Model year record

2008 BMW 535I

1 recall campaign on file for this model year. 116 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 13V407000

Exterior lighting: tail lights

Component: Exterior lighting: tail lights
Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected: 134,100
Reported to NHTSA: 2013-09-11
Owners notified: 2014-01-02

Defect description

BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).

Safety risk

Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

Component	Complaints	Median mileage
Engine	27	81,068 mi
Exterior lighting	16	70,000 mi
Electrical system	15	67,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	13	60,000 mi
Vehicle speed control	9	65,000 mi
Air bags	7	88,800 mi
Power train	6	105,000 mi
Seat belts	6	98,000 mi
Unknown or other	5	60,000 mi
Seats	3	101,000 mi
Steering	3	42,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline	2	42,300 mi
Service brakes	2	51,400 mi
Structure: body	1	1 mi
Visibility/wiper	1	36,500 mi

The 2009 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.