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FaultScore report

2008 BMW M5 problems

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2008 BMW M5 with NHTSA between 2014 and 2021. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 5 worst.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the BMW M5 All 2008 cars
C

FaultScore 45/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the BMW M5.

How this is worked out

The numbers

12

Complaints

2

Crashes reported

3

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

70,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

0%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 29 vs 50 Severity 100 vs 50 Early failure 0 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 29
Against the median year of the BMW M5. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
41.7% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 0
0% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2008 compares with every other BMW M5

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2008 BMW M5

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Electrical System 2 16.7%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 72,500 mi

Engine & Cooling 2 16.7%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 65,500 mi

Equipment & Accessories 1 8.3%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 70,000 mi

Stability & Traction Control 1 8.3%

Median failure at 40,480 miles

Seats 1 8.3%

Median failure at 86,000 miles

Lights 1 8.3%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 80,000 mi

Brakes 1 8.3%

Median failure at 40,480 miles

Steering 1 8.3%

Median failure at 40,480 miles

Airbags 1 8.3%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 70,000 mi

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 8.3%

Median failure at 86,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

25,000 – 49,999 miles 4 33.3%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 3 25.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 5 41.7%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Oct 2014 peak 3 Apr 2021

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 45,000 miles Houston, TX Fire

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARALLEL PARK, THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED TO REVERSE AND A LOUD POP NOISE WAS HEARD AS FLAMES WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SCREAM TO HIM THAT THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PARKED, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING YARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED AND HE WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE LOