2008 BMW 5 Series Engine Problems

My vehicle had a faulty PCV valve that was under "Stop Drive," order. I received no correspondence from the NHTSA nor from BMW of North America in regards to this. My BMW X-5 had significant issues that are directly associated with this issue. After contacting BMW of North America directly because I could not reach anyone at my nearest BMW Service Department, it was escalated twice to attempt to arrange for my vehicle that I unknowingly continued to drive. My vehicle has sat undriven since May of 2024. It was finally picked up, towed to the dealership for repairs related to the PCV recall. The PCV valve was replaced and my vehicle was returned to me in undriveable condition. None of the rough idle, burning smell or engine issues were attended to. They simply replaced the valve without further investigation into the damage done by continued driving of a "Stop Drive," order. BMW of North America is placing blame solely on the NHTSA for not sending me correspondence relative to this recall. My vehicle was identified as having the faulty Takata airbags and I received all of the documents sent by both the NHTSA and BMW USA. I now have a undriveable, unsafe vehicle due to the servicer simply replacing a recalled object but not the damage caused by continuing to drive a vehicle that should have had immediate service. Please advise what steps should be taken. Tara Catalano-Smith

NHTSA ID

11697553

Incident

Oct 14, 2025

I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGE ETC). THEY FOUND RIGHT SIDE ENGINE MOUNT BOLT BROKEN WHICH CAN CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR. THIS WAS REPORTED AS A SAFETY CONCERN. I AM THE SOLE DRIVER AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES OR UNUSUAL ROAD CONDITIONS. I SEARCHED ON INTERNET AND I FOUND A LOT OF COMPLAINTS WITH 2008 BMWS (5 SERIES AS WELL AS 3 SERIES). DEFINITELY SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL !!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10584080

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

Mileage

77,021 mi

WATER PUMP FAILURE WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES, REPAIR COST $1200, RIDICULOUS! SEE NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10472497, THIS GENTLEMAN HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT AND JUST LIKE HIM, MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 1.5 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556566

Incident

Dec 15, 2013

Mileage

45,000 mi

WE BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2008 535XI IN NOVEMBER 2010. IT HAD 36,000 MILES. AT 59,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON A MAJORY HIGHWAY IN LONG ISLAND AFTER SITTING IN TRAFFIC FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF ON A 70 DEGREE DAY, THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN. IT WOULD BARELY STEER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THE BRAKES WORKED AND WERE ABLE TO GLIDE OVER TO THE SHOULDER. COMPUTER SAID ENGINE OVERHEATED AND IT WAS THE RED INDICATOR WHICH IS THE WORST. WE GOT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND ARE TOLD ITS THE WATER PUMP. WE DID HAVE THE CAR SERVICED AT A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP 4 DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED AND TOLD THEM ABOUT A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BUT THEY DIDN'T HEAR IT SO NOTHING WAS DONE. THE INCIDENT WAS VERY SCARY AND MAKES ME NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR ANYMORE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10458574

Incident

May 12, 2012

Mileage

59,000 mi

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 535. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ELECTRICAL WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,500. KMJ

NHTSA ID

10441547

Incident

Dec 25, 2011

Mileage

59,500 mi

THREE WKS AGO MY 08 528I WAS MAKING A RATTLING SOUND IN THE ENGINE, TIN-CAN SOUNDING. TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE & THEY REPLACED MY LIFTERS AND RELATED PARTS. THEY SAID THAT THE LIFTERS ARE "KNOWN" FOR GOING BAD ON THE 5 SERIES AND IT'S TYPICALLY DUE TO SEASONAL CHANGES. WHEN MY HUSBAND BROUGHT THE CAR HOME TO ME I WAS VERY UPSET BECAUSE THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, NOT AS LOUD AS BEFORE. I CALLED BMW AND MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, CITING THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND IT NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN. THE APPOINTMENT WITH A LOANER COULD NOT BE SCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER 10 DAYS, SO WE WAITED. DURING THOSE 10 DAYS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO TAKE LONGER TO TURNOVER AT START UP. I WOULD ALSO FEEL THE ENGINE LIGHTLY SHUTTERING AS I DROVE AT SPEEDS AVERAGING 35-50 MILES PER HOUR. MONDAY 05/23/11 WAS MY REQUESTED APPOINTMENT; HOWEVER BECAUSE MY 15 MO. OLD BABY WAS ILL WE HAD TO CANCEL. THANK GOODNESS WE DID BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT THE 20 MILES OF FREEWAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. TODAY, 05/25/11, I MADE A LEFT OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AS I ACCELERATED APPROX. 50 YARDS, MY ENGINE BUCKED (FELT LIKE THE BOTTOM FELL OUT), I LOST SPEED DRAMATICALLY. SUDDENLY, STEERING BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AND I WAS FORCED TO "TURN" INTO A SMALL SHOPPING CENTER. HOWEVER, I LOST ABILITY TO STEER UPON ENTERING THE PARKING LOT. MY CAR WOULD RESPOND TO NOTHING BUT THE BRAKES (THANK GOD THOSE ATLEAST WORKED). I LOOKED DOWN AT MY GEAR SHIFT TO ATTEMPT TO REVERSE AWAY FROM THE CURB AND MANEUVER INTO A PARKING SPACE, THOUGH MY CAR WAS THROWN INTO NEUTRAL & WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ANYTHING BUT "PARK". I ATTEMPTED TO STARTUP AGAIN BUT ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN OVER. IT WAS DEAD. WITHIN MOMENTS MY ABS, CHECK ENG, AND BATTERY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED & CORRESPONDING MSGS CAME ONTO MY COMMUNICATION SCREEN. CAR WAS TOWED. AWAITING DEALERSHIP RESPONSE IN THE AM. AFTER SEEING PRIOR COMPLAINTS, I SEE SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE FIRED. THE US GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN BEFORE PEOPLE DIE! THANK GOD MY BABY WASN'T WITH ME! *TR

NHTSA ID

10402778

Incident

May 25, 2011

Mileage

28,700 mi

RATTLE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT DISSIPATES ONCE ENGINE WARMS UP. ADVISED THAT THE TURBO CHARGERS ARE FAILING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, ONLY 66K MILES! ESTIMATED $3K IN REPAIR COST! *TR

NHTSA ID

10398478

Incident

Apr 28, 2011

Mileage

66,490 mi

CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, REDUCED POWER ON DASH, AND SLUGGISH. TOWED CAR TO DEALER, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, TOOK TO DEALER, NEEDED PRESSURE SENSOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES NOW, DEALER STATES THIS IS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE, AND HAVE I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN WHENEVER THIS OCCURRED, NO LOANER CAR AVAILABLE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10378527

Incident

Nov 22, 2010

Mileage

22,000 mi

THE CAR SHOWED ENGINE MALFUNCTION SIGN WITHOUT WARNING IN MIDDLE OF BUSY STREET. ALL POWER, STEERING, EVERYTHING WENT DEAD WITHOUT WARNING. I COULDN'T MOVE THE WHATSOEVER. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN BEFORE THIS HAPPENED AND AVOID POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10366456

Incident

Jul 15, 2009

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 535XI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER WITH AN EXTENSIVE REDUCTION IN POWER. THE CONTACT CONTINUED WITH CAUTION AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR, SPARK PLUGS AND PERFORMED AN OIL CHANGE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES IN WHICH THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP WAS REPLACED ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION. IN ADDITION, WHEN ENCOUNTERING A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND DOWN-SHIFTING FROM THIRD TO SECOND GEAR, AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE WOULD OCCUR. RECENTLY, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000. UPDATED 01/28/11 *BF UPDATED 02/07/11

NHTSA ID

10365728

Incident

Sep 7, 2010

Mileage

45,000 mi

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED, PRE-OWNED 2008 BMW 535XI WITH APPROX. 22,000 MILES ON 10/23/10. SUBSEQUENT TO MY PURCHASE, I DISCOVERED THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IN THE VEHICLE HAD EARLIER FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED. ON 10/28/10, JUST 5 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING - I WAS DRIVING ON A SURFACE STREET WHEN THE CAR BEGAN VIOLENTLY SHAKING AND ROCKING, THE ENGINE LOST SUBSTANTIAL POWER AND NEARLY STALLED, AND THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON 10/28/10 AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED 10/30/10. 3 OF 4 FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH ALL SPARKPLUGS. AT HIGH SPEEDS, THIS TYPE OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION WOULD POSE AN EXTREME SAFETY RISK IN MY OPINION. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW USA AND THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE NOT BEEN SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE TO-DATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10364250

