2008 BMW 528XI problems
Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 BMW 528XI. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 27% of complaints. Next are engine (24%) and lighting (18%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 45 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 27% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 2 and 5
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 73,000 miles 29 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 | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 6 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 7 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 3 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 5 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 29 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 73,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 2 complaints mention a crash; 5 complaints mention a fire; 2 injuries reported.
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.
Car hit another vehicle at 80MPH, airbags failed to deploy and car immediately went up in flames in the engine department.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW 528xi. The contact stated that the vehicle independently shifted into neutral at any rate of speed while the gear was in drive or reverse. In addition, the vehicle lost power. The failures occurred without warning. The contact also noticed excessive smoke entering the vehicle through the air vents and thick, white smoke coming from the tailpipe. In addition, the vehicle stalled several times without warning. The vehicle was not repaired.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW 528 xi. The contact stated that while at a traffic stop, the vehicle stalled as the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised that the cam sensors failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired for the cam sensors. Approximately three moths after the repair the failure recurred. The vehicle was not inspected or further repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance.
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528XI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The engine temperature warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 166,197.