FaultScore

BMW 528I airbag problems

98 of the 1,239 complaints filed about the BMW 528I are about the airbag system — 8% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2008.

98

Complaints

8%

Share of all complaints

12

Crashes

0

Fires

Airbags complaints by model year

1997 528I 5 5.1%

Median failure at 102,082 miles

1998 528I 6 6.1%

Median failure at 80,000 miles

1999 528I 9 9.2%

Median failure at 137,000 miles

2000 528I 10 10.2%

Median failure at 131,500 miles

2001 528I 2 2.0%
2008 528I 22 22.4%

Median failure at 100,200 miles

2009 528I 1 1.0%

Median failure at 55,000 miles

2010 528I 9 9.2%

Median failure at 68,000 miles

2011 528I 5 5.1%

Median failure at 78,000 miles

2012 528I 3 3.1%

Median failure at 36,000 miles

2013 528I 17 17.3%

Median failure at 62,500 miles

2014 528I 3 3.1%

Median failure at 70,000 miles

2015 528I 1 1.0%
2016 528I 5 5.1%

Median failure at 16,850 miles

What owners said

2013 BMW 528I Tucker, GA

AIR BAGS

Unknown

NHTSA complaint #11644190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 BMW 528I at 17,700 miles Tuscaloosa, AL

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact received a message displaying a hazard symbol for the driver restraint system. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the fault for the driver’s side air bag Intel Stage 2. The dealer confirmed that there was an internal disconnect with the air bag that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer confirmed that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the repair was not included in the recall or covered under warranty. The failure mileage was 17,700. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11625951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 BMW 528I Atlantic Highlands, NJ

AIR BAGS

Some wires within the steering wheel deteriorated causing my driver air bag to no longer be connected and my horn no longer works to alert other drivers.

NHTSA complaint #11613768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 BMW 528I Summerville, SC

AIR BAGS

My BMW i528 was parked on May 23, 2024, and the driver airbag deflated without being tampered with. The incident is on surveillance camera. Since the car was manufactured in 2008, the insurance company will not cover the cost of the incident because it was not the result of a collision. There was no light that came on prior to the incident. A diagnostic check was performed and there was no indication of a problem with the airbag.

NHTSA complaint #11594190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 BMW 528I Atlantic Highlands, NJ

AIR BAGS

The driver restraint system malfunctioned out of the blue. It’s still at the dealership where I’m paying to have it diagnosed. This problem is so common it is a running joke on Twitter, yet there’s no recall on my car that is only 8 years old.

NHTSA complaint #11579693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 BMW 528I Diablo, CA

AIR BAGS

Recently, in the last 30 days multiple critical safety components of my BMW vehicle have malfunctioned without warning, posing significant risks to my safety and that of other road users 1. **Horn System Failure**: The horn system of my BMW has ceased to function across all driving conditions, including park, reverse, drive, and when the vehicle is stationary. This abrupt failure indicates a potential electrical and mechanical malfunction, as there have been NO accidents and airbag deployments. This is very alarming and confusing how does a the horn on my vehicle just STOP working. 2. **Risk to Safety**: The failure of the horn system poses a serious hazard in emergency situations where signaling warnings or alerts to other road users is crucial. This not only jeopardizes my safety but also endangers the safety of others on the road. 3. **Seatbelt Issues**: Additionally, the seatbelts in my vehicle are experiencing difficulty clicking and seem to have restraint issues. This further compromises passenger safety in the event of a collision or sudden braking. 4. **Steering Wheel Problems**: Furthermore, there are issues with the steering wheel, which may affect the vehicle's handling and control, posing additional safety risks while driving. **Confirmation and Inspections**: I have promptly consulted with East Bay BMW, located at 4350 Rosewood Dr., Pleasanton, CA, where Danny Martinez serves as the Service Advisor, reachable directly at 925-621-8236. Even after thorough examination, the service advisor expressed shock and confusion regarding the malfunction of the horn, recognizing its crucial role in ensuring driver and passenger safety. Additionally, I am aware of several recalls related to steering wheel issues in the 2013 BMW models. Given my reliance on this vehicle for transportation to and from college, I urgently seek assis

NHTSA complaint #11572144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 BMW 528I Trenton, NJ

AIR BAGS

There seems to be a common problem with these vehicles according to similar complaints being discussed in forums. My steering wheel is malfunctioning and creating a safety concern. While driving straight my horn and electrical controls do not function. If I turn the steering wheel to one side then the horn and electrical components work. I am also afraid that the airbag may not function properly because of this.

NHTSA complaint #11551162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 BMW 528I Diablo, CA

AIR BAGS

Horn stopped working and error code says airbag error

NHTSA complaint #11550611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 BMW 528I Diablo, CA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

Horn stopped working and error code says airbag error

NHTSA complaint #11550611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 BMW 528I Las Vegas, NV

AIR BAGS

*drivers' restraint system t * There is a big possibility that airbags won't deploy when I need them to. *Confirmed by dealership *Yes vehicle has been inspected by BMW dealership. * There was no warning no other symptoms

NHTSA complaint #11525214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 BMW 528I Palo Alto, CA

AIR BAGS

BMW just issued a Do Not Drive order for BMW 5 series cars from 2000 to 2006. Our car is a 1999 BMW 528I. According to your safety records, this car also has Takata air bags, but I see no indication these have been recalled. Since they are actually older than the 2000-2006 cars, shouldn't these 1999 Takata air bags be just as dangerous? What should I do about this? Thank you.

NHTSA complaint #11521084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 BMW 528I Fresno, CA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

i was in a rear end crash accident my fault fast airbag didn’t deploy significant damage to my face car was totaled

NHTSA complaint #11518174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 BMW 528I Albuquerque, NM 1 injured

AIR BAGS

I am writing to bring to your attention a safety defect in the 2015 BMW 528i that needs to be investigated. The vehicle has a defect in the design of the occupant protection system, involving both the seatbelt and airbag systems. The battery in the 2015 BMW 528i is located in the trunk just interior and below the rear bumper. In a rear-end collision the battery may become disabled and relies on a capacitor for back up power. Per BMW specifications the capacitor only holds power for 150 seconds. In a resulting frontal impact, the airbags will not deploy if the battery power has been disrupted and the capacitor has also run out of power before the frontal impact reaches a threshold to deploy the airbags. A corresponding flaw in the occupant protection system is the adaptive load limiter disposal firing. Per BMW specifications, the adaptive load limiter had a disposal firing at 250 seconds after the initial load limiter is activated. This disposal firing allows for additional spool out of the seatbelt. This has catastrophic consequences when the front airbag has not deployed and the driver is released from the seatbelt due to the additional spool out and is allowed to come into contact with the steering wheel. Both the power defect and the adaptive load limiter defect impacts the safety performance as it relates to the passenger as well. This accident scenario was recently put to a jury in Alexander v. BMW of North America, LLC, 7:18-cv-03065-JD in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Spartanburg Division. In Alexander, the load limiter deployed at 18 ms, the power was disrupted at 120 ms, the adaptive load limiter then fired at 268 ms, and the capacitor lost power at 270 ms. The airbag was not able to be fired and the additional spool out allowed Ms. Alexander to strike the steering wheel. The jury returned a verdict for the Plaintiff and found that the system, including the airbag and seatbelt system, was defective.

NHTSA complaint #11511183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 528I Bakersfield, CA

AIR BAGS

I noticed all of a sudden when I would turn my steering wheel it would make a clicking sound. Then none of my controls were working on the steering wheel. The horn wouldnt work none of the buttons and the air bag malfunction light was on. I researched and quite a few people had the same problem and I found out it was the ribbon wire inside the steering wheel had snapped and broke. The clock spring i guess might have failed or something. So now i have no horn or airbag and it's very dangerous. To ha e it replaced will be a few hundred dollars. This car just keeps having one problem after another. This seems like a really bad design and it is easily broken. I think they should recall this.

NHTSA complaint #11492924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 528I Bakersfield, CA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

I noticed all of a sudden when I would turn my steering wheel it would make a clicking sound. Then none of my controls were working on the steering wheel. The horn wouldnt work none of the buttons and the air bag malfunction light was on. I researched and quite a few people had the same problem and I found out it was the ribbon wire inside the steering wheel had snapped and broke. The clock spring i guess might have failed or something. So now i have no horn or airbag and it's very dangerous. To ha e it replaced will be a few hundred dollars. This car just keeps having one problem after another. This seems like a really bad design and it is easily broken. I think they should recall this.

NHTSA complaint #11492924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 BMW 528I at 70,000 miles West Palm Beach, FL

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

The contact owns a 2014 BMW 528i. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, an 18-wheel semi-truck approached the vehicle closely and the contact attempted to honk the horn however, the horn failed to function. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the driver's side air bag clockspring was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA complaint #11454666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 BMW 528I at 70,000 miles West Palm Beach, FL

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2014 BMW 528i. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, an 18-wheel semi-truck approached the vehicle closely and the contact attempted to honk the horn however, the horn failed to function. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the driver's side air bag clockspring was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA complaint #11454666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 BMW 528I San Gabriel, CA

AIR BAGS

Malfunction of the passenger restraint system. Warning indicator states system is not working properly.

NHTSA complaint #11442711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 BMW 528I San Gabriel, CA

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Malfunction of the passenger restraint system. Warning indicator states system is not working properly.

NHTSA complaint #11442711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 528I Greenville, SC

AIR BAGS

I had been having problems with my seatbelt alarm coming on for a while with nothing in the seat of the passenger and then as I was trying to turn in to park I heard a click from my steering wheel as if it didn’t want to turn and the driver seat restraint malfunction error popped up . Now my horn will not work as well . I’m told that the dealership is the only place it can be repaired. I’m worried that it will deploy on me while driving . I’m sure this is an issue others have experienced as well .

NHTSA complaint #11441192 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other BMW 528I problems