2008 BMW 550i

Routine

Owners filed 32 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System6
030
Air Bags6
000
Exterior Lighting5
000
Engine3
000
Power Train2
000
Fuel System, Gasoline2
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Tires1
000
Suspension › Multiple Axle › Torque Arm1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Tail Lights13V407000
Filed Sep 11, 2013134,100 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. 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).

Risk. 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 [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 Sep 13, 2025TX

Vehicle abruptly shut off while reversing out of my driveway. Vehicle restarted after a long crank and appeared to enter a reduced power mode/limp mode with a transmission fault that locked the transmission in 4th gear. Reading OBD2 codes revealed a code for the crankshaft position sensor. Inspection of the 3 terminal sensor revealed 2 of the terminal contacts on the sensor to be shorted out with melted plastic on both the sensor and the wiring connector plug. Shorted wire could be a result of a leaking coolant passage at rear of engine within bellhousing where sensor is located. Coolant intrusion into sensor connector resulted in electrical short and melted connections.

Engine
Filed Nov 9, 202365,000 milesIL

The contact owns a 2008 BMW.The contact stated that he was getting ready to drive the vehicle, however when he started the vehicle, the ABS and check engine lights illuminated.The contact stated that he noticed the vehicle was overheating and turned the vehicle off.The contact heard an unusual sound which came from under the hood.The contact inspected and noticed that the coolant reservoir lid had detached and dented the hood due to the vehicle overheating.The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer.The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided no assistance.The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Oct 22, 2023FL

The daytime running lights aka Angel Eyes wiring is sub-standard. The plastic coating on the wires for the daytime running lights/Angel Eyes has melted away exposing bare wiring that has fused causing the lights to malfunction and not work. I believe the manufacturer is aware of this sub-standard issue and needs to provide a suitable fix or replacement for the sub-standard wiring of their product.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 7, 2023DE

I was driving and came to a stop and noticed smoke and an odd smell coming from under the hood. The heater control valve and the wire connector started to smolder and melt the plastic. If it wasn’t for me disconnecting the connector wire to the heater control valve, it would have definitely would have caught on fire.There was no warning other than the smoke and smell coming from the car. I am in the process of the car getting inspected from a bmw service center

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 2, 2022MD

The wiring in my headlight assembly is crumbling and the headlight is shorting out. The coating on the wiring is trash. I own a 08 Bmw550i. BMW should be ashamed. Thanks [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Mar 16, 2022141,000 milesIL

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 550I. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the battery warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer and was previously repaired under an unknown recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 141,000.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 13, 2021110,000 milesCA

VEHICLE PARKED FOR DAYS, NOTICED SMOKE FROM PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE BAY, INSPECTION FOUND POSSIBLE FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING OR OIL LEAK ONTO ELECTRICAL WIRING CAUSING SMALL FIRE ON ENGINE FLOOR. DISCONNECTED NEGATIVE TERMINAL TO BATTERY.

Power Train
Filed Jul 19, 20206 milesCA

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THE POWER TRAIN LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LOOSE A LOT OF POWER THEN WHEN I PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD THE CAR TURNED OF AND WOULD NOT START UNTIL SEVERAL ATTEMPTS . I WAITED ABOUT 8 MIN THEN STARTED TO DRIVE . AND IT DOES THIS ALL THE TIME NOW . THEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT AND DRIVES FINE . BUT THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS . AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. I'VE BEEN IN SOME TIGHT SITUATIONS.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 2, 2020125,000 milesNY

CAR SMOKES BAD VALVE SEALS AND SEATBELT RESTRAIN WENT BAD TWICE AND CAR SEAT ADJUSTMENT GOES BAD

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Feb 12, 201885,000 milesLA

I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BMW OF NORTH AMERICA FOR 8 WEEKS. MY 2008 BMW 550I CAUGHT FIRE WHILE STATIONARY AT A GAS STATION AT THE GAS PUMP. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED OUT TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. THE FIRE INSPECTOR AND THE FIRE CHIEF BOTH STATED THAT IT WAS A WIRING ISSUE. I HAVE THE FIRE REPORT. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET BMW OF NORTH AMERICA TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE ON FEB. 5, 2018 AND WAS TOLD THERE 'LOOKS LIKE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN'WORK DONE TO THE WIRING OF THE CAR. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE APRIL 2017 (7 MONTHS) AND HAVE NOT DONE ANY WORK TO THE WIRING. I ALSO PULLED A CARFAX REPORT BEFORE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. IT SHOWED 0 ACCIDENTS AND 0 MAJOR MECHANICAL WORKING. I ASKED BMW FOR A COPY OF THE INSPECTOR'S REPORT AND WAS DENIED. THAT REALLY MADE ME SUSPECT SOMETHING FOUL FROM BMW.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Oct 18, 2016100,000 milesSC

FRAYED AND DISINTEGRATING HEADLIGHT WIRING PRESENT THROUGHOUT MY HEADLAMPS. THESE ARE SEALED ENCLOSURES FOR WHICH THERE ARE NO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ITEMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE HEADLIGHTS MAY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING, PARTICULARLY IN HOT WEATHER. THESE ARE NON CONSUMER REPLACEABLE PARTS AND PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND SHOULD NOT BE FAILING AFTER ONLY 8 YEARS OF SERVICE.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 28, 2016140,000 milesTN

BOUGHT A 2008 BMW 550I AND EXPERIENCED HEADLIGHT FAILURE WITH THE HEADLIGHT FUSE BLOWING REPEATEDLY WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE THE BULBS NOTICED THAT ALL THE WIRES IN THE HEADLIGHT WERE BARE. USED LIQUID INSULATION TO FIX THE ISSUE HOWEVER HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OF THIS CAR CATCHING FIRE FROM THE ISSUE AFTER SOME RESEARCH

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 28, 2016125,312 milesAZ

I HAD A PARKING LIGHT GO BAD AND WHILE I WAS REPLACING IT I NOTICED THAT THE WIRING INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NO LONGER INSULATED. THE INSULATION HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND IS FLAKING OFF. I REMOVED THE COVER FOR THE OTHER HEADLIGHT AND THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO THAT LIGHT. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THESE BARE WIRES COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.

