2008 BMW 528XI Electrical System Problems
11 complaints about Electrical System
High Severity Issue
This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.
This Problem Across All Years
All Electrical System Complaints (11)
Headlight internal wiring insulation completely degraded, exposing wires and causing electrical shorts/arcing. Unchecked this will certainly cause a fire.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AT ANY RATE OF SPEED WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE FAILURES OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER (BMW OF TOWSON, 700 KENILWORTH DR, TOWSON, MD 21204, (410) 317-2237) WAS NOTIFIED, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED EXCESSIVE SMOKE ENTERING THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE AIR VENTS AND THICK, WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
"TAKATA RECALL" MY EXPANSION TANK CRACKED, THEN IT BLEW UP. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY COOLING SYSTEM. MY FAN WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE EVERY TIME I STARTED THE VEHICLE. MY THERMOSTAT HOSE DETERIORATED AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS. IN ADDITION MY ELECTRICAL/BATTERY IS BAD AND MY CAR IS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING SINCE 2 MONTHS AGO. PLEASE HELP!
Mileage: 136,000
FOR APPROX: 2 WKS. EACH TIME THAT I START MY CAR IN THE MORNING TO PROCEED TO WORK. MY ABS , DSC , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ,TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION LIGHT , ( SOS PH) , MY RADIO SHUTS OFF & ON I HAVE TO RESET MY CLOCK EACH TIME I RESTART MY CAR THE WINDOW WIPERS COME ON & STAY ON TILL IT GOES OFF BY ITSELF & SONETIMES MY COMPUTER DASHBOARD GOES COMPLETELY BLACK . ON SUNDAY JUL 30, 2017 IT NO LONGER WILL SHIFT. INTO GEAR. I HAD RECIEVED A NOTICE THRU VIA: MAIL ABOUT 2 1/2 MOS. AGO FOR A CIVIL LAWSUIT ON THE 5. SERIES & MY CAR WAS INCL. IN THE. RECALL BUT WASN'T HAVING ANY PROBLEMS @ THE TIME SO I DISCARDED THE FORM IN WHICH I NOW. REGRET. THE TOWING CO. STATED TO ME THIS IS BEEN ONGOING FOR YRS. NOW & THE BMW DEALERSHIP IS WELL AWARE OF. THIS MATTER BUT AREN'T NOTIFYING. THE CUSTOMERS HE. SAID HE TOWS BMW'S ALL SERIES FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG/ SEATBELT LITE ON DEALER SAID THAT THE BSD CABLE GOING TO THE AIRBAG IS DETACHED...BUT IT MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT CLOSE TO $900....NOT REPAIRED AS OF YET
Mileage: 40,000
THIS OTHERWISE FINE AUTOMOBILE SEEMS TO GO THROUGH BATTERIES QUICKLY. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN MAY 2007. SINCE THEN BATTERIES HAVE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AS FOLLOWS: 2009 2011 2013 AND NOW IN 2015 THE NEW BMW BATTERY INSTALLED IN 2013 IS BADLY DISCHARGED. IN 2011 THE DEALER RAN THIS CAR THROUGH AN EXHAUSTIVE ELECTRICAL ANALYSIS AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. THEN WHY ARE BATTERIES DYING SO QUICKLY? COUNTING THE ORIGINAL BATTERY I'VE BEEN THROUGH 4 ALREADY AND THE 5TH ONE SEEMS ABOUT TO DIE. BMW TOOK CARE OF THE 1ST TWO REPLACEMENTS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE 3RD AND PENDING 4TH REPLACEMENTS ARE ON MY TAB. SOMETHING APPEARS TO BE FAULTY WITH THE ELECTRICAL CHARGING SYSTEM AND POSSIBLY THE VEHICLE'S SLEEP MODE. BMW SHOULD FIND THE DEFECT AND REPAIR IT AT NO OR NOMINAL CHARGE TO CUSTOMERS LIKE ME WHO BUY CAR BATTERIES MORE OFTEN THAN FLASHLIGHT BATTERIES. THANK YOU. *TR
Mileage: 22,000
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE RIGHT TAILLIGHT HAS MALFUNCTIONED COMPLETELY (BRAKE LIGHTS AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL). THE ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN TO BMW DEALERSHIPS HOWEVER THEY CLAIM IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER CPO (CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED) WARRANTY AND MY MODEL IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR IS MELTED DUE TO FAULTY TAIL LIGHT GROUNDING. BMW HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE (SOME MODELS) BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL EVER GET NOTIFIED. *TR
Mileage: 67,000
MY REAR RIGHT BULB HOUSING HAS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING MY CAR TO NOT HAVE A REAR RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, REAR RIGHT BRAKE SIGNAL AND RIGHT SIDE BACK UP LIGHT. *TR
Mileage: 790,000
MY REAR LEFT BULB HOUSING HAS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING MY CAR TO NOT HAVE A REAR LEFT TURN SIGNAL, REAR LEFT BREAK SIGNAL OR LEFT SIDE BACK UP LIGHT. *TR
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY DUE TO THE GROUNDING WIRE CONNECTOR (INSIDE THE 8 PIN CONNECTOR WHICH ATTACHES TO 8 PIN RECEIVER ON THE LIGHT) MELTING WHICH RENDERED THE BRAKE LIGHT, TURN SIGNAL, REVERSE LIGHT, AND LIGHTNING INOPERATIVE. ALSO RESULTED IN THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDING REPLACEMENT. AS CONNECTION WAS FAILING, THE GROUND CONNECTION WAS LIKELY INTERMITTENT LEADING TO LIGHTING MALFUNCTION WARNING INDICATIONS ON DASH AND INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF RIGHT REAR LIGHTS, DIMMED BRIGHTNESS OF RIGHT REAR LIGHTS. THE INTERMITTENT OPERATION/FAILURE REDUCES THE ABILITY TO WARN OTHER CARS/DRIVERS OF MY CAR'S INTENTIONS. COULD RESULT IN VEHICLE REAR END COLLISIONS. MY FAILURE MODE SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA 11V438000 RECALL FOR CERTAIN BMW 3 SERIES MODELS. PICTURES AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. *TR
Mileage: 42,000
LEFT TURN SIGNAL, BRAKE LIGHT & BACKUP LIGHT STOPPED WORKING. UPON INSPECTION, FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE LEFT LIGHTING ASSEMBLY WAS DISCOLORED AND SLIGHTLY DISTORTED AT THE GROUND CONDUCTOR. AROUND HALF OF THE GROUND CONDUCTOR ON THE MATING PLUG OF THE LIGHTING ASSEMBLY HAD DETERIORATED AWAY. *TR
Mileage: 67,900