FaultScore

BMW 530I headlight problems

38 of the 808 complaints filed about the BMW 530I are about the lighting — 5% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2007.

38

Complaints

5%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

Lights complaints by model year

2001 530I 1 2.6%

Median failure at 41,000 miles

2002 530I 1 2.6%
2003 530I 1 2.6%
2004 530I 3 7.9%

Median failure at 132,000 miles

2005 530I 5 13.2%

Median failure at 128,500 miles

2006 530I 9 23.7%

Median failure at 117,000 miles

2007 530I 15 39.5%

Median failure at 110,000 miles

2017 530I 1 2.6%

Median failure at 105,453 miles

2019 530I 1 2.6%
2020 530I 1 2.6%

What owners said

2019 BMW 530I Cary, NC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

daytime running light module fails from improper cooling and melts the light tube (light tube is not sold as replaceable item) and is only sold as an assembly which is roughly $4000-6000 to replace per side and is a failure of the north carolina state inspection

NHTSA complaint #11695605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW 530I at 105,453 miles Roanoke, VA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The contact owns a 2017 BMW 530I. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle, the contact became aware that the headlights were inoperable. The contact stated that the headlights failed to function properly, and the lights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlamps had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 105,453.

NHTSA complaint #11652858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 BMW 530I Broken Arrow, OK

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

There is a light sensor in the digital instrument cluster that dims the brightness during the day that it makes the instrument cluster un-readable.

NHTSA complaint #11448632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 BMW 530I at 132,000 miles Port Saint Lucie, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

NEARLY EVERY BMW SUFFERS FROM FAILED WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A RECALLED OINT OF FAILURE AS IT INVOLVES EVERYBODY ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #11416044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 BMW 530I at 200,000 miles Colorado Springs, CO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS WOULD TAKE TURNS RANDOMLY WORKING, THEN ONE NIGHT BOTH HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS GOING AROUND A CORNER AT 55MPH. THIS WAS IN THE COUNTRY NO STREET LIGHTS. JUST AS I CAME TO A BLIND STOP THERE BOTH KICKED BACK ON. AFTER GETTING HOME I TOOK APART TO FIND SOME WIRES WERE ROTTING OTHER ALREADY BARE, AND OTHERS CRACKING. I PRAY THIS DOESNT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE IF THIS PROBLEM ISN'T FIXED SOMEONE'S GOING TO DIE. ALSO IF SOMEONE DOES CRASH I PRAY TO GOD THEY CAN QUICKLY GET OUT OF CAR BEFORE ALL THOSE BARE WIRES BEHIND HEADLIGHT GET SMASHED TOGETHER AND THE FIRE STARTS.

NHTSA complaint #11413478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I Mountain View, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT - REPLACED BULBS AND STILL NOT WORKING. REMOVED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND NOTICED EVERY WIRE WAS BARE WITH BARELY ANY COATING LEFT TO PROTECT THE WIRES- AT LEAST 15 WIRES. HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENT COST IS OVER $650.00.!! THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL HAZARD AND COULD CAUSE SHORTING OUT AND A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION IN THE LEAST.

NHTSA complaint #11318308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I at 139,000 miles Cocoa Beach, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

INSULATION ON ELECTRICAL WIRING INSIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS CRUMBLING APART. THIS LETS BARE WIRE TOUCH EACH OTHER AND SHORTS OUT HEADLIGHT, LEADING TO MALFUNCTIONING / VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS LIGHTING. OTHER DRIVERS MAY NOT SEE YOU COMING

NHTSA complaint #11217523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I at 105,000 miles Pflugerville, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD A HALO LIGHT THAT BURNT OUT. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND BOUGHT A REPLACEMENT BULB. WHEN I UNSCREWED THE LIGHT BULB, THE WIRING INSULATION FELL OFF AND EXPOSED ALL OF THE COPPER WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS. THEY DO NOT SELL A REPLACEMENT WIRING HARNESS AND NOW I'M REQUIRED TO BUY A NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR THE PASSENGERS SIDE WHICH COSTS APPROX $1700+ AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. DUE TO THE HIGH COSTS OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, I'M NOT ABLE TO AFFORD IT AND NOW MY CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WHICH HAS PREVENTED ME FROM DRIVING IT. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT THE OTHER HEADLIGHT HAS THE SAME ISSUE FROM READING 100'S OF OTHER FORUM POSTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLES. I'VE ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS ISSUE MYSELF USING ELECTRICAL TAPE BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR LONG. I'VE CONTACTED REPAIR SHOPS AND THEY WON'T TAKE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY APART DUE TO THE AGE OF IT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE LIGHT BULB BURNT OUT. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED IN 2015 AND I DECIDED TO DRIVE WITH THE HALO LIGHT BULB BURNT OUT BUT THEN THE LOW BEAM BULB BURNT OUT. NOW MY CAR WON'T PASS INSPECTION TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT IN TEXAS.

NHTSA complaint #11153521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I at 120,000 miles Slidell, LA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

WIRING ON HEADLIGHTS FLAKING APART LEAVING BEAR EXPOSE WIRES !!!

NHTSA complaint #11130557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I at 120,000 miles Slidell, LA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WIRING ON HEADLIGHTS FLAKING APART LEAVING BEAR EXPOSE WIRES !!!

NHTSA complaint #11130557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I at 141,232 miles Grovetown, GA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

ALL RUBBER TUBING HAS FALLEN OFF OF LIGHTS CREATING A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD.WIRING IS CURRENTLY DOWN TO COPPER, WITH MULTIPLE WIRES TOUCHING EACH OTHER WHICH HAS CAUSED MY LIGHTS TO NO LONGER WORK.

NHTSA complaint #11103484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I at 150,000 miles Huffman, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS INTERNAL WIRING GETA SO HOT IT MELTS AND CRACKS AND DETERIORATES AND CAUSES SHORT CIRCUIT EVENTUALLY LEADING TO BOTH OR SINGLE HIGH BEAM MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA complaint #11089985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 BMW 530I at 167,718 miles Fairfield, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DRIVER TAIL LIGHT LAMP ASSEMBLY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR OVERHEATED, MELTED AND DESTROYED #1 CONTACT PIN AND WIRE. DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY NO LONGER OPERATE. BRAKE AND SIGNAL LIGHTING SYSTEM DEGRADED EXPOSING VEHICLE OCCUPANTS TO INCREASED RISK OF REAR-IMPACT, POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FIRE AND DEATH. NO PART OR THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY EXTREME USE CONDITIONS. NO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE TRUNK AREA WHERE THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS LOCATED.

NHTSA complaint #11047060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I at 110,000 miles Blythewood, SC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE LEFT FRONT PARKING BULB WAS NO WORKING, TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BMW DEALERSHIP IN COLUMBIA, S.C. TO HAVE BULB REPLACED. UPON PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, THE WARNING INDICATOR FOR THE SAME BULB AND THE LEFT FRONT HIGH BEAM WARNING BOTH LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY APPEARED. I RETURNED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO INQUIRE WHY THE WARNING WAS ON, WHICH THEY STATED IT WAS PROBABLY LEFT LOOSE. THE SERVICE ADVISER RETURNED TO BRING ME INTO THE SHOP TO SHOW ME THE WIRING FOR THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKING AND FALLING OFF, EXPOSING BARE WIRE CAUSING THE SHORT AND BLOWING THE BULBS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT BMW STATED A NEW ASSEMBLY WOULD BE REQUIRED WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT $1500 EACH FOR THE PARTS. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE BULB WHILE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS ANOTHER ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSING THE BULBS TO BLOW IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE READ THE WIRING WAS COATED WITH A SOY BASED PRODUCT, WHICH IS WHY THE WIRING COATING IS PREMATURELY CRACKING AND EXPOSING BARE COPPER WIRE, CREATING AN ELECTRICAL AND FIRE HAZARD. DUE TO THE INADEQUATE MATERIAL UTILIZED BY THE MANUFACTURER, IT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER PRIOR TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

NHTSA complaint #10924673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 BMW 530I at 142,141 miles Purvis, MS

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

INTERNAL HEADLIGHT WIRING INSULATION FLAKING OFF EXPOSING COPPER WIRE CAUSING FAILURE OF PARKING AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND FAILURE OF THE FRONT HEADLIGHT SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RISK OF FIRE. ALSO HAVING ISSUES WITH INTERMITTENT CRUISE CONTROL, POWER PORTS AND FAN INSIDE THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10865336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 BMW 530I Missouri City, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

REPLACING THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB THAT FAILED, I REMOVED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FROM THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EASIER ACCESS TO THE BULB RECESSED DEEP INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING. UPON OPENING THE ACCESS PANEL, I DISCOVERED THE WIRING INSULATION OF MOST OF THE INNER WIRING HARNESS OF HEADLIGHT BRITTLE AND FLAKING OFF, EXPOSING THE BARE WIRES. THE SHORT CIRCUIT PROBABILITY IS HIGH WITH THE EXPOSED WIRES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.

NHTSA complaint #10849686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 BMW 530I at 59,800 miles Miami, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE WIRING ITHIN THE XENON ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE 2006 BMW 530I HAS EXTREME WIRING INSULATION ROT. THE EXPOSED WIRING IS EXTENSIVE ON ALL WIRES WITHIN THE ASSEMBLY ON BOTH SIDES WITH MOST OF THE WIRES NOW BARE. THIS IS CREATING A SEVERE AND DANGEROUS SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARD. I WILL UPLOAD PHOTOS WHEN I DISASSEMBLE THE CAR HEADLIGHTS AGAIN. THE FIRE HAZARD WAS FOUND WHEN REPLACING AN ANGEL EYE HEADLAMP.

NHTSA complaint #10836268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 BMW 530I at 168,000 miles Mount Dora, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

INTERNAL HEADLIGHT WIRING INSULATION FLAKING OFF EXPOSING COPPER WIRE CAUSING FAILURE OF PARKING AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE FRONT HEADLIGHT SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RISK OF FIRE

NHTSA complaint #10824753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 BMW 530I Gulfport, MS

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM SOMEONE. THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION SIGNAL ON COMPUTER HAS COME ON, THE BRAKE PAD MALFUNCTION WARNING HAS ALSO COME ON, ALONG WITH THE LEFT BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTION! I HAVE TRIED TO HAVE BMW HONOR THE WARRANTY ON THE PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT, TO NO AVAIL! I HAVE ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISOR SEVERAL TIMES, THEY ARE SAYING I NEEDED TO PAY TO HAVE THIS DONE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL UNDER THE TERMS OF 10 YEAR RULE! THE LIGHT AND BRAKES ARE FINE, HOWEVER I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE COMPUTER SAYS OTHERWISE, UNLESS THERE ARE SOME UNDETERMINED PROBLEMS. THE BRAKES AND SENSOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED! THE LIGHT IS WORKING PROPERLY, YET THE COMPUTERS READING DIFFERENTLY. I HAVE ASKED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS ABOUT THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT, THE FEMALE SALES ADVISOR STATES I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS!

NHTSA complaint #10809672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 BMW 530I at 150,000 miles SAN Antonio, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I HAVE XENON ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS OEM MADE BY HELLA. THE INSULATION ON ALL OF THE WIRING INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS FALLING OFF. YOU CANNOT TOUCH A WIRE WITHOUT THE INSULATION CRUMBLING OFF THE WIRING. NOW HAVING NUMEROUS FAULTS AND HID LIGHT ON DRIVERS SIDE IS NON FUNCTIONAL DUE TO WIRING SHORTS.

NHTSA complaint #10781864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other BMW 530I problems