no report yet
12v/24v/48v battery: cables
Risk. OVERHEATING COULD LEAD TO A FIRE, EVEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN USE.
2006 BMW M5Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 39 owner complaints about the 2006 BMW M5, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 19, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 BMW M5 has problems
39 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
25Air bags1 crash/fire/injury
7Seat belts
5Power train1 crash/fire/injury
3Engine
3Seats
3Electrical system
2Engine and engine cooling
1Fuel/propulsion system
1Exterior lighting
22 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 25 | 1 |
| Seat belts | 7 | 0 |
| Power train | 5 | 1 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 |
| 2 other systems | 2 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2006 BMW M5 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.
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?
63kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 24 air bags complaints. 96% were reported before 100,000 miles.
1under 30k miles23under 100k miles1100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other M5 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 M5 median. How we score
'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'00'01'02'03'06'07'08'09'10'13'14'15'16'18'19'20'21'22'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 BMW M5 safety ratings
2006 BMW M5 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
In owners' words
What M5 owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
UPON STARTING MY CAR, I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE " FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIR BAGS, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER" THE MESSAGE CONTINUES TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS A RECALL IN ALL OTHER 5 SERIES MODELS FOR THIS YEAR, 2006 AND HAS A RECALL…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE A PASSENGER OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BASE OF THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS…
THE CAR HAS AN ISSUE WITH PASSENGER AIRBAG OCCUPANCY SENSOR, WHEN SOMEONE SITS ON THE PASSANGER SEAT THE AIRBAG TURNS ON, THESE BMWS HAS MANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE, FOR SOME REASON MINE DOES NOT FALL INTO THE RECALL. I HAVE SCANNED THE COMPUTER AND CONFIRMED THAT THE SENSOR IS THE ISSUE, I WOULD…
Own a 2006 M5?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.