16 complaints reported

2007 BMW 5 Series Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
16
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 2025

BMW 530I headlights have faulty wiring. Insulation is crumbling an severly degraded leaving bare wires exposed to short circuits. Discovered the faulty wire when I went to replace the parking / angel eye lights. I have attempted to solve the problem short term with electrical tape. As soon as you touch the wire to put electrical tape on it, more of the faulty insulation comes off. Wire has essentially lost all insulation.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Aug 2025
Dec 2023

in the trunk in the spare tire well. Water could be there, flooding some electronics. The wiring got wet causing my car to just turn off in the expressway due to the comments getting wet that are harnessed in this area. I tried to get it repaired when the class action lawsuit took place but the dealership I had my car at for 3 months never performed the repair. Then the next dealership refused to perform the repairs due to time constraints. Now every time it rains I am worried my car will short or just shut off. I have had to replace the part 2 times and now I just leave it unattached . the BMW agrees to settle vehicle water damage suit for up to $478 million. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - German automaker BMW AG has agreed to pay up to $477.7 million to settle a class-action lawsuit covering about 318,000 U.S. luxury car owners who may have suffered water damage harming electrical components in vehicle trunks.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Aug 2018
Oct 2018

2007 BMW 525I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE RECALLED POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CONNECTION. *AS *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 525I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Feb 2018
Sep 2018 Fire

I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN WITH MY NEWBORN BABY IN THE BACK SEAT WHEN THE AC/HEAT SYSTEM CAUGHT ON FIRE AND SMOKE CAME BILLOWING INTO THE CABIN THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. IT IMMEDIATELY SMELLED LIKE BURNING PLASTIC/ELECTRICAL FIRE. I PULLED THE CAR OVER BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED ABOUT A FIRE AND GOT MY CHILD OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE SINCE NOTICED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY BMW AND THAT THEY HAVE AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR THIS PRECISE ISSUE, BUT IT DOES NOT COVER MY SPECIFIC MODEL. THE RECALL CURRENTLY OUT FOR THIS ISSUE IS # 17V-676, WHICH COVERS A NUMBER OF 3-SERIES MODELS, BUT NOT MY 530XI. I JUST GOT WORD FROM MY MECHANIC THAT IT WILL COST $1800 TO REPLACE THE FRIED SYSTEM, AND HE ALSO WARNED ME THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT THE ENTIRE CAR ON FIRE. I HAD HIM PUT THIS IN WRITING FOR ME SO I CAN HAVE RECORD OF IT. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS! BMW NEEDS TO WIDEN THE SCOPE OF THIS RECALL TO COVER OTHER AFFECTED VEHICLES! THANK YOU

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: May 2018
Jun 2018

RECENTLY THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT (WWW.E6061INGRESSSETTLEMENT.COM). THE SETTLEMENT STATES THAT THE CAR SHOULD HAVE LESS THAN 120K MILES. MY CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND I HAVE A SERVICE RECORD FROM 2015 WHEN THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 100K MILES. BY THE TIME THE LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED AND THE DEALERS WERE ACCEPTING CARS, I CROSSED 120K MILES AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING I'M NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Feb 2015
Nov 2017

MY BMW DRIVERS SEAT GET SO HOT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO CATCH FIRE ( I DON'T HAVE HEATED SEATS } SOMETIMES IN MOTION SOMETIME AFTER I SHUT TI OFF

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 525I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2017
Sep 2015

I WAS DRIVING AND OPENED THE SUNROOF. THE NIGHT BEFORE THERE WAS A MASSIVE RAIN STORM. SHORTLY AFTER OPENING THE SUNROOF THE CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED SEVERELY MALFUNCTIONING. A WARNING SIGN CAME ON THAT SAID THAT THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS HAVING A MASSIVE MALFUNCTION AND THAT I SHOULD PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. THE WATER FROM THE STORM DRAINED INTO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND SHORTED IT. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CAR AND BMW IS AWARE OF IT. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS STORED NEAR THE DRAINS IN THE LOWER REAR OF THE CAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Feb 2014
Feb 2015

THE WIRES IN THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY ARE BRITTLE AND BREAK UPON JUST TOUCHING THEM. CAUSING DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS TO FAIL AS WIRES ARE BARE AND TOUCHING EACH OTHER. THIS IS ALSO A FIRE HAZARD. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 525I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Feb 2015
Feb 2015 Fire

CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF OUR HOME AND SHUT OFF. ABOUT 25 MINUTES LATER THE CAR EXPLODED INTO FIRE AND BURNED DOWN TO THE GROUND LEAVING THE SEATS AND TRUNK WITH ALL INTERIOR METAL PARTS ON OUR DRIVEWAY. OUR HOME WAS ALSO DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THIS CAR GOING ON FIRE. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND NO ONE CAN ADVISE US AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Feb 2015
Feb 2015

MY PROBLEM STARTED 2 YEARS AGO. AFTER TWO DAYS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND MY NAVIGATION SCREEN STARTED TO FLICKER THEN EVENTUALLY BURNED OUT OVER A TWO WEEK TIME ALSO MY RADIO STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. I DIDN'T HAVE THE 2,000 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. A FEW MONTHS LATER AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF HEAVY RAIN I'VE NOTICED THE DRIVERS FLOOR SOAKED THEN THE CAR WAS HESITANT TO START. THE CAR OVER ANOTHER FEW MONTHS MY WIPERS WOULD CUT ON BY THEMSELVES AND I COULDN'T CUT THEM OFF. IT GOT TO THE POINT THAT I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE WIPERS WERE STILL WORKING WITH NO KEY IN THE CAR... THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE MECHANICS.. NOW MY WINDOW WORK INTERMITTENTLY SOMETIMES THEY WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T ...AT THIS TIME I ALSO SMELL THE ODOR OF A BURNING ELECTRICAL FROM TIME TO TIME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 5 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2015
Mar 2014

WARNING LIGHT CAME ON STATING ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION THEN SEVERAL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND WAS LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. THE ODOMETER AREA STARTING GOING HAYWIRE. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR WAS POSSESSED !! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2014
Aug 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 530XI SPORTS WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A MESSAGE INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED THAT THE MAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,400.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jul 2011
May 2011

WATER COLLECTS IN SPARE TIRE WELL, BATTERY WELL, AND PASSENGER FRONT HEADLIGHT, CAUSING MASSIVE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 2009 AFTER OWNERSHIP OF THIS USED BMW 2006 530XI WAGON FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS 23 MAY 2011. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: May 2011
Jul 2010 Fire

A 2007 BMW 530XI CAUGHT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS STARTED. THE LAMP CONTROL MODULE BURNED, CAUSING SPARKS, SMOKE, AND BURNING VARIOUS PARTS. THE MECHANIC AT CHAMBERS BMW SAID THAT THE LEFT FRONT HEAD LIGHT COLLECTED MOISTURE, AND THE LIGHTS DRAIN CLOGGED. THE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CAR HAS AHISTORY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. IN DEC. 2008, 1 YEAR PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE REAR SUNROOF DRAIN CLOGGED, CAUSING WATER TO COLLECT IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL. IT CAUSED THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT TO FALSELY SIGNAL, AS RDC MODULE HAD BURNED OUT. THERE WERE OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WHICH REQUIRED A RADIO REPLACEMENT. A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE, THE DASHBOARD SIGNAL FOR ENGINE OVERHEATING WENT ON DURING A COLD WINTER DAY. WE TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMED HE FIXED IT. TWO DAYS AFTER WE GOT THE CAR BACK, MY WIFE TURNED IT ON, STARTED TO DRIVE, AND THE FIRE STARTED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 530XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Sep 2010
Jun 2009

NOT PRECISELY SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BUT ALL 3 OCCURRENCES OF THIS PROBLEM HAVE HAPPENED AFTER I WASHED THE VEHICLE AND DID NOT DRIVE IT. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING TO THE POINT IT COMPLETELY DRAINS THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY. AFTER THE SECOND TIME I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE, I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED. THE 3RD TIME, ALL OF THE VEHICLE EXTERIOR LIGHTS HAD TURNED THEMSELVES ON DURING THE COURSE OF THE NIGHT, AND HAD ALMOST FULLY DISCHARGED THE BATTERY. THE CAR STARTED, BUT MANY ITEMS IN THE ELECTRONIC MEMORY WERE LOST, INCLUDING DATE AND TIME. THE CAR INVOLVED IS A 2007 BMW 528I, WHICH I PURCHASED 3 MONTHS AGO, CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 5 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2009
Sep 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525I. WHENEVER THE CONTACT PLACES A COOLER OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD POSSIBLY LEAK THROUGH THE CARPET IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE, THE LIQUID BUILDS UP IN THE TIRE BASE WHERE THE MAIN WIRING FOR THE ELECTRICAL MODULE IS LOCATED. THE FAILURE EVENTUALLY CAUSES THE WIRES TO SHORT CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT SERVICED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,918 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,718.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2007 BMW 525I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Sep 2008

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2007 BMW 5 Series has 16 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.