2008 BMW 550I problems
The 2008 BMW 550I has 49 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (18%) concerns electrical system. After that come lighting (14%) and air bags (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 49 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 2 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 78,000 miles 37 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 | 8 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 1 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 7 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 9 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 37 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 78,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 2 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 2 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 6 model years of the BMW 550I with enough data (18 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
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.
My brand new 2008 BMW 550I was involved in three separate collisions on the right side in a span of less than three months after I leased it. It has 7 miles when I was got it and the first collision occurred when my friend was driving it in the city of san francisco and the car had less than 2,000 miles. The second collision occurred several weeks later (after the damages were repaired) -- the car collided with a big-rig on the right side, causing major damage.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I (na). The contact stated that a sealed bottle of water stored in the trunk leaked. The leak caused an electrical shortage, which burned the wires and modulators. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 6,000.
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 was driving and a warning light came on, the warning says (pass. Restraint system. Fault in passenger-restraint system affecting air bag, belt tensioner belt-force limiter. Continue wearing safety belt. Have system checked by the nearest BMW center. I was driving normally with no sudden stop or any out of the ordinary move.