Incident

Oct 28, 2010

Mileage

22,750 mi

2008 BMW 535I-ENGINE POWER FAILURE, ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND MANEUVERING ABILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10363695

Incident

Oct 29, 2010

Mileage

24,000 mi

2008 BMW 535I. ENGINE START-UP TAKES LONGER THAN NORMAL. THE ENGINE IDLES ROUGH AND HESITANT TO ACCELERATE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. BMW CLAIMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER A RECALL, BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN 3 DAYS LATER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10362520

Incident

Oct 26, 2010

Mileage

60,800 mi

ENGINE MALFUNCTION -- REDUCED POWER AND THEN THE CAR EITHER REDUCES POWER OR DIES COMPLETELY. ALSO, COLD ENGINE ROUGH START AND ROUGH IDLE. TO DATE, FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED, WHERE UPON IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I NO LONGER BUY SAM'S CLUB 93 OCTANE GAS BUT A "NAME BRAND." I DID -- PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED ON JULY 24, 2010, OUT OF THE BLUE WITHOUT WARNING, THIS TIME WITH MY 6 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR ON A HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE, WAIT A FEW MOMENTS AND RESTART. THE BMW DEALER HAS HAD MY CAR SINCE LATE JULY, AND HAVE NOW REPLACED ONE OF THE TURBOS IN THE ENGINE. I AM HOPING NOBODY HAS TO DIE BEFORE BMW IS ASKED TO RECALL N54 ENGINE BMW'S OR BUY BACK THE ONES THEY HAVE SOLD. THE DEALERSHIP HAS RECOMMENDED THAT I WRITE A COMPLAINT TO BMW NORTH AMERICA. I WILL. THERE IS ALSO A PETITION GOING -- HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?FIXPUMP WHICH I THINK WILL GIVE YOU SOME IDEA ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PARTS. THANK YOU. ' *TR

NHTSA ID

10355422

Incident

Jul 24, 2010

Mileage

17,641 mi

2008 BMW 535I - CAR HAS HAD 3 FUEL PUMPS, 3 SEPARATE VISITS FOR PLUGS / INJECTORS, LAST VISIT FOR REPLACED FUEL PUMP CREATED LARGE FUEL LEAK IN CAR WHICH RESULTED IN TOW TO DEALER. ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT PROBLEM. HPFP, REPEATED ENGINE PROGRAM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10353821

Incident

Sep 2, 2010

Mileage

35,000 mi

2008 BMW 528I. CONSUMER STATES UNEXPLAINED ENGINE SHUT DOWN *TGW THE NAVIGATION SCREEN FLASHED OVERHEATING; REDUCE SPEED; AND PULL OVER, THEN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHEN THE THIRD MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED. THE SHUT DOWN WAS TRACED TO A FAULTY ELECTRONIC WATER PUMP. *JB

NHTSA ID

10353157

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

15,145 mi

REDUCED POWER FROM ENGINE. PRESSED ACCELERATOR AND ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND WITH REGULAR POWER. REDUCED POWER IN TRAFFIC AT 40MPH. PULLED OVER SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTED WITH FULL RETURN OF POWER. ONE REPEAT OF PROBLEM 3 MONTHS LATER WITH SIMILAR RESULTS. DEALER REPLACED FUEL INJECTION AUXILIARY PARTS. TOO SOON TO KNOW IF PROBLEM WILL RECUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10345222

