2008 BMW 550I: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 32 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is exterior lighting (16% of complaints); the 2010 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Sep 2013
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Vehicle abruptly shut off while reversing out of my driveway. Vehicle restarted after a long crank and appeared to enter a reduced power mode/limp mode with a transmission fault that locked the transmission in 4th gear. Reading OBD2 codes revealed a code for the crankshaft position sensor. Inspection of the 3 terminal sensor revealed 2 of the terminal contacts on the sensor to be shorted out with melted plastic on both the sensor and the wiring connector plug. Shorted wire could be a result of a leaking coolant passage at rear of engine within bellhousing where sensor is located. Coolant intrusion into sensor connector resulted in electrical short and melted connections.”Owner report · Engine · May 2025
“The daytime running lights aka Angel Eyes wiring is sub-standard. The plastic coating on the wires for the daytime running lights/Angel Eyes has melted away exposing bare wiring that has fused causing the lights to malfunction and not work. I believe the manufacturer is aware of this sub-standard issue and needs to provide a suitable fix or replacement for the sub-standard wiring of their product.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2023
“I was driving and came to a stop and noticed smoke and an odd smell coming from under the hood. The heater control valve and the wire connector started to smolder and melt the plastic. If it wasn't for me disconnecting the connector wire to the heater control valve, it would have definitely would have caught on fire.There was no warning other than the smoke and smell coming from the car. I am in the process of the car getting inspected from a bmw service center”Owner report · Electrical System · Aug 2023
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owns a 2008 BMW 550I. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the battery warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer and was previously repaired under an unknown recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 141,000.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Mar 2022
“The contact owns a 2008 BMW.The contact stated that he was getting ready to drive the vehicle, however when he started the vehicle, the ABS and check engine lights illuminated.The contact stated that he noticed the vehicle was overheating and turned the vehicle off.The contact heard an unusual sound which came from under the hood.The contact inspected and noticed that the coolant reservoir lid had detached and dented the hood due to the vehicle overheating.The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer.The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided no assistance.The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2022
“The wiring in my headlight assembly is crumbling and the headlight is shorting out. The coating on the wiring is trash. I own a 08 Bmw550i. BMW should be ashamed. Thanks [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”Owner report · Electrical System · Jun 2021
“Vehicle parked for days, noticed smoke from passenger side engine bay, inspection found possible faulty electrical wiring or oil leak onto electrical wiring causing small fire on engine floor. Disconnected negative terminal to battery.”Owner report · Engine · Jan 2021
“I was driving on the freeway and the power train light came on and the car began to loose a lot of power then when I pulled to side of the road the car turned of and would not start until several attempts . I waited about 8 min then started to drive . And it does this all the time now . Then the light goes out and drives fine . But this always happens . And it's very dangerous. I've been in some tight situations.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2020
“I had a parking light go bad and while I was replacing it I noticed that the wiring inside the headlight assembly is no longer insulated. The insulation has become brittle and is flaking off. I removed the cover for the other headlight and the same thing has happened to that light. It would seem that these bare wires could cause a vehicle fire.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Jun 2016
“Bought a 2008 bmw 550i and experienced headlight failure with the headlight fuse blowing repeatedly when I went to change the bulbs noticed that all the wires in the headlight were bare. Used liquid insulation to fix the issue however have seen numerous of this car catching fire from the issue after some research”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Jun 2016
When filing, owners marked a crash in 1 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
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).
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 CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
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.
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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2008 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact 550I by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2008 BMW 550I reliable?
NHTSA has 32 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2008 BMW 550I. The most complained-about area is exterior lighting (16% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2008 BMW 550I problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 79,000 miles or less.
Does the 2008 BMW 550I have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning exterior lighting:tail lights. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.