2006 BMW 6 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 6 Series years
- Not enough data 3rd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 BMW 6 Series. That ranks 3rd out of 8 6 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 57,000 miles. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 5owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 BMW 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 40% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 20% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 20% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 20% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 BMW 6 Series recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
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.
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 6 series. The contact stated during a diagnostic test at the dealer they stated there was a defect on the front axle control arm and the tension strut. The dealer replaced the front axle control arm and tension strut nuts in order to the remedy the defect. After the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 bmw 6-series. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 10v446000 (service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum) and was repaired. After repairs while driving approximately 35 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the power assist braking would not function…
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 bmw 650i. The contact stated that the vehicle's ac was not cold. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic where he was told that engine oil was leaking below the brake vacuum pump. The mechanic advised the contact of nhtsa campaign id number: 07v479000 (engine…
Tire internal failure - looks like a cut inside the tire. *jb
2006 bmw 650i, march 2006 passenger seat would lock, airbag system malfunctioned, engine began backfiring. May 2006 the seat locked and the airbag malfunctioned again. In june the engine overheated and was repaired. *kb ***nar*** *jb
Other BMW 6 Series years
← 2005 6 Series · 2007 6 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 6 Series | 2 | 1 |
| 2010 6 Series | 0 | 2 |
| 2009 6 Series | 0 | 2 |
| 2008 6 Series | 6 | 2 |
| 2007 6 Series | 2 | 3 |
| 2006 | 5 | 5 |
| 2005 6 Series | 7 | 3 |
| 2004 6 Series | 3 | 4 |
See all BMW 6 Series 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 2006 BMW 6 Series?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, air bags, equipment problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 BMW 6 Series?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 BMW 6 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 6 Series model years, the 2006 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.