2008 BMW 528I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 528I years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 118 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 BMW 528I. That is the most of any 528I model year in the database (15 years). The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (33 complaints, 28%), typically at around 66,500 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 16 fires, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 118owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 BMW 528I 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 33 | 28% | 66,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 30 | 25% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 20 | 17% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 15 | 13% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 15 | 13% | 76,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 14 | 12% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 12% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 8% | 100,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 6% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 4% | 110,399 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 155,745 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 124,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 82,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 BMW 528I recalls (2)
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 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Exterior lighting:tail lights
Problem: BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).
Risk: Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The daylight lamps fall apart causing poor lighting at night and continuous alarms while driving. Also, impacting the quality of light and lack of lighting at night. The alarms are continuous and block ALL other alerts from the vehicle, including cruise control, temperature, overheating, engine…
After purchasing this vehicle from my aunt and uncle my one headlight when bad after purchasing the headlights I replaced both the right and left one while removing the old headlights the insulation from the wires just crumbles off casuing a short bc the wires are zip tied several times together…
I bought a 2008 528i July 2024. Got Emissions & Tag at the end of August. Oct 5 2024. My car was on Fire. Drove the car 11 mins got out for a few mins got bk in crunk the car and a flame shot out of what I'm assuming is a fuse box on the driver side. The car had flames coming from under the…
My BMW i528 was parked on May 23, 2024, and the driver airbag deflated without being tampered with. The incident is on surveillance camera. Since the car was manufactured in 2008, the insurance company will not cover the cost of the incident because it was not the result of a collision. There was…
My front left and right headlight assembly went out. Went to take a look to realize all the wiring inside the assembly was exposed and sparking. Come to find out this was a common issue in this year make and model. They are charging $2,500 per assembly for a factory issue that could start a fire…
Other BMW 528I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 528I | 59 | 4 |
| 2015 528I | 65 | 1 |
| 2014 528I | 57 | 3 |
| 2013 528I | 73 | 4 |
| 2012 528I | 90 | 4 |
| 2011 528I | 117 | 4 |
| 2010 528I | 65 | 2 |
| 2009 528I | 23 | 2 |
| 2008 | 118 | 2 |
| 2007 528I | 1 | 1 |
| 2001 528I | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 528I | 42 | 1 |
| 1999 528I | 46 | 0 |
| 1998 528I | 33 | 0 |
| 1997 528I | 41 | 0 |
See all BMW 528I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
Embed this 2008 BMW 528I badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW 528I?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 33 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 BMW 528I?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 BMW 528I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 528I model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.