2007 BMW 550i

Routine

Owners filed 37 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 2 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
72,100 milesMedian miles at failure

29 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 75,00090,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags8
210
Steering6
000
Wheels4
000
Engine4
000
Exterior Lighting3
000
Tires2
000
Service Brakes2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
100
Electrical System2
000
Suspension › Rear1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification13V564000
Filed Nov 12, 201376,565 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. 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.

Risk. 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 [email protected].

Engine and Engine Cooling07V479000
Filed Oct 12, 200729,250 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES, IN CONDITIONS OF BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH LOW HUMIDITY, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE TO OCCUR AT THE FUEL RAILS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE ENGINE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) COULD BE AFFECTED SO THAT ENGINE STALLING COULD RESULT.

Risk. IF STALLING WERE TO OCCUR, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VEHICLE SPEED OR ACCELERATE AND THE POWER STEERING COULD FAIL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL ATTACH TWO GROUND CABLES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Oct 11, 2021AZ

The vehicle is Burning a lot of oil due to the valve stem seals. Because of how the engine was designed. Since 2011 to 2018 was a law suit of the same engine since 2000 of the N62 V8 Engine of BMW. Smoke of oil comes out the exhaust and BMW cannot fix the issue they designed.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 30, 2021NJ

CAR HAS FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MATT. RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE WAS DONE IN 2014 - THE RECALL CALLED FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT. IN THE INSTANCE OF MY CAR THE MATT WAS INSPECTED AND NOT-REPLACED. THE MATT NOW APPEARS TO BE FAULTING AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT (FOR CHILDREN ETC.) IS ON EVEN WITH FULL GROWN ADULTS SITTING IN THE SEAT. SEEMS TO BE THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT GO OFF EVEN WHEN IT SHOULD. BMW ISSUES NUMEROUS WARRANTY EXTENSIONS FOR THE 04-10 E60 5 SERIES AND SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY REPORTED ISSUE. IN THE INSTANCE OF MY VIN THE RECALL WAS CONDUCTED (BUT THE MATT NOT REPLACED) AND THE PROBLEM THE RECALL AIMED TO CORRECT FOR IS OCCURRING. I WOULD SUGGEST ANOTHER RECALL OR AN EXTENSION OF WARRANTY FOR ALL VEHICLES THAT HAD THIS RECALL DONE AS NOT EVERY CAR HAD THE FAULTY PART REPLACED.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jul 20, 2020101,000 milesCA

THE INSULATION WIRING DETERIORATED CAUSING THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT TO STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY

Engine
Filed Jul 5, 2020NV

OIL LEAKS DUE TO IMPROPERLY FITTING VALVE STEM SEALS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT RENDERING THE CAR CONSTANTLY LEAKING OIL AND VIRTUALLY IN DANGER OF COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 25, 2020150,000 milesTX

WIRING IN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES SHORTS OUT BECAUSE OF DEGRADED DEFECTIVE WIRING INSULATION. HEADLIGHTS CAN IMMEDIATELY FAIL WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. *TR

Engine
Filed May 26, 202090,000 milesAR

EXCESSIVE EXHAUST SMOKE WHEN VEHICLE IS IDLING... WHITE SMOKE. THE OIL SEEMS TO COLLECT SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE WHILE IDLING AND CONTINUES TO SMOKE FOR A WHILE, AFTER IDLING AND IN MOTION. THE SMOKING SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN IDLING ON AN INCLINE OR DECLINE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A WHILE. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A RECALL DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BEING PREVALENT WITH THIS 8 CYL ENGINE. I AM JUST NOW REPORTING THIS ISSUE BUT IT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Oct 11, 2019AL

WAS REPLACING H7 HEADLAMPS AND DISCOVERED ALL OF THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING INSIDE BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAD DISINTEGRATED AND BOTH ASSEMBLIES CONTAINED MULTIPLE BARE WIRES. THIS COULD RESULT IN A SHORT OR BLOWING A FUSE WHEN DRIVING MAKING HEADLAMPS STOP WORKING. COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. OR CAR COULD CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO SHORT CIRCUIT. I HAVE GOOGLED THIS AND FOUND MANY MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. A RECALL SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN VOLUNTARY ON BMW USA OR FORCED BY THE NTSB. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 8, 2017CA

I PULLED MY BATTERY TO CHARGE IT AND NOW I'M GETTING A WHEEL LOCK ALARM WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW MY CAR TO START. IT IS IN MY DRIVE WAY SAME AS WHEN I LAST USED IT. IT RAN FINE PRIOR TO CHARGING MY BATTERY.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 8, 2016105,000 milesTX

EXPERIENCE "HIGHBEAM MALFUNCTION" WARNING LIGHT. INSPECTED THE HEADLAMPS (E60 ADAPTIVE XENON PART # 6312710157). THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOW-BEAM HALOGEN MELTED THROUGH REFLECTOR. INSPECTED WIRING AND THE SHEATHING / JACKET WERE DISINTEGRATING CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITING. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS IS A RESULT OF BMW'S USE OF BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS IN MID-200'S CARS. NOT ONLY IS THIS A FIRE HAZARD, THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO GET A NEW HEADLAMP SET (~$1300 EACH)

Steering
Filed Jun 17, 2016127,000 milesCA

THE STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON. THIS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY.

Engine
Filed May 4, 2016VA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 550I. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN OBSERVED OIL LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET, TIMING CHAIN COVER, ALTERNATOR BRACKET, AND OIL PRESSURE SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Steering
Filed Nov 13, 20155 milesNY

FROM TIME TO TIME I AM GETTING A YELLOW WARNING LIGHT INDICATING ELV BLOCKED AND SOMETIMES PREVENTING ME FROM STARTING THE CAR. WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS STRANDED MANY TIMES. VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Sep 5, 201487,000 milesTX

SENSOR AND CONTROL MODULE FLAW. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Jun 26, 201473,201 milesHI

I RECENTLY CONTACTED MY LOCAL BMW OF HONOLULU DEALERSHIP (808) 597-1225, INQUIRING THE RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000. I WAS INFORMED SOLELY BASED ON MY VIN NUMBER, I'M NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. HOW CAN THIS BE JUSTIFIED? MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES SAFETY IS ON THE LINE, BUT BECAUSE A NUMBER, I'M NOT COVERED? ON TOP OF THIS ISSUE, I WILL BE SHIPPING MY VEHICLE, BUT THE LOCAL SHIPPING COMPANY WILL NOT SHIP ANY VEHICLE THAT HAS WARNING LIGHTS ON UNLESS IT CAN BE VERIFIED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE ADVICE ME ON WHAT I CAN DO. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Jun 26, 201476,000 milesHI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 550I. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THERE WAS NO DIAGNOSIS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 76,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000. ..UPDATED 08/11/14 *CN

Air Bags
Filed Jun 3, 201476,400 milesMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 550I. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V564000 (AIR BAGS) BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,400.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 13, 201482,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 550I. THE CONTACT STATED THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

Air BagsFire
Filed Nov 14, 201390,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 550I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WIRES WERE MELTED. THERE WAS ALSO AN INTERMITTENT TAIL LIGHT MALFUNCTION WARNING MESSAGE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE TAIL LIGHTS AND NOTICED THEY WERE ILLUMINATING PROPERLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE RESTRAINT WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Service Brakes
Filed Nov 7, 201389,000 milesCA

BRAKE FAILURE AT LOW SPEED ON AN DESCENDING INCLINE (DRIVEWAY) PUMPED BRAKES RAPIDLY AND BRAKES HELD TRACTION. LATER THAT DAY 10/08/13 BRAKES FAILED ON LOW SPEED ON THE DESCENDING STREET. ON 10/09/13 WHEN DRIVING IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC, I AGAIN HAD TO SWERVE IN ORDER TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, NO SERVICE LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED AT ALL 3 INCIDENTS. ON 10/10/13, I TOOK THE CAR IN TO CHECK ON THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER AND BRAKE VACUUM PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR AN EXCESS OF $2500 FOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT WAS NOTED IN AN EARLIER RECALL. I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER WAS NOT COVERED IN THE GENERAL RECALL AND MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO INFORM NHTSA, WHICH I AM DOING. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Oct 10, 201389,000 milesCA

FIRST INCIDENT 10/08/13:BRAKE FAILURE AT LOW SPEED ON AN DESCENDING INCLINE (DRIVEWAY) PUMPED BRAKES RAPIDLY AND BRAKES HELD TRACTION. LATER THAT DAY 10/08/13 BRAKES FAILED ON LOW SPEED ON THE DESCENDING STREET. ON 10/09/13 WHEN DRIVING IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC, I AGAIN HAD TO SWERVE IN ORDER TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, NO SERVICE LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED AT ALL 3 INCIDENTS. ON 10/10/13, I TOOK THE CAR IN TO CHECK ON THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER AND BRAKE VACUUM PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR AN EXCESS OF $2500 FOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT WAS NOTED IN AN EARLIER RECALL. I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER WAS NOT COVERED IN THE GENERAL RECALL AND MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO INFORM NHTSA, WHICH I AM DOING. *TR

20 of 37 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2011
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20161200Routine
20156000Routine
20146200Routine
201315100Routine
201235210Routine
2011843110Routine
201011100Routine
20092100Routine
200832230Routine
2007 — this page37210Routine
200623300Routine

Compare every 550i year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Nov 12, 2013. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.