2006 BMW 6 Series Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2006 BMW 6 Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine225.0%
- Brakes112.5%
- Heating & air conditioning112.5%
- Airbags112.5%
- Interior & seats112.5%
- Suspension112.5%
- Tires & wheels112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 650I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S AC WAS NOT COLD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE HE WAS TOLD THAT ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING BELOW THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V479000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT THEN CALLED BMW USE WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT, THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE BRAKES CAUSING A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 07/12/11 *BF UPDATED 12/30/11
2006 BMW 650I, MARCH 2006 PASSENGER SEAT WOULD LOCK, AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, ENGINE BEGAN BACKFIRING. MAY 2006 THE SEAT LOCKED AND THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. IN JUNE THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND WAS REPAIRED. *KB ***NAR*** *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 6-SERIES. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM) AND WAS REPAIRED. AFTER REPAIRS WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT HAD TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIANS ADVISED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP, BRAKE AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 650I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S AC WAS NOT COLD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE HE WAS TOLD THAT ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING BELOW THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V479000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT THEN CALLED BMW USE WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT, THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE BRAKES CAUSING A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 07/12/11 *BF UPDATED 12/30/11
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
2006 BMW 650I, MARCH 2006 PASSENGER SEAT WOULD LOCK, AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, ENGINE BEGAN BACKFIRING. MAY 2006 THE SEAT LOCKED AND THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. IN JUNE THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND WAS REPAIRED. *KB ***NAR*** *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
2006 BMW 650I, MARCH 2006 PASSENGER SEAT WOULD LOCK, AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, ENGINE BEGAN BACKFIRING. MAY 2006 THE SEAT LOCKED AND THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. IN JUNE THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND WAS REPAIRED. *KB ***NAR*** *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 6 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED DURING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AT THE DEALER THEY STATED THERE WAS A DEFECT ON THE FRONT AXLE CONTROL ARM AND THE TENSION STRUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT AXLE CONTROL ARM AND TENSION STRUT NUTS IN ORDER TO THE REMEDY THE DEFECT. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE CONTACT NOTICED NHTSA CAMPAIGN RECALL NUMBER 06V187000 (SUSPENSION) AND ASKED THE DEALER IF HIS VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT CONFIRM IF THE VIN WAS A PART OF THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 2/12/13 *CN UPDATED 2/15/2013 *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIRE INTERNAL FAILURE - LOOKS LIKE A CUT INSIDE THE TIRE. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .