ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)
2007 BMW 525I
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 72 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2007 BMW 525I, most frequently naming the airbags, electrical and steering categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 57 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2008 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 2008 | 1 | 2 |
| Jun 2009 | 2 | 4 |
| Sep 2009 | 1 | 5 |
| Sep 2010 | 1 | 6 |
| Dec 2010 | 1 | 7 |
| Jan 2011 | 1 | 8 |
| Aug 2011 | 2 | 10 |
| Sep 2011 | 2 | 12 |
| Dec 2011 | 1 | 13 |
| Jan 2012 | 1 | 14 |
| Apr 2012 | 1 | 15 |
| May 2012 | 2 | 17 |
| Jun 2012 | 1 | 18 |
| Aug 2012 | 2 | 20 |
| Oct 2012 | 1 | 21 |
| Nov 2012 | 1 | 22 |
| Mar 2013 | 1 | 23 |
| May 2013 | 1 | 24 |
| Jul 2013 | 1 | 25 |
| Aug 2013 | 1 | 26 |
| Sep 2013 | 1 | 27 |
| Oct 2013 | 1 | 28 |
| Feb 2014 | 1 | 29 |
| Apr 2014 | 1 | 30 |
| May 2014 | 1 | 31 |
| Jun 2014 | 5 | 36 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 37 |
| Sep 2014 | 1 | 38 |
| Oct 2014 | 1 | 39 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 40 |
| Feb 2015 | 1 | 41 |
| Apr 2015 | 1 | 42 |
| May 2015 | 1 | 43 |
| Jul 2015 | 1 | 44 |
| Aug 2015 | 1 | 45 |
| Oct 2015 | 1 | 46 |
| Jul 2016 | 3 | 49 |
| Aug 2016 | 1 | 50 |
| Sep 2016 | 1 | 51 |
| Jan 2017 | 1 | 52 |
| Mar 2017 | 1 | 53 |
| May 2017 | 1 | 54 |
| Jul 2017 | 1 | 55 |
| Nov 2017 | 2 | 57 |
| Dec 2017 | 1 | 58 |
| Jan 2018 | 1 | 59 |
| Mar 2018 | 1 | 60 |
| Oct 2018 | 1 | 61 |
| Oct 2019 | 1 | 62 |
| Jul 2020 | 1 | 63 |
| Aug 2020 | 1 | 64 |
| Sep 2021 | 1 | 65 |
| Mar 2022 | 1 | 66 |
| May 2022 | 1 | 67 |
| Aug 2022 | 1 | 68 |
| Oct 2022 | 1 | 69 |
| Jan 2023 | 2 | 71 |
| Jul 2025 | 1 | 72 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Airbags2527.8%
- Electrical1314.4%
- Steering1213.3%
- Engine910.0%
- Interior & seats66.7%
- Seat belts66.7%
- Exterior lighting44.4%
- Body & structure44.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
2 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govAIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Unknown, the car shut down on me two time in a month.
- NHTSA ID
- 11676992
- Incident
- Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 535I. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag warning light remain illuminated, indicating a possible failure to the air bag system. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The failure mileage was 100,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11504420
- Incident
- May 1, 2022
- Mileage
- 100,000 mi
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 525I. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11503385
- Incident
- May 24, 2022
- Mileage
- 102,000 mi
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 525I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair however, upon retrieving the vehicle, the contact noticed that the vehicle was shaking while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that the failure had worsened while at a complete stop. Over time, the service engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was placed on an indefinite hold until the call disconnected. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 284,191.
- NHTSA ID
- 11489838
- Incident
- Oct 17, 2022
- Mileage
- 284,191 mi
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 525i. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75-85 MPH, she smelled smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. The contact was unsure if any warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where he referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine And Engine Cooling) , but the vehicle was not diagnosed for the failure. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 189,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11478651
- Incident
- Aug 6, 2022
- Mileage
- 189,000 mi
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 525i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
- NHTSA ID
- 11464204
- Incident
- Mar 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 525i. The vehicle had previously been serviced by the dealer under an unknown NHTSA campaign; however, the failure recurred with a burning odor detected. Additionally, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 34,406. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
- NHTSA ID
- 11456091
- Incident
- Jun 25, 2021
- Mileage
- 34,406 mi
I purchased said automobile from my neighbor for my son to drive. I figured it was a good car to buy because it was serviced by Hendrick BMW (Charlotte, NC) only and regularly. BMW's also have a reputation for being safe as well as reputable so this also weighed into my decision. Fast forward 18 months. The passenger rear brake bulb went out. We replaced the bulb, it worked for a short time, then went out. We replaced the bulb again. This time it didnt work. About a week later the front passenger side head light went out, then the other side. We took it to Hendrick BMW for repair. Hendrick has told us the car wiring basically needs to be replaced due to the protective coat wearing off and corroding the bare wire underneath. The headlights/ brake light will also need to be replaced due to the corrosion blowing out the bulb. For the front headlight the whole assembly needs to be replaced at a tremendous cost. I performed a google search on this and found many, many instances of the same issue. Ive seen many of these cars while casually driving around town. It would seem to be a MAJOR issue if an active drivers head and tail lights suddenly stopped working on a busy road. Also due to the cost most people probably wouldnt fix the issue on their own and drive the car anyway causing an ever bigger safety issue. I have never had this issue with any other vehicle brand ive owned. Ive looked into this issue with other brands and most tell me they use wiring which will not do this. I am not sure why BMW would not do the same. The car is also up for inspection. The car will not pass inspection unless I pony up over $6k ($2500 NADA value) to fix. My taxes are also due. In NC you cant pay the tax unless the car passes inspection. This is costing me daily penalties in addition to the major safety issue. I believe the NHTSA has a duty to look into this major manufacturing defect and have BMW provide remedy to those other unfortunate folks who are experiencing the same issue.
- NHTSA ID
- 11432327
- Incident
- Sep 9, 2021
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle âÂÂdischarged batteryâ complaints.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel pressure system, electric fuel pump: pressure value too low CDA594 - Message (- 0x33E) missing, receiver DME, transmitter TFE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicleâÂÂs equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation (folding the mirrors/blinking confirmation) is noticeable. Additionally, the red anti-theft alarm LED in the interior mirror does not briefly flash every 2 seconds, indicating the alarm is armed.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC; STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles: 1. Visible cracks are caused by high thermal stresses during rapid heating and cooling of the brake discs. Braking from high speed with cold brake components (less than 212 degrees F) increases the likelihood of cracks to form.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
Discharged Battery Energy Diagnosis Must Be Performed: The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle "discharged battery" complaints. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time in the workshop, it is very important that the diagnostic test plans are performed to completion, with all results taken into consideration. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root cause of the discharged battery cannot be identified. This increases the chances of a repeat repair.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2007Viewing | 72 | 2 | 0 | 44.5 |
| 2006 | 77 | 3 | 0 | 47.2 |
| 2005 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 45.1 |
| 2004 | 84 | 0 | 1 | 46.3 |
| 2003 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 52.6 |
| 2002 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 56.6 |
| 2001 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 59.9 |
| 2000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 46.9 |
| 1994 | 7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 57.0 |
| 1991 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 51.9 |
| 1990 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 52.1 |
| 1989 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.