RoadVitals

1991 BMW 850I

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Oct 29, 2017
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Aug 4, 1998
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 BMW 850I, most frequently naming the exterior lighting, airbags and brakes categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Exterior lighting555.6%
  • Airbags111.1%
  • Brakes111.1%
  • Engine111.1%
  • Suspension111.1%

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.gov
98V178000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Aug 4, 1998
340,000 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
The risk: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov
96V110000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Jul 1, 1996
75,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE AIR BAG CONTACT RING LOCKING TAB LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAN BREAK WITHOUT WARNING.
The risk: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE CONTACT RING WIRING COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK. THE AIR BAG READINESS INDICATOR LAMP (SRS OR AIRBAG) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL ILLUMINATE, AND THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT VEHICLE COLLISION.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOCKING TAB WITH ONE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 9
Airbags
Filed Oct 29, 2017
1 injury reported

STARTED MY BMW 850I, DRIVE HALF A BLOCK DOWN THE STREET, THE AIRBAG BLOW , BURN MY HANDS. I CAN TAKE PICTURE OF THE BROKEN AIRBAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL IF NEEDED.

NHTSA ID
11040836
Incident
Jun 1, 2017
Mileage
78,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 29, 2004

THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ADJUSTER WAS BROKEN. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ADJUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SHINE ON THE ROAD TO ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO VIEW THE ROAD. THE LIGHTS WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 15-20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10074320
Incident
Jun 1, 2004
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 29, 2002

BOTH HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT MECHAISMS HAVE REPEATEDLY FAILED. THIS IS AN ONGOING COMPLAINT WITH BMW 8 SERIES OWNERS. WHEN THE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FAILS THE HEADLIGHT BUCKETS POINT DOWNWARDS SO THAT THE AMOUNT OF ROAD VISIBLE TO THE DRIVER IS 25 FEET OR LESS. BMW HAS A "FIX" FOR THIS WHICH CONSISTS OF "PEENING" A PLASTIC ADJUSTMENT WHEEL TO THE ADJUSTMENT SHAFT. THIS USUALLY FAILS WITHIN SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES. BMW THEN SAYS TO BUY A NEW HEADLIGHT BUCKET... $4-500 TO FIX A $2.00 PART. SOMETIME, OR MAYBE IT HA ALREADY HAPPEND THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR A PEDESTRIAN FATALITY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE LIGHTS ARE NOT PROJECTING FAR ENOUGH FOR A DRIVER TO SEE A REASONABLE DISTANCE DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW AND HAVE YET TO RECIVE THE COURTESY OF A RETURN CALL. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS COMPLAINT WITH WHAT ACTION THAT YOU MIGHT BE TAKING REGARDING THIS MATTER.*AK

NHTSA ID
766418
Incident
Feb 1, 1992
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 19, 2002

AFTER FAILURE, BMW TELLS YOU TO BUY NEW HEADLIGHT BUCKETS FOR $650 WITH NEW ADJUSTERS IN THEM, WHICH WILL FAIL AGAIN AFTER TWO TO FOUR YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE MILEAGE. AFTER FAILURE THE LIGHTS SHINE EXTREMLY LOW WITHOUT COVERING THE STREET IN FRONT OF YOU, RESULTING IN A REAL SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ID
760922
Incident
May 1, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 18, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE CONVERTIBLE HEADLIGHTS KNOB ARE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY MECHANIC AND MANUFACTURE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED HOWEVER TO RESOLVE PROBLEM MANUFACTURE HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE LIGHTS FOR $400.00 PER LIGHTS. NLM

NHTSA ID
8007957
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 18, 2002

HEADLIGHT HOUSING BROKEN. POINTS DOWNWARD.*AK

NHTSA ID
760882
Incident
Oct 5, 2000
Engine
Filed Feb 9, 2000

THIS CAR LOSES COOLANT, OVERHEATS, AND BLOWS A HEAD GASKET, AND NOW POSSIBLY NEEDS NEW CYLINDER HEADS. BMW MECHANIC STATES THAT THE TEMPERATUTE GAUGE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING IF THE COOLANT HAS ALREADY COMPLETELY LEAKED OUT OF THE SYSTEM. THAT THE GAUGE DOES NOT REGISTER THE EMPTY AIR IN A NOW EMPTY COOLANT SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION THE TEMP GUAGE SHOULD TELL ME THE POSSIBILITY OF MY CAR OVERHEATING SO THAT I CAN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE($5,000 FIRST TIME) AND NOW AN ESTIMATED $9,000-15,000 DEPENDING ON EXTENT OF DAMAGE. PLEASE SEND ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A LOCAL REPUTABLE IMPORT REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAPPENS WITH THIS CAR AND THAT THEY CONSIDER IT A COMMON DEFECT/OCCURRENCE. TO COMBAT THIS THEY EVEN HAVE THEIR OWN SOLUTION MY DRILLING EXTRA HOLES IN THE ENGINE AND BOLTING IT DOWN WITHOUT HAVING TO EVEN USE A HEADGASKET. IF THIS IS ACCEPTED COMMON KNOWLEDGE THEN THERE MUST BE FURTHER COMPLAINTS/HISTORIES OF THIS OCCURRENCE WITH THE BMW 850I.. *AK

NHTSA ID
718518
Incident
Feb 1, 2000
Brakes
Filed Apr 20, 1998

BRAKES CONTINUE TO FAIL ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
534382

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

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

BMW 850I by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2023000—
2019700—
1995010—
1994010—
1993010—
1992020—
1991Viewing920—

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.