Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. It has been recalled 5 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
1
0
0
0
Electrical System
1
0
0
0
5 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Fan12E029000
Filed Aug 10, 2012585 vehiclesValeo
Defect. This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the aluminum heat sink. This primary failure could cause adjacent components on the fan assembly motor circuit board to overheat and short.
Risk. This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy. Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery › Cables12V126000
Filed Mar 26, 2012367,682 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc
Defect. BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 6-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 M5, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 M6 VEHICLES. THE INSULATED BULKHEAD CONNECTOR FOR THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PANEL, WHICH CAN LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE BOLT CONNECTION. AS IT LOOSENS, AN INCREASE IN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE AT THIS CABLE CONNECTION IS POSSIBLE AND COULD CAUSE THE CABLE CONNECTION TO OVERHEAT.
Risk. OVERHEATING COULD LEAD TO A FIRE, EVEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN USE. AS A PRECAUTION, OWNERS ARE ADVISED TO PARK OUTSIDE UNTIL THE REMEDY HAS BEEN MADE.
Remedy. BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND SECURE THE BATTERY BOLT CABLE CONNECTION AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum10V446000
Filed Oct 1, 2010198,352 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc
Defect. BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2008 7-SERIES VEHICLES. A CHECK VALVE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP MAY LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING OIL. OVER TIME THIS COULD RESULT IN CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
Risk. POWER ASSIST BRAKING PERFORMANCE COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. IN EXTREME CASES THERE COULD BE A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST BRAKING. AN UNEXPECTED REDUCTION OR LOSS IN POWER BRAKING ASSIST MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy. BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (tcm/Pcm/Tecm)04V344000
Filed Jul 14, 20044,102 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 8 AND 12 CYLINDER ENGINES, THE DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL (EMC) UNITS WERE NOT PRODUCED ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS.
Risk. AS A RESULT, ENGINE STALLING WILL OCCUR AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF OPERATION. THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART. ALSO, A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND, AFTER REPEATED ACTUATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, A LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST WILL OCCUR. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL UNIT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
Fuel System, Gasoline04V303000
Filed Jun 23, 20047,532 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 8-CYLINDER ENGINES, A CIRCULAR RETENTION CLIP AT THE QUICK-RELEASE COUPLING ALONG THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE WAS INADVERTENTLY NOT INSTALLED.
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE FRONTAL CRASH, THE QUICK-RELEASE COUPLING COULD SEPARATE CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CIRCULAR RETENTION CLIP AT THE QUICK-RELEASE COUPLING ALONG THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 25, 201145,000 milesMT
BMW 645CI: TRANSMISSION SURGES BETWEEN SPEEDS OF 30-40MPH WHILE APPLYING CONSTANT THROTTLE. *TR
Electrical System
Filed Oct 5, 2004500 milesOK
VEHICLE STALLS AND DIES WHILE IDLING OR ON TURNING. VEHICLE RESTARTS AFTER STALL, BUT ALL STEERING IS LOST UNTIL RESTARTED. BMW HAS REPLACED THE MAIN COMPUTER CONTROL BOARD TWICE (DME). STALLING IS STILL EVIDENT. TOTAL NUMBER OF KNOWN STALLS - 4. ALSO, BASED ON POSTINGS ON HTTP://BIMMER. ROADFLY.ORG/BMW/FORUMS/E63/ IT APPEARS OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH HARDWARE/SOFTWARE ON THIS MAKE, BUT PERHAPS NOT TO THE SAME SAFETY LEVEL AS MINE. ALMOST IDENTICAL COMPLAINT ON FILE WITH YOU:MAKE: BMW MODEL: 6 SERIES YEAR: 2004 COMPLAINT NUMBER: 10091708 SUMMARY: 2004 BMW 645: WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH VEHICLE STALLED AND CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE STALLING PROBLEM RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. AGAIN, DEALERSHIP COULD NOT UNCOVER ANY DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Sep 9, 2004CA
2004 BMW 645: WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH VEHICLE STALLED AND CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE STALLING PROBLEM RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. AGAIN, DEALERSHIP COULD NOT UNCOVER ANY DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *AK (VEHICLE BUILD DATE: MAY 4, 2004 - EXCLUDED FROM SAFETY RECALL 04V-344, WHICH HAS A BUILD DATE RANGE BEGINNING WITH MAY 12, 2004) *MJJ
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: Aug 10, 2012. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.