vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Bmw 550I: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

32 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

77,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 24 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 32 complaints (28.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Electrical and battery issues1031.3%
Transmission and shifting39.4%
Braking behavior26.3%
Fuel system concerns26.3%
Engine operation13.1%

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.

Electrical System
9
Exterior Lighting
7
Air Bags
6
Engine
5
Seat Belts
4
Fuel System, Gasoline
2
Power Train
2
Tires
2
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System9
Exterior Lighting7
Air Bags6
Engine5
Seat Belts4
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Power Train2
Tires2

Electrical System: 9; Exterior Lighting: 7; Air Bags: 6; Engine: 5; Seat Belts: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2; Power Train: 2; Tires: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
6
25,000 to 49,999
1
50,000 to 74,999
4
75,000 to 99,999
7
100,000 to 149,999
6
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0006
25,000 to 49,9991
50,000 to 74,9994
75,000 to 99,9997
100,000 to 149,9996
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 8 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.

2008
6
2009
1
2011
1
2012
3
2013
1
2014
1
2015
3
2016
6
2018
1
2020
2
2021
1
2022
2
2023
3
2025
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20086
20091
20111
20123
20131
20141
20153
20166
20181
20202
20211
20222
20233
20251

2008: 6; 2009: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 3; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 3; 2016: 6; 2018: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2023: 3; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior 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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 10222851 · 2008-03-31 (March 31, 2008)

2008 BMW 545I WITH DAMAGE DUE TO TOWING COMPANY. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE REPAIRS TO FIX THE VEHICLE AFTER THE TOWING COMPANY DAMAGED IT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIMS AND FRONT SPOILER WERE DAMAGED.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10222851 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10223253 · 2008-04-03 (April 3, 2008)

I NEED THE FOLLOWING US TIRE RETAILS TO BE INSPECTED, ANALYZED, TESTED AND/OR WHATEVER GOVERNMENTAL PROCEDURES NEED TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO FIND OUT, FINE, CORRECT, DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE TIRES STOCKED, MANUFACTURED ARE WITHIN FEDERAL GUIDELINES REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFETY AND ALL OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL SAFETY ASPECTS. PLEASE INSPECT ALL GOODYEAR, NTB, DISCOUNT TIRE, AND FIRESTONE SHOPS FOR THEIR STOCK OF KNOWN TIRE DEFECTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10223253 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10231590 · 2008-06-19 (June 19, 2008)

NOTE THIS IS FOR A 2008 BMW 335XI NOT A BMW 550I I HAVE A 2008 BMW 335XI WHICH HAS HAD TWO FUEL PUMP FAILURES WITHIN A WEEK. FIRST WAS ON JUNE 9TH WHERE MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE WAS DETECTED IN THE VEHICLE AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. A WEEK LATER, AND LESS THAN 100 MILES, THE FUEL PUMP DIED AGAIN WITH AN ERROR MESSAGE OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION; REDUCED POWER... AND THE CAR KEPT RUNNING ROUGH... FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUE, PLEASE REFER TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE08032 . THIS IS A DIFFERENT CLAIM MADE THAN THE ONE IN THAT ACTI…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10231590 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10232112 · 2008-06-24 (June 24, 2008)

I HAVE A BMW 335I BOUGHT ON MARCH 28, 2008 AND IT HAS STALLED ON ME AND DIED OVER 4 TIMES. THE CAR NOW HAS 1000 MILES. THE FIRST TIME IT WENT ON LIMP MODE WAS AT 500 MILES AND THE FIRST TIME IT STALLED AND TOWED TO THE DEALER WAS AT 750 MILES. THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS FAULTY GAS, WHICH WAS MY PROBLEM, AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OF A NEW GAS PUMP, NEW INJECTORS AND TO CLEAN OUT MY BRAND NEW GAS TANK, SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. I JUST GOT MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON, JUNE 23, 2008, A…

Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232112 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10233540 · 2008-07-08 (July 8, 2008)

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233540 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10233671 · 2008-07-09 (July 9, 2008)

BMW 528I - IF YOU CARRY LIQUIDS WHICH SPILL IN YOUR TRUNK, THE LIQUID CAN SEEP THROUGH AND BURN THE WIRES, OR THE CAR WILL STOP RUNNING (PER SERVICE DEPARTMENT), WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ON 7-5 MY CAR HAD A LOW TIRE LIGHT GO ON. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR IN AS THEY MIGHT NEED TO "RESET" SOMETHING. I TOOK THE CAR IN &WAS TOLD TO RETURN ON 7-7 AS THEY COULDN'T GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. ON 7-7 WE TOOK THE CAR IN.THE SERVICE REP. CALLED &ASKED ME IF I HAD SPILLED WATER IN THE TRUNK.I TOLD HIM ON 7-4 A WATER BOTTLE SPILLED.HE TOLD ME DUE TO TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233671 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10292911 · 2009-11-19 (November 19, 2009)

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. THE THIRD ACCIDENT HAPPENED WITHIN 4 MILES AFTER I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,896 miles reported. Look up ODI 10292911 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10440796 · 2011-12-21 (December 21, 2011)

2008 BMW 550I. CONSUMER STATES WHEN NORMALLY DOWN SHIFTING TO REDUCE SPEED, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS PUSHED IN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS RELEASED IN A LOWER GEAR, IT MAINTAINED THE HIGHER SPEED AND MERELY REVVED THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER LEARNED HE COULD NOT DOWN SHIFT, BUT HAD TO BREAK INSTEAD. THE CONSUMER AND THE BMW TECHNICIAN WENT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND IT WAS SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE CLUCTH HAD TO BE HELD FOR ABOUT SIX SECONDS IN ORDER FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE. THE DEALER IN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10440796 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

07V479000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Reported: 2007-10-12 (October 12, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES, IN CONDITIONS OF BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH LOW HUMIDITY, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE TO OCCUR AT THE FUEL RAILS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE ENGINE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) COULD BE AFFECTED SO THAT ENGINE STALLING COULD RESULT.

Consequence: IF STALLING WERE TO OCCUR, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VEHICLE SPEED OR ACCELERATE AND THE POWER STEERING COULD FAIL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ATTACH TWO GROUND CABLES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
13V407000 · Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights

Reported: 2013-09-11 (September 11, 2013)

BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).

Consequence: Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

NHTSA campaign record ↗