Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 BMW 525I submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
BRAKE BOOSTER IS LOOSING VACUUM WHEN SITTING OVER NIGHT CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE ROCK HARD AT STARTUP. THE BRAKES ARE FINE AGAIN AS SOON AS THE CAR STARTS. I KNOW THAT THE E65 FROM THE SAME YEARS HAS A RECALL ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM LINE AND CHECK VALVE.
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. 552(B)(6).
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.
TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH GREAT FORCE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE VIBRATED PRIOR TO COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED REGULARLY. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 5 SERIES 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD HAVE TO BE APPLIED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE BRAKES HAD NOT PROPERLY WORKED IN THE VEHICLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE BECAUSE THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE APPLYING FORCE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THREE REPAIR SHOPS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER VACUUM PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) BUT HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECELERATE. THE CONTACT PUMPED THE BRAKES FURIOUSLY UNTIL THE BRAKES RESPONDED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND MOTOR OIL INSIDE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THE VACUUM PUMP. THE BRAKE BOOSTER, VACUUM PUMP AND VACUUM PIPE WERE ALL REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,300.
BRAKES BECAME HARD TO PRESS AND STOPPING TAKES MORE EFFORT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. CONDITION LISTED AS RECALL 10V-446 BY BMW . *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED, IT ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING A BRAKING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE WAS LEAKING OIL AND CONTAMINATED THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST: VACUUM) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 10/15/12 *CN UPDATED 10/22/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525-I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL ONTO THE BRAKES BOOSTER, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE BRAKE PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS AND OFFERED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SO THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER NOTICED THAT LUBRICATING OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP, BRAKE BOOSTER, AND MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
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
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .