RoadVitals

2002 BMW 5 Series Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
7
Latest Feb 19, 2019
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Dec 31, 2002

What this page shows

Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 BMW 5 Series. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–7 of 7

Body & structureEngine
Filed Feb 19, 2019
Fire reported

I HAVE A 2002 525I WHICH I DROVE TO WORK ON JANUARY 15, 2019. AFTER BEING IN WORK FOR 15 MINUTES, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE TOP OF THE HOOD, UNDER THE HOOD, AND UNDER THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE PVC RECALL FOR 2007-2011, BUT I ALSO READ "BMW HAD LOOKED INTO HEAT DAMAGE INVOLVING THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM AS EARLY AS 2007 BUT STEPPED UP ITS ANALYSIS WORK IN SEPTEMBER." THAT WAS FROM A CHRONOLOGY REPORT PROVIDED BY BMW TO NHTSA, AND QUOTED FROM ABCNEWS.GO.COM. WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS BMW DIDN'T LOOK BACK ANY EARLIER THAN 2007. IT WAS TERRIFYING, AND THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. WHAT IS BMW DOING ABOUT THIS? AND WHAT IS MY NEXT COURSE OF ACTION?

NHTSA ID
11181196
Incident
Jan 15, 2019
Mileage
160,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 1, 2014
Crash reported

DRIVING AT 50 MPH I WAS BEING HARASSED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT. I DECIDED TO LET HIM PASS BUT FIRST I HAD TO SPEED UP TO 58 MPH INORDER TO COMPLETELY OVERTAKE A PASSENGER CAR TO MY RIGHT (PASSENGER SIDE) I GAVE THE THROTTLE SOME GAS AND THE CAR WENT NOWHERE. THE NEEDLE WENT ALL THE WAY INTO THE RED ZONE ON THE TACHOMETER. THE DRIVER BEHIND ME (ANOTHER BMW 3 SERIES),TAILGATED ME. IT SCARED ME SO BAD, THAT I DID NOT SEE A DEEP POT HOLE IN THE ROAD SURFACE. I HIT IT SO HARD, THAT I SPUN AROUND AND ALL OF MY WHEELS WERE DAMAGED. I HAD ALL FOUR WHEELS REPAIRED AND TIRES AT A COST OF $2000.THE DAY BEFORE, I NOTICED THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WAS ON. OF COURSE, I WANT THIS CHECKED OUT.SO I SCANNED THE CAR. IT WAS DISPLAYING 000030 BMW/ OR FOR/ P CODE P0741 " TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH VALVE STUCK OFF .SO I WENT TO A BMW DEALER. EXPLAINED EVERYTHING. THEY SHOW ME THE CODES PULLED FROM THE CAR. THE CODE FOR THE TC CLUTCH VALVE NOT WORKING WAS SHOWN.(THEIR EQUIVALENT TO P0741) THEY TELL ME IT IS THE DISA VALVE.???? IS BMW TRYING TO COVER THIS UP?.DISA HAS ZERO TO DO WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER. I SEE HOW MANY HAVE FAILED AND BMW DOES NOTHING? I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND WITH MY REQUEST IN A MANNER THAT AFFECTED MY WELL BEING. IF THIS PROBLEM IS INVOLVED WITH MANY, MANY CLAIMS BECAUSE OF A PART THAT IS PROVEN TO BE DEFICIENT AS IT SOUNDS, I AM SURE IF INVESTIGATED YOU WILL FIND SOME INJURIES AND/OR DAMAGES AND DEATHS HAVE OCCURRED AND WHEN THE DEALER SEES A BAD ONE, THEY TRY TO BILL IT OUT AS SOMETHING ELSE. I CAN NOT BE THE ONLY ONE. AND WHY DID THE BMW DEALER TRY TO RIP ME OFF? I LIKE MY CAR BUT THE LETTERS BMW PUT A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH. RIGHT DOWN TO THE JERK WHO TRIED TO RUN ME OFF OF THE ROAD. BMW= ? ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE WHO WAS TOLD SOMETHING ELSE WAS BAD WHEN IT IS A BAD SEAL INSIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER? *TR

NHTSA ID
10607249
Incident
Jun 12, 2013
Mileage
96,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Jul 30, 2008

HAD MY FRONT THRUST ROD BUSHINGS REPLACED AT BMW DEALER DUE TO VIBRATION IN STEERING AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES. PROBLEM RETURNED AT 74000 MILES (2.5 YEARS LATER). DEFECTIVE MATERIAL RESULTS IN BUSHING CRACKS WHICH NEGATIVELY AFFECTS STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10236415
Incident
Jul 29, 2008
Mileage
74,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 30, 2008

RUBBER AROUND THE WINDSHIELD IS CRUMBLING. OBVIOUS DEFECTIVE MATERIAL USED IN THE RUBBER COMPOUND. BMW REFUSES TO ADDRES THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10236408
Incident
May 1, 2007
Mileage
74,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 19, 2003

CAR HAS HESITATED WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT OR ABOVE 50 MPH. CAR HAS STALLED COMPLETELY WHILE ACCELERATING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT 40 MPH. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10010736
Incident
Mar 11, 2003
Transmission
Filed Mar 5, 2003

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL.*JB

NHTSA ID
10009981
Incident
Mar 1, 2003
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 31, 2002

XENON HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO BRIGHT, BLIND ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THESE HEADLIGHTS SHOULD BE BANNED! WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HEADLIGHT STANDARDS.

NHTSA ID
10000649
Incident
Dec 2, 2002

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .