NHTSA vehicle safety data

2007 BMW 525XI Recalls & Complaints

The 2007 BMW 525XI has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 20 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2007 BMW 525XI. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2007 BMW 525XI owner complaints

Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 BMW 525XI, describing incidents dated May 4, 2008 to October 16, 2024.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 8 complaints
Steering 5 complaints
Engine 4 complaints
Electrical System 3 complaints
Seats 2 complaints
Equipment 1 complaint

Of the 20 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11620269 · Filed October 16, 2024
battery problems, was supposedly recalled for it and now the car is dying and the alarm is going off in my driveway at 10:30pm after being off for hours. the alarm doesn’t turn off with the fob or if key is in ignition, i need to remove the battery panel find a ratchet and remove one of the battery…
ODI #11432915 · Filed September 14, 2021
My car is seeing error lights for the passenger restraint system, and the dealer informed me that I should replace the OC3 mat at a cost of $2021. I see that this part is covered under recall for some similar age 525xi models, so I am unclear why this problem doesn't extend to my vehicle if this is…
ODI #11105138 · Filed July 2, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. WHILE…

Read all 20 complaints

Front Seat Occupant Protection Mat Defect

NHTSA #13V564000 · Air Bags — Sensor — Occupant Classification · NHTSA notice

Reported November 12, 2013 · BMW of North America, LLC

Potentially affected: 76,565 vehicles

Repair completion: 45.89% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified August 29, 2014 · Vehicles built December 1, 2005 – September 29, 2006 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model year 2006 760i sedans, model year 2006-2007 750i, 750Li, and 760Li sedans, and model year 2006 X5 sports activity vehicles, equipped with certain seat types. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.

Safety consequence

Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Manufacturer remedy

BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, free of charge. Additionally, owners of model year 2006-2007 3 Series with standard seats, 5 Series with comfort seats, and Z4 models, will receive an extended warranty on their front passenger seat occupant detection mat. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2007 BMW 525XI. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

20 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2007 BMW 525XI.

Electrical System; Unknown or Other

ODI #11620269

Incident: October 16, 2024 · Filed: October 16, 2024

battery problems, was supposedly recalled for it and now the car is dying and the alarm is going off in my driveway at 10:30pm after being off for hours. the alarm doesn’t turn off with the fob or if key is in ignition, i need to remove the battery panel find a ratchet and remove one of the battery terminals while my alarm is simultaneously going off for long period over and over and over.

Air Bags

ODI #11432915

Incident: September 13, 2021 · Filed: September 14, 2021

My car is seeing error lights for the passenger restraint system, and the dealer informed me that I should replace the OC3 mat at a cost of $2021. I see that this part is covered under recall for some similar age 525xi models, so I am unclear why this problem doesn't extend to my vehicle if this is a common problem with these models. Is this under evaluation for a possible future recall?

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11105138

Fire

Incident: October 30, 2017 · Filed: July 2, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT DETECTED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (DANIELS BMW, 4600 CRACKERSPORT ROAD, ALLENTOWN, PA 18104) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. - (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

Engine and Engine Cooling; Engine

ODI #11100551

Incident: December 1, 2017 · Filed: June 8, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BMW OF OMAHA (716 N 102ND ST OMAHA, NE) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11047686

Incident: November 12, 2016 · Filed: November 21, 2017

THE WIRES FOR THE PARKING LIGHTS ARE BRITTLE AND FRAYING APART

Steering

ODI #11035898

Incident: October 22, 2017 · Filed: October 23, 2017

ELV BLOCKED MESSAGE POPS ON FROM NO WHERE WHEN DRIVING STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED

Air Bags

ODI #10839524

Incident: February 16, 2016 · Filed: March 2, 2016

THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM/AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON REPEATEDLY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS NEEDING TO REPLACE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT, OC3. THEY SAID MY VIN NOT PART OF RECALL #13V564000 SO I HAD TO PAY LABOR COST. DEALER PAID FOR PART AS A COURTESY. CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA TO REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR LABOR. THEY REFUSED BECAUSE VIN NOT PART OF RECALL. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE 85,000. MY VIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AS THIS IS SAME PROBLEM, ON SAME YEAR & MODEL OF CAR AS THOSE INCLUDED IN RECALL.

Air Bags

ODI #10817689

Incident: September 1, 2015 · Filed: January 4, 2016

THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN # 13V564000. TRIED TO CONTACT BMW NORTH AMERICA AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING BECAUSE THE RECALL IS BASED ON VIN NUMBER. IF IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM, BMW SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGED AND FIX THE ISSUE FOR FREE. MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.

Air Bags

ODI #10762990

Incident: August 10, 2015 · Filed: September 10, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT PROTECTION MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Steering; Electrical System

ODI #10722313

Incident: May 29, 2015 · Filed: May 29, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT START. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,000. UPDATED 8/10/15*CN UPDATED 10/17/2017*CN

Other BMW 525XI model years

Check your 2007 BMW 525XI VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW 525XI at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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