NHTSA vehicle safety data

2007 BMW 550I Recalls & Complaints

The 2007 BMW 550I has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 37 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 550I. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2007 BMW 550I owner complaints

Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 BMW 550I, describing incidents dated June 1, 2006 to April 30, 2021.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 8 complaints
Engine 6 complaints
Exterior Lighting 6 complaints
Steering 6 complaints
Tires 4 complaints
Wheels 4 complaints

Of the 37 complaints on file, 3 report a crash and 1 a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11436341 · Filed October 11, 2021
The vehicle is Burning a lot of oil due to the valve stem seals. Because of how the engine was designed. Since 2011 to 2018 was a law suit of the same engine since 2000 of the N62 V8 Engine of BMW. Smoke of oil comes out the exhaust and BMW cannot fix the issue they designed.
ODI #11414598 · Filed April 30, 2021
CAR HAS FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MATT. RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE WAS DONE IN 2014 - THE RECALL CALLED FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT. IN THE INSTANCE OF MY CAR THE MATT WAS INSPECTED AND NOT-REPLACED. THE MATT NOW APPEARS TO BE FAULTING AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT (FOR…
ODI #11340297 · Filed July 20, 2020
THE INSULATION WIRING DETERIORATED CAUSING THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT TO STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY

Read all 37 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.

ENGINE ELECTRONICS

NHTSA #07V479000 · Engine and Engine Cooling · NHTSA notice

Reported October 12, 2007 · BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

Potentially affected: 29,250 vehicles

Owners notified October 29, 2007 · Vehicles built August 26, 2005 – June 14, 2007 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES, IN CONDITIONS OF BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH LOW HUMIDITY, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE TO OCCUR AT THE FUEL RAILS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE ENGINE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) COULD BE AFFECTED SO THAT ENGINE STALLING COULD RESULT.

Safety consequence

IF STALLING WERE TO OCCUR, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VEHICLE SPEED OR ACCELERATE AND THE POWER STEERING COULD FAIL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL ATTACH TWO GROUND CABLES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

Notes

CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2007 BMW 550I. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

37 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2007 BMW 550I.

Engine

ODI #11436341

Incident: March 1, 2021 · Filed: October 11, 2021

The vehicle is Burning a lot of oil due to the valve stem seals. Because of how the engine was designed. Since 2011 to 2018 was a law suit of the same engine since 2000 of the N62 V8 Engine of BMW. Smoke of oil comes out the exhaust and BMW cannot fix the issue they designed.

Air Bags

ODI #11414598

Incident: April 30, 2021 · Filed: April 30, 2021

CAR HAS FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MATT. RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE WAS DONE IN 2014 - THE RECALL CALLED FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT. IN THE INSTANCE OF MY CAR THE MATT WAS INSPECTED AND NOT-REPLACED. THE MATT NOW APPEARS TO BE FAULTING AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT (FOR CHILDREN ETC.) IS ON EVEN WITH FULL GROWN ADULTS SITTING IN THE SEAT. SEEMS TO BE THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT GO OFF EVEN WHEN IT SHOULD. BMW ISSUES NUMEROUS WARRANTY EXTENSIONS FOR THE 04-10 E60 5 SERIES AND SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY REPORTED ISSUE. IN THE INSTANCE OF MY VIN THE RECALL WAS CONDUCTED (BUT THE MATT NOT REPLACED) AND THE PROBLEM THE RECALL AIMED TO CORRECT FOR IS OCCURRING. I WOULD SUGGEST ANOTHER RECALL OR AN EXTENSION OF WARRANTY FOR ALL VEHICLES THAT HAD THIS RECALL DONE AS NOT EVERY CAR HAD THE FAULTY PART REPLACED.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11340297

Incident: June 27, 2020 · Filed: July 20, 2020

THE INSULATION WIRING DETERIORATED CAUSING THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT TO STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY

Unknown or Other; Engine

ODI #11337521

Incident: January 1, 2007 · Filed: July 5, 2020

OIL LEAKS DUE TO IMPROPERLY FITTING VALVE STEM SEALS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT RENDERING THE CAR CONSTANTLY LEAKING OIL AND VIRTUALLY IN DANGER OF COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11330723

Incident: June 25, 2020 · Filed: June 25, 2020

WIRING IN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES SHORTS OUT BECAUSE OF DEGRADED DEFECTIVE WIRING INSULATION. HEADLIGHTS CAN IMMEDIATELY FAIL WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. *TR

Engine

ODI #11325965

Incident: May 1, 2018 · Filed: May 26, 2020

EXCESSIVE EXHAUST SMOKE WHEN VEHICLE IS IDLING... WHITE SMOKE. THE OIL SEEMS TO COLLECT SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE WHILE IDLING AND CONTINUES TO SMOKE FOR A WHILE, AFTER IDLING AND IN MOTION. THE SMOKING SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN IDLING ON AN INCLINE OR DECLINE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A WHILE. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A RECALL DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BEING PREVALENT WITH THIS 8 CYL ENGINE. I AM JUST NOW REPORTING THIS ISSUE BUT IT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW. *TR

Electrical System; Exterior Lighting

ODI #11267841

Incident: October 9, 2019 · Filed: October 11, 2019

WAS REPLACING H7 HEADLAMPS AND DISCOVERED ALL OF THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING INSIDE BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAD DISINTEGRATED AND BOTH ASSEMBLIES CONTAINED MULTIPLE BARE WIRES. THIS COULD RESULT IN A SHORT OR BLOWING A FUSE WHEN DRIVING MAKING HEADLAMPS STOP WORKING. COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. OR CAR COULD CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO SHORT CIRCUIT. I HAVE GOOGLED THIS AND FOUND MANY MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. A RECALL SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN VOLUNTARY ON BMW USA OR FORCED BY THE NTSB. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #10943728

Incident: January 3, 2017 · Filed: January 8, 2017

I PULLED MY BATTERY TO CHARGE IT AND NOW I'M GETTING A WHEEL LOCK ALARM WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW MY CAR TO START. IT IS IN MY DRIVE WAY SAME AS WHEN I LAST USED IT. IT RAN FINE PRIOR TO CHARGING MY BATTERY.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10904807

Incident: September 7, 2016 · Filed: September 8, 2016

EXPERIENCE "HIGHBEAM MALFUNCTION" WARNING LIGHT. INSPECTED THE HEADLAMPS (E60 ADAPTIVE XENON PART # 6312710157). THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOW-BEAM HALOGEN MELTED THROUGH REFLECTOR. INSPECTED WIRING AND THE SHEATHING / JACKET WERE DISINTEGRATING CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITING. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS IS A RESULT OF BMW'S USE OF BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS IN MID-200'S CARS. NOT ONLY IS THIS A FIRE HAZARD, THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO GET A NEW HEADLAMP SET (~$1300 EACH)

Steering

ODI #10874790

Incident: June 16, 2016 · Filed: June 17, 2016

THE STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON. THIS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY.

Other BMW 550I model years

Check your 2007 BMW 550I VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW 550I at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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