2006 BMW M5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other M5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 BMW M5. That is the most of any M5 model year in the database (21 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (25 complaints, 64%), typically at around 62,128 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 39owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 BMW M5 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 | 25 | 64% | 62,128 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 18% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 13% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 8% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 8% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 8% | 85,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 5% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | 48,900 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | 29,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 BMW M5 recalls (1)
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.
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 contact owns a 2006 BMW M5. The contact stated that while opening the trunk of the vehicle, the positive terminal on the battery was fully melted and was very hot. The contact believed that the issue was a fire hazard and was lucky to have found the issue before any other damage could occur…
Clearance failure on s85 engine to rod bearings causes oil starvation. This in turn causes engine catastrophic failure. If driving this will effect power breaking, power steering and all components requiring the engine to be running. This is a very common issue, i now have symptoms requiring a…
Upon starting my car, i received an error message " fault in passenger restraint system affecting air bags, belt tensioner or belt force limiter" the message continues to show up every day.. This is the same issue that has a recall in all other 5 series models for this year, 2006 and has a recall…
The early m5 with the smg (sequential manual gearbox) 7 speed have numerous tsb's and warranty campaigns. The shifting of the gearbox is up executed by pressure from the hydrualic pump that stores aaprx 80psi in the accumulater. This accumulator or pump has a hi chance of failing and when it does…
Steering wheel lock malfunctions and keeps steering wheel locked, will not release intermittently.
Other BMW M5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 M5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 M5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 M5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 M5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020 M5 | 2 | 3 |
| 2019 M5 | 8 | 3 |
| 2018 M5 | 6 | 3 |
| 2016 M5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 M5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2014 M5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2013 M5 | 10 | 2 |
| 2010 M5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2009 M5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2008 M5 | 6 | 2 |
| 2007 M5 | 6 | 1 |
| 2006 | 39 | 1 |
| 2003 M5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2002 M5 | 6 | 2 |
| 2001 M5 | 4 | 3 |
| 2000 M5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1995 M5 | 0 | 1 |
See all BMW M5 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 M5?
Owners most often report air bags, seat belts, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 25 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 BMW M5?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 BMW M5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other M5 model years, the 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.