2005 BMW 545I: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 78 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (36% of complaints); the 2004 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
78
owner complaints
1
fire reports
86,950
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 86,950 mi)Weak spot: air bags (36%)1 fire report
Common problems
Computed from 78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)36% · 28 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)14% · 11 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)14% · 11 complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic (brakes)9% · 7 complaints
Wheels (wheels, lug nuts, bearings)4% · 3 complaints
Tires4% · 3 complaints
“The wiring inside of the headlights has dried up and fallen off, leaving bare electrical wire. The resulting was both of the headlights became non operational at night. To replace the headlights in the car with all the factory features is about 3200.00 for parts alone. I know of others who have had this happen, and everyone i know who owns one, has the same exact problem. The vehicle in question barely has 125,000 miles on it. I feel the manufacturer should repair these vehicles at no cost to the owners.”Owner report · Electrical System · Nov 2021
“At approxamitately 1:20pm on July 13, after being parked for a little over an hour I was told that my car was burning. 911 was called immediately and the owner of the establishment went outside and called to the firemen at the station on the other side of the street. Their response was immediate. Response was so quick that damage was limited to the right rear. Which seems that the fire started in the area directly foreward and above the battery”Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2021
“Driving approximately 50 mph an accident occurred where there was oil in road. My car lost control and veered into a guard rail on the highway. My car was subsequently totaled and none of my air bags deployed in the crash.”Owner report · Air Bags · May 2020
Show 7 more owner reports
“Good evening all, every time I fill up the gas in the vehicle, there is a strong smell inside the cab. This began occurring about 4 years ago but has continued thought my time with the vehicle. Currently, I cannot fill the tank at more than . If I do fill up the vehicle to more than I face having to smell the fumes of the fuel inside the cab of the vehicle. This is a safety issue and should be recalled. Many people have a similar complaint with these vehicles.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jul 2018
“As I understand a vehicle for passenger side airbag in passenger side free stream has been dealt with already I just received this vehicle several months ago so it is new to me and I have the same errors as which a recall has been issued for my car 2005 545 I bmw. As I have read after x amount of years a recall is finalized I just received this vehicle several months ago so I feel I am still able to succeed from this safety recall from the manufacture”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jun 2018
“Good evening sir, I am writing to you because my vehicle had bare wires on the headlight. The hot wire and ground wires were touching. I did not have the headlight working. There is a problem with the wires of the vehicle peeling off after a certain amount of time.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jun 2018
“Certain bmw models including e60 2005 545i almost all require valve seal replacement due to faulty manufacturing defects. This results in oil leaking into the engine and secondary air injector causing smoke to emit out of the tailpipes. Although my car passed al computerized smog checks, it did not pass the new visual test because of these faulty valve stem seals. This occurs afte idling the engine for 10 minutes. The repair costs for this are about equal to the retail value of the car. Every mechanic I've spoken to believes this should be recalled.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2017
“My passenger side air bag light and seat belt light are both on at all times. The on board computer says fault in passenger side seat belt or seat belt tensioner. Also the back brakes don't work at all but the front ones do. Was wondering if this was a recall matter before I spend thousands to fix the problem”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 2005 bmw 545i. While driving approximately 30 mph, the passenger side air bag indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and replaced the sensor, but the failure recurred after two weeks. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic who informed the contact about an air bag recall and referred the contact to NHTSA. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was not remedied. The recall details were not provided. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Dec 2016
“The front airbag sensor has malfunctioned, this is a huge safety hazard that had a recall and shame on bmw for not covering this for the life of their vehicles. God forbid someone gets hurt because they could not afford to pony up the $1300 to fix this shoddy part”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2015
When filing, owners marked a crash in 2 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2005 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
Engines4.4L
Cylinders8
FuelGasoline
Body stylesWagon
How other years compare
Check your exact 545I by VIN
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Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2005 BMW 545I reliable?
NHTSA has 78 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2005 BMW 545I. The most complained-about area is air bags (36% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2005 BMW 545I problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 86,950 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.