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2004 BMW 5 SeriesProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 64 owner complaints about the 2004 BMW 5 Series, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 6 safety recalls.

2004 BMW 5 Series
52
CarFlaw IndexSolid year8% below the 5 Series median · #3 of 8 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Free fix at dealersOwner complaints6414 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage81kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 14, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: Carluver23, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 BMW 5 Series has problems

64 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags292
Seats116
Electrical system92
Seat belts71
Exterior lighting60
Power train61
Steering50
Service brakes, hydraulic30
Tires30
6 other systems70

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2004 BMW 5 Series recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 08V-384 · Aug 5, 2008 · 200,000 vehicles

Risk. IN THIS SITUATION THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY EVEN IF A SUFFICIENTLY SEVERE ACCIDENT WOULD OCCUR AND OCCUPANT PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front assembly: seat heater/cooler

Recall 04V-575 · Dec 6, 2004 · 17,905 vehicles

Risk. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HEATING MAT IN THE BACKREST'S SIDE BOLSTER COULD OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE, OR MELT A SMALL HOLE IN, THIS AREA OF THE SEAT COVER.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
–no report yet

Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Recall 04V-344 · Jul 14, 2004 · 4,102 vehicles

Risk. AS A RESULT, ENGINE STALLING WILL OCCUR AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF OPERATION.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Fuel system, gasoline

Recall 04V-303 · Jun 23, 2004 · 7,532 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE FRONTAL CRASH, THE QUICK-RELEASE COUPLING COULD SEPARATE CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

81kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 27 air bags complaints. 81% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
2under 30k miles22under 100k miles5100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other 5 Series year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 5 Series median. How we score

'96'97'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'23
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2004 BMW 5 Series safety ratings

2004 BMW 5 Series 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 BMW 5 Series, and the recalls they led to.

  1. BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATIONEA08001 · closed Dec 31, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-384
In owners' words

What 5 Series owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

PASSENGER SEAT/AIRBAG WARNING MALFUNCTION. THIS WARNING HAS BEEN ON SINCE I PURCHASED VEHICLE. IT IS OBVIOUSLY THE COMMON SEAT MAT SENSOR FAILURE. AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT EITHER MY VIN ISN'T ON THE PREVIOUS RECALL OR IT HAS EXPIRED FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL. BUT MY WIFE SITS IN THAT SEAT AND IF WE…
Complaint 11130543 · Sep 21, 2018 · 175,000 miles
WHILE TRAVELING AND SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN INTO A BUSINESS, THE CAR BESIDE ME (LEFT OF ME) MAKES A QUICK FAST U TURN AND ENDS UP HITTING MY CAR. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, HITTING ME INTO MY FACE/HEAD VERY HARD. I HAVE BEEN IN TREATMENT SINCE. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MAJOR SURGERY ON MY NECK, STILL HAVE…
Complaint 10672002 · Jan 12, 2015 · 92,000 miles
BMW RECALLED 2004 BMW 525I AND OTHERS FOR THE SEAT MAT SENSOR. I HAD CALLED THEM (2012-13) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE (BASED ON VIN) WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL. I INFORMED THEM THAT MY VEHICLE'S MAT SENSOR WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THEM. THEY, BMW USA TOLD ME THAT MINE WAS…
Complaint 10629275 · Aug 29, 2014 · 85,000 miles

Own a 2004 5 Series?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.