YearToAvoid

2005 BMW 5 Series Recall List

4 safety recall campaigns on file with NHTSA for the 2005 BMW 5 Series, affecting electrical system, brakes, airbags, and transmission & powertrain. Recall repairs are free at any authorized BMW dealer.

Recall campaigns
4
Do Not Drive
0
Park Outside
0
Over-the-air fixes
0
Latest report
Mar 26, 2012
Owner complaints
21

All 2005 BMW 5 Series recalls

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA’s own wording.

  1. NHTSA 12V126000Mar 26, 2012Electrical System367,682 vehicles

    Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. NHTSA 10V446000Oct 1, 2010Brakes198,352 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  3. NHTSA 08V384000Aug 5, 2008Airbags200,000 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Bmw is recalling 200,000 my 2006 3 series sport seat, my 2004-2006 5 series standard and sport seat, and my 2004-2006 x3 passenger vehicles. Depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit, small cracks have developed in the mat. If this occurs, the front passenger air bags, with the exception of the head protection system, will be deactivated and the air bag warning lamp as well as the passenger air bag "on-off" lamp will be illuminated.

    Risk: In this situation the front passenger air bags will not deploy even if a sufficiently severe accident would occur and occupant protection provided by the system would not be possible.

    Remedy: Dealers will rework the front passenger seat sensor mat so that external force application to the seat does not cause a crack to the mat. The recall began on november 6, 2008. Bmw will also extend the warranty on these vehicles to 10 years from first registration without any mileage limit. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417.

  4. NHTSA 05V504000Nov 1, 2005Transmission & Powertrain240 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the 2005 BMW 5 Series have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2005 BMW 5 Series, covering electrical system, brakes, airbags, and transmission & powertrain.
Are 2005 BMW 5 Series recall repairs free?
Yes. Under U.S. law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls free of charge at authorized dealers, regardless of the vehicle’s age or how many owners it has had. Use the VIN check to see which campaigns are still open on a specific car.
What is the most recent recall on the 2005 BMW 5 Series?
The most recent campaign is NHTSA 12V126000, reported Mar 26, 2012, concerning the electrical system.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.