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U.S. public vehicle records

2006 Bmw 525I problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

77 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

99,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 67 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 42 of 77 complaints (54.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1418.2%
Electrical and battery issues79.1%
Engine operation22.6%
Steering behavior22.6%
Transmission and shifting11.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
42
Service Brakes
8
Electrical System
7
Seat Belts
6
Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification
5
Exterior Lighting
5
Air Bags:Frontal
3
Engine
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags42
Service Brakes8
Electrical System7
Seat Belts6
Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification5
Exterior Lighting5
Air Bags:Frontal3
Engine3

Air Bags: 42; Service Brakes: 8; Electrical System: 7; Seat Belts: 6; Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification: 5; Exterior Lighting: 5; Air Bags:Frontal: 3; Engine: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
6
50,000 to 74,999
8
75,000 to 99,999
20
100,000 to 149,999
19
150,000 and above
14
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9996
50,000 to 74,9998
75,000 to 99,99920
100,000 to 149,99919
150,000 and above14

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 14

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 10 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011
6
2012
14
2013
7
2014
10
2015
10
2016
7
2017
3
2018
7
2019
8
2021
2
2022
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20116
201214
20137
201410
201510
20167
20173
20187
20198
20212
20223

2011: 6; 2012: 14; 2013: 7; 2014: 10; 2015: 10; 2016: 7; 2017: 3; 2018: 7; 2019: 8; 2021: 2; 2022: 3

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10438944 · 2011-12-07 (December 7, 2011)

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON DASH AND SEAT BELT, WHEN I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES WHEN A DOG RAN IN FRONT OF ME WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 99,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10438944 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10448052 · 2012-02-15 (February 15, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER VALVE. THE VALVE WAS DAMAGED BY AN OIL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 161,000. UPDATED 03/23/12*LJ

Owner-reported narrative. 161,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10448052 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10714127 · 2015-05-01 (May 1, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 108,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10714127 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10789115 · 2015-11-08 (November 8, 2015)

WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A STREET ROAD MY STIRRING WHEEL GOT STUCK AND I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR SWERVED INTO OTHER LANE AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I PUSHED THE WHEEL BACK HARD AND BOUGHT MY CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD . A MECHANIC FOUND THAT NEARLY TWO INCHES OF WATER HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE TRUNK OF MY CAR, THE WATER DAMAGE CAUSED ELECTRICAL FAILURE MAKING THE CAR TO BECOME INOPERABLE. BY SHODDY CONSTRUCTION. THE MODULES, ARE INSTALLED IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL AND INSUFFICIENTLY PROTECTED FROM MOISTURE, MAKING THEM ESPECIALLY PRONE TO …

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10789115 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10436055 · 2011-11-16 (November 16, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND EVENTUALLY STALLED. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A PRIOR IMPROPER REPAIR PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PRIOR REPAIR WAS NOT RELATED TO THE AIR BAG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT…

Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436055 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11014976 · 2017-08-14 (August 14, 2017)

BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING (STALLING) AFTER FULLY STOPPING AND REAPLYING BRAKE AT A LOWER SPEED. BRAKE PADEL IS BECOMING VERY HARD AND EVEN WITH ALL FOOT FORCE BRAKE PADEL IS NOT BEING DEPRESSED. I HAD MY KIDS IN THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I READ IT ONLINE SIMILAR PROBLEM ACCURED IN OTHER BMW MODEL AND RECALL BULLETIN WAS ISSUED. THIS ISSUE IS VERY SERIOUS AND I'M WILLING TO LET INVESTIGATORS CHECK MY VEHICLE IF THEY WISH TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5…

Owner-reported narrative. 146,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11014976 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10692853 · 2015-03-08 (March 8, 2015)

STEERING FAILURE LOCK LITE COME EVERY TIME YOU START CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10692853 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11246298 · 2019-08-25 (August 25, 2019)

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND HAD DRIVEN ONLY 4 1/2 MILES AT 6:55AM ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2019. I WAS ABOUT 1/2 FROM WORK ON A CITY STREET WHEN SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT THE AIR VENTS AND STEERING COLUMN. A SMELL OF PLASTIC, ELECTRICAL FILLED THE CAR AND I PULLED INTO THE NEAREST PLACE WHEN THE SMOKE WAS QUICKLY INCREASING. MY SON AND I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND CALLED 911. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, AND UPON PULLING UP, BEFORE THEY COULD GET OUT OF THE TRUCK, THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG EXPLODED, THE FIREMEN HEARD …

Owner-reported narrative. 180,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11246298 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10760041 · 2015-08-28 (August 28, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BOOSTER VACUUM WAS TURNED AT THE VACUUM PUMP CAUSING THE BRAKE PUMP TO LEAK OIL AND CONTAMINATE THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10760041 at NHTSA ↗