2006 BMW 5 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 5 Series years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 BMW 5 Series. That ranks 2nd out of 19 5 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (36 complaints, 42%), typically at around 69,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 85owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 BMW 5 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 36 | 42% | 69,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 19 | 22% | 51,287 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 9% | 61,551 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 8% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 8% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 7% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 5% | 48,800 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 5% | 27,988 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 5% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 4% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 4% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 4% | 113,466 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 4% | 45,342 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 4% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 44,274 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 10,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 53,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 2% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | 1,300 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1% | 4,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 200,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 BMW 5 Series recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
Fix: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, model year 2004-2010 6-series, model year 2006-2010 m5, and model year 2007-2010 m6 vehicles. The insulated bulkhead connector for the positive battery cable may have been incorrectly attached to the trunk floor panel, which can lead to a loosening of the bolt connection. As it loosens, an increase in electrical resistance at this cable connection is possible and could cause the cable connection to overheat.
Risk: Overheating could lead to a fire, even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the battery bolt cable connection as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 30, 2012. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, 6-series, and model year 2002-2008 7-series vehicles. A check valve of the brake vacuum pump may leak a small amount of lubricating oil. Over time this could result in contamination of the brake booster.
Risk: Power assist braking performance could be adversely affected. In extreme cases there could be a complete loss of power assist braking. An unexpected reduction or loss in power braking assist may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on november 24, 2010. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Bmw is recalling 200,000 my 2006 3 series sport seat, my 2004-2006 5 series standard and sport seat, and my 2004-2006 x3 passenger vehicles. Depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit, small cracks have developed in the mat. If this occurs, the front passenger air bags, with the exception of the head protection system, will be deactivated and the air bag warning lamp as well as the passenger air bag "on-off" lamp will be illuminated.
Risk: In this situation the front passenger air bags will not deploy even if a sufficiently severe accident would occur and occupant protection provided by the system would not be possible.
Fix: Dealers will rework the front passenger seat sensor mat so that external force application to the seat does not cause a crack to the mat. The recall began on november 6, 2008. Bmw will also extend the warranty on these vehicles to 10 years from first registration without any mileage limit. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417.
Suspension:rear:shock absorber
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the lower rubber mount of the rear shock absorbers may not have been manufactured to specifications and may not adhere correctly to its housing within the shock absorber.
Risk: The bushing could loosen and over time could separate from its housing. The driver will experience impaired vehicle handling and control increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear shock absorber free of charge. The recall began on september 13, 2006. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Suspension:front:control arm
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the nuts which secure the front axle control arm and tension strut to the front wheel hub may not have been tightened to specification. Over time the nuts could loosen and the control arm and tension strut could be damaged.
Risk: Vehicle handling and control could compromise increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will retighten the front axle control arm and tension strut nuts to the correct specifications free of charge. The recall began on june 28, 2006. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with an incorrectly manufactured automatic transmission parking pawl guide plate.
Risk: This could cause the parking lock system not to engage, after the transmission is placed in the park ("p") position. If the vehicle was parked on an incline, and the parking brake was not engaged, this could result in a vehicle rollaway condition.
Fix: Dealers will repair and replace the automatic transmission guide plate free of charge. The recall began on november 30, 2005. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-332-4269.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Bmw airbag light illumination (EA08001) — opened Jan 4, 2008, closed Dec 31, 2008, led to recall 08V384000.
- Bmw airbag light illumination (PE07045) — opened Sep 4, 2007, closed Jan 4, 2008.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 bmw 5 series. The contact stated that the vehicle leaked oil and the brakes failed while driving at low speeds. The brakes worked normally when applied at high speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that a new power brake booster and…
Front passenger seat occupancy detection mat had to be replaced as it was defective. Though not in previous recalls in similar bmws and similar years, the error presented a safety issue that would disable the front passenger air bags and increase the risk of injury during a crash. With this error…
Navigation display reboots constantly. Works periodically. This display gives me access to all of the cars features including warnings and malfunctions with the vehicle. If the display works when the car is on it may not work if you turn off the card and turn it back on.
Head lights angle lights wires getting very dry from the heat of the light and the insulation coming off the optical wires, lights go out, possible shorting and become very unsafe.
The passenger seat airbag malfunctioned casing the seat to have to be removed and sensor replaced. There was a recall on this but my car, and 2 of my friends cars were not included on the recall, my friends were charged by the dealership. My engine leaks oil onto the exhaust manifold causing smoke…
Other BMW 5 Series years
← 2005 5 Series · 2007 5 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 5 Series | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 5 Series | 81 | 4 |
| 2010 5 Series | 6 | 5 |
| 2009 5 Series | 8 | 3 |
| 2008 5 Series | 105 | 3 |
| 2007 5 Series | 13 | 3 |
| 2006 | 85 | 7 |
| 2005 5 Series | 21 | 4 |
| 2004 5 Series | 64 | 6 |
| 2003 5 Series | 15 | 0 |
| 2002 5 Series | 7 | 0 |
| 2001 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 5 Series | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 5 Series | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
See all BMW 5 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2006 BMW 5 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 36 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 BMW 5 Series?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 BMW 5 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 5 Series model years, the 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.