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

53,020 mi

CAR LOSES POWER 2008 BMW.535I *WE HAD JUST GOTTEN IT OUT OF THE SHOP (NEW PLUGS AND NEW BRAKES ,CHANGED THE OIL AIR FILTER FULL SERVICE) AND THE NEXT DAY WE HAD GONE OUT FOR SUPPER WHEN THE CAR WOULD BARRLY RUN IT WAS LIKE IT HAD 2 CYCLINDERS. HAD THE BMW PLACE PICK UP AND THEY SAID IT WAS LOW FUEL PUMP AND THEY HAD TO ORDER. WHEN THEY GOT THAT IN IT DID NOT FIX IT SO THE PUT ANOTHER SET OF PLUGS AND NEW COILS AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IN ALSO. THEY ENDED UP COVERING THE WHOLE BILL. BUT IT SEEMS NOT TO RUN LIKE IT USE TO. NOT AS MUCH POWER. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND MORE INFO ON PROBLEM AND HOW THEY EXTENDED WARRANTY.* TR

NHTSA ID

10345043

Incident

May 22, 2010

Mileage

55,000 mi

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, REDUCED POWER CAME ON, BROUGHT CAR INTO SHOP. THEY "REPAIRED" CAR FOR 10 MINUTES.. CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH WHEN IT RAN. IT SHOOK VIOLENTLY. CAR STOPPED AND HAD TO BE FLAT BEDDED. DANGER! BMW BOUGHT ME OUT OF MY LEASE..THESE CARS SHOULD NOT BE SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10344141

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

22,000 mi

ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE IS LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE. AFTER THE FIRST EPISODE I HAD TAKEN IT TO BMW DEALER,THEY HAD IT INSPECTED IT AND SAID IT WAS A SOFTWARE GLITCH AND FIXED IT. I HAPPENED TODAY AGAIN AND HAD TAKEN MY CAR TO BMW DEALER AND THEY SAY IT IS FUEL PUMP PROBLEM AND GAVE A THURSDAY APPOINTMENT TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. CURRENTLY I AM FACING ATLEAST A 40% POWER REDUCTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10342414

Incident

Jul 10, 2010

2008 BMW 535I "ENGINE MALFUNCTION - REDUCED POWER!" MESSAGE ON 06/07/10. IT HAS AROUND 30K MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A WASTEGATE MALFUNCTION. I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER ON 06/08/10 AND DROVE IT TO FLORIDA ON 06/09/10. AFTER BEING IN FLORIDA FOR 4 DAYS, THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE I-DRIVE SYSTEM FROZE AND EVENTUALLY POWERED OFF AND CAME RIGHT BACK ON. THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT, AND I MADE IT BACK TO ATLANTA THE NEXT DAY WITHOUT ANY ISSUES (NO ERROR ON THE DISPLAY). TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY, 06/14 AND THIS TIME A LOW PRESSURE SENSOR WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE PROBLEM. PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER YESTERDAY (06/16) AND DROVE HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. DROVE TO WORK TODAY (06/17), NO PROBLEM. ON THE WAY HOME TODAY, THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. THE CAR WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE DEALER TOMORROW. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD TIME IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. THESE CARS APPEAR TO BE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS REALLY FRUSTRATING! *TR

NHTSA ID

10336914

Incident

Jun 7, 2010

Mileage

30,000 mi

2008 BMW 535XI- ENGINE FAILURES AND REDUCED POWER AT HIGH SPEEDS- VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10335192

Incident

Jun 7, 2010

Mileage

27,000 mi

1. VEHICLE LOSES POWER 2. ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ONE. 11/2008, 2/2009 & 4/2010 3. GAS FUEL PUMP REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324866

Incident

Nov 1, 2008

MY 2008 535 BMW FUEL PUMP WENT OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. THIS TIME MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. SHE WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. THE CAR DID NOT HAVE POWER. THANK GOD THE ON COMING TRAFFIC STOPED. BMW IS NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION

NHTSA ID

10323422

Incident

Mar 30, 2010

Mileage

42,000 mi

CAR HAS SUDDEN REDUCED POWER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ENGINE MALFUNCTION WARNING AND "REDUCED POWER" WARNING SIGN COME ON. HAPPENED 4 TIMES. BMW HAS "REPAIRED" THREE TIME (REPROGRAMMED CAR, REPLACED FUEL INJECTORS) TO NO AVAIL. ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT THIS MORNING. WHEN I TRIED TO HIT THE GAS, POWER DROPPED PRECIPITOUSLY AND I NEARLY GOT REAR ENDED AND HIT IN AN INTERSECTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10320948

Incident

Mar 19, 2010

Mileage

18,300 mi