2004 BMW 525I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 525I years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 BMW 525I. That is the most of any 525I model year in the database (15 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (33 complaints, 39%), typically at around 92,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 fires, 2 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 84owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 BMW 525I 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 | 33 | 39% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 21 | 25% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 17 | 20% | 73,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 14 | 17% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 8% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 5% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 4% | 79,028 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 4% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2% | 139,873 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 133,751 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 156,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | 55 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 89,627 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 BMW 525I recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2004 BMW 525I.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
On dec.2 my 2004 bmw 525i was sitting outside my house when it cought on fire at the fuse panel in the trunk on the right fender well. The car had been driven over 100 miles that day. My step-daughter had gotten home at midnight and parked the car. She said the car was fine when she got home at…
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 bmw 525i. While the vehicle was parked in the garage, a neighbor noticed that the vehicle was on fire. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. The fire department stated that the fire was due to a faulty battery cable. The contact stated that the…
Micro power module (mpm) started smoking while driving, causing erratic engine rpm, and causing smoke inside cabin and burnt electronics smell. Complete loss of radio and idrive functionality. Module is located in trunk under the spare tire. Notified bmw of north america, and they just said that…
Passenger restraint system warning appears each time we get into the vehicle and start the ignition. Airbag deployment red icon constantly illuminated on the dashboard. The air conditioning system is not working properly. The car does not cool or get cold until the car is in motion. We had a…
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 bmw 525i. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire and blew up in the garage without warning. The fire department was contacted and stated that the fire was started by the battery cable. A fire report was filed. The contact sustained injuries that required…
Other BMW 525I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 525I | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 525I | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 525I | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 525I | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 525I | 72 | 2 |
| 2006 525I | 77 | 3 |
| 2005 525I | 35 | 0 |
| 2004 | 84 | 0 |
| 2003 525I | 32 | 2 |
| 2002 525I | 28 | 4 |
| 2001 525I | 22 | 4 |
| 2000 525I | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 525I | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 525I | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 525I | 24 | 3 |
See all BMW 525I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW 525I?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, seats problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 33 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 BMW 525I?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2004 BMW 525I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 525I model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.