Air Bags
Filed May 4, 201660,000 milesTX

CONSISTENTLY RECEIVING 'PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM' WARNING INDICATING LOSS OF AIRBAG PROTECTION ON ONBOARD WARNING SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP SUPPORT NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE UNDER MANUFACTURER AS WELL AS PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTEES WITHOUT ANY REMEDY. 'NO FAULT' FOUND BY DEALERSHIPS - REPORTEDLY THEIR DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED NO CURRENT ISSUE WITH PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM CONTINUES TO INDICATE SHUT-DOWN WHILE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. LIMITED ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS IS A PERSISTENT PASSENGER SAFETY CONTROL SYSTEM ISSUE SPECIFIC TO THIS MANUFACTURER AND MODEL.

Seat Belts
Filed Mar 6, 201690,000 milesNC

WARING LIGHT FOR SEAT BELT RESTRAINT STAYS ON, ONLY ON PASSENGER SIDE. NOT SURE IF THIS AFFECTS INTEGRITY OF SEAT BELT OR AIR BAGS.

Air Bags
Filed Feb 5, 201684,000 milesTX

PURCHASED USED WITH 83,000 MILES. CURRENTLY 100,000. THE INTERMITTENTLY REPORTS A FAILURE IN THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. WHEN EXAMINED BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC, THERE IS NO INDICATION OF AN ISSUE WITH ANY OF THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. WHEN THIS WARNING IS PRESENT ON THE VEHICLE, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT SAFETY SYSTEMS (IF ANY) HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED. DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THERE IS A RECALL ON SIMILAR VEHICLES DURING THE SAME YEAR, BUT NOT THIS VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT USES THE SAME COMPONENTS.

Air Bags
Filed Dec 14, 201580,000 milesMI

PASS RESTRAINT SYSTEM ERROR. PLEASE HELP! I GET THIS WARNING EVERY SO OFTEN WHEN I GET IN MY CAR AND REGARDLESS OF A PASSENGER PRESENT OR NOT. SEVERAL TIMES THE BEEPING SIGNAL WILL BEGIN TO MAKE NOISE, TO BUTTON THE SEAT BELT, EVEN WHEN NOTHING IS IN THE SEAT. THIS IS CREATING A VERY ANNOYING DRIVING EXPERIENCE.

Electrical System
Filed May 12, 201577,000 milesGA

I RECENTLY STARTED EXPERIENCING FUSES BLOWING ON MY RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHT UNITS. ERRORS WOULD INDICATE IT WAS THE 'RIGHT DAYLIGHT PARKING UNIT' AND THEN WOULD CLEAR OR STAY CONSTANT. WHEN IT WAS CONSTANT, IT WAS DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE. IT TURNS OUT WHEN I HAD A BMW CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN LOOK AT THE ISSUE HE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE WIRING INSIDE THE FRONT HEAD LIGHT. THE WIRING HAD INSULATION THAT WAS STARTING TO FLAKE OFF ALLOWING CONTACT OF THE TWO WIRES GOING TO THE BULB AND WAS EVEN APPARENT ON OTHER WIRES WITHIN THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IF I HIT A BUMP OR WENT OVER RUMBLE STRIPS THESE WIRES COULD TOUCH AND SHORT CAUSING THE FUSE TO BLOW AND/OR ERROR MESSAGE. AFTER 3 FUSES AND BUYING AN UNNECESSARY SET OF H8 BULBS, THE TECHNICIAN FIXED THE WIRING WITH SOME ELECTRICAL TAPE BUT SUGGESTED THAT A FILE A COMPLAINT HERE SINCE THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL FOR THIS COMMON ISSUE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THIS PROBLEM WITH WIRE INSULATION FALLING OFF WAS VERY COMMON ON BMW'S THAT WERE 5-7 YEARS OLD. I COULD SEE BURN MARKS ON THE WIRE AN INSTALLATION FROM WHERE THE SHORT OCCURRED AND WAS SHOCKED THAT ALL THE WIRING WITHIN THE HEAD LAMP ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT SHOWED THESE FLAKING AND CRACKING. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE AT SEVERAL BMW FORUMS I FOUND MANY SIMILAR ISSUES AND IMAGES ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ONES MY TECHNICIAN TOOK. I WOULD LIKE A RECALL TO BE ISSUED BY BMW TO REPLACE THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES OR INTERNAL WIRING WITH WIRES THAT HAVE A BETTER/PROPER INSULATOR THAT D

Tires
Filed Feb 4, 2015CA

I GOT THIS ZENNA TIRES FROM CARSHOEZ.COM AND THE TIRES HAVE A TREAD PATTERN WRONG. IT DOES NOT FOR WITH THE FLOW OF ROTATION OF THE TIRE. THE INSIDE SIDE TREAD IS GOING BACKWARD AND THE OUTSIDE TREAD IS BACKWARD ON TWO TIRES AND FORWARD ON THE OTHER TWO TIRES. TIRES SIZES IS 275/30/19 REAR AND 245/35/9 FRONT. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Nov 3, 201468,000 milesNY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 550I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

20 of 32 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2011
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20161200Routine
20156000Routine
20146200Routine
201315100Routine
201235210Routine
2011843110Routine
201011100Routine
20092100Routine
2008 — this page32230Routine
200737210Routine
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: Sep 11, 2013. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.