2004 BMW 525I problems
The 2004 BMW 525I has 123 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (28%) concerns air bags. After that come electrical system (18%) and seats (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 123 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 28% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 0 and 25
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 90,000 miles 106 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 7 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 11 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 16 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 14 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 17 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 13 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 2 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 16 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 5 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 3 |
What the data shows
Among the 106 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 90,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 95,000 miles (29 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 25 complaints mention a fire; 2 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 85% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2004 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 10 model years of the BMW 525I with enough data (30 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 BMW 525I. The contact stated that a burning odor was emitted from the driver's side seat as the heat became abnormally hot. The contact suffered burns to the back as a result. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 111,219.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 BMW 525I. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire and blew up in the garage without warning. The fire department was contacted and stated that the fire was started by the battery cable. A fire report was filed. The contact sustained injuries that required hospitalization. The vehicle was totaled and the contact's home was damaged extensively. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that it was not their responsibility.
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 BMW 525I. On april 6, 2007, while driving 55MPH, there was smoke present in the vehicle. The heated passenger seat caught fire. The contacts coat burned. The contact sustained no injuries. There were no passengers in the vehicle. The sales team is aware that the failure exist. The vehicle was repaired by the dealer and they stated the cause was false memory. The front and back seats were replaced. The contact has an invoice with the specifics related to the repairs.
2004 525I BMW with 70,000 mi had transmission go out suddenly. I am the original owner and have had all scheduled maintenance at the dealer where the car was purchased. I was told the transmission is a total loss and it is nothing that I did or could have prevented, but the repair bill is ~7,000.00.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 BMW 525I. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, two warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel, indicating that the passenger air bags failed. The dealer and manufacturer were both notified of the failure. The contact was notified of the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 08v384000 (air bags:frontal), however was informed that the VIN was not included. The failure and current mileages were 105,000.