE PROPER DRAINAGE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AND IS SOMETHING THAT BMW SHOULD BE COVERING THE REPAIR FEES FOR INSTEAD OF CHARGING $700 TO FIX. THE WATER IN THE CAR DAMAGES THE ELECTRONICS UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH CAUSES SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE AIRBAGS ETC. BMW IS STATING THAT THIS IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE WHICH SEEMS STRANGE AS I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PAY $700 TO FIX A ROOF DRAIN ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED IN THE PAST. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jul 19, 201054,816 milesMA

A 2007 BMW 530XI CAUGHT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS STARTED. THE LAMP CONTROL MODULE BURNED, CAUSING SPARKS, SMOKE, AND BURNING VARIOUS PARTS. THE MECHANIC AT CHAMBERS BMW SAID THAT THE LEFT FRONT HEAD LIGHT COLLECTED MOISTURE, AND THE LIGHTS DRAIN CLOGGED. THE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CAR HAS AHISTORY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. IN DEC. 2008, 1 YEAR PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE REAR SUNROOF DRAIN CLOGGED, CAUSING WATER TO COLLECT IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL. IT CAUSED THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT TO FALSELY SIGNAL, AS RDC MODULE HAD BURNED OUT. THERE WERE OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WHICH REQUIRED A RADIO REPLACEMENT. A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE, THE DASHBOARD SIGNAL FOR ENGINE OVERHEATING WENT ON DURING A COLD WINTER DAY. WE TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMED HE FIXED IT. TWO DAYS AFTER WE GOT THE CAR BACK, MY WIFE TURNED IT ON, STARTED TO DRIVE, AND THE FIRE STARTED. *TR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 18, 2009432,000 milesMD

MY 2007 BMW 530XI'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLAMS AS DOWN SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. THIS HAPPENS DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION GETS HOT. IT FELT LIKE I GOT REAR ENDED EVERY TIME. THE CAR JERKS SO HARD, IT FEELS LIKE I GOT WHIPLASH. MY WIFE REFUSE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND THINK THE CAR HAS BRAKE DEFECTS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 5 TIMES AND STILL NO RESOLUTION. BMW OFFERED 2 SOFTWARE UPDATES AND IT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

Visibility
Filed Jun 17, 200976,850 milesMA

PANORAMIC MOONROOF SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING - BMW FIXED AT NO COST. I HAD JUST CLOSED THE SHADE PRIOR, AND IF HAD NOT, WOULD OF FALLEN ON ME WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly
Filed Sep 12, 20073,920 milesPA

THIS VEHICLE, UNLIKE ALL OTHER BMW AUTOMOBILES HAS NO ROCK GUARD IN PLACE ON THE LOWER FRONT BUMPER PROTECTING THE RADIATOR, ETC FROM ROAD HAZARDS. A ROCK WAS THROWN BY A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THAT PIERCED THE CONDENSER ATTACHED TO THE FRONT OF THE RADIATOR RESULTING IN THE CAR BEING TAKEN TO A SERVICE CENTER ON A ROLL BACK. I SEE THIS AS A DESIGN FLAW, (CORRECTED ON THE 08 MODEL), THAT CAN RESULT IN DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Sep 5, 20072,501 milesCA

2008 BMW 535XI DIAGNOSED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED AND POWER REDUCED TO HALF DURING OPERATION. ** PLEASE NOTE: ACTUAL VEHICLE IS A 2008 535XI SPORTS WAGON THE VEHICLE SECTION DOES NOT HAVE ACTUAL SELECTION AVAILABLE. *TR

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2007 BMW 530Xi → · Every 530Xi year → · How the figures are calculated →