Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 BMW 850, most frequently naming the airbags, electrical and engine categories. 3 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.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 1999 | 4 | 5 |
| Jun 2000 | 1 | 6 |
| May 2004 | 1 | 7 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT IT HEAD ON. DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT UNDER THE DASH RESULTED IN FIRE.YH
EGR SENSOR FAILED TWICE. *YC
ASH TRAY MALFUNCTIONED. *YC
BATTERY FAILED. *YC
ALTERNATOR FAILED. *YC
WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
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.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
INFORMATION PERTAINING TO CHANGING TEXT IN SEVICE MANUALS. *YC
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
CHILD AIRBAG LETTER, WARNING LABEL AND SAFETY REFERENCE CARD. *TW
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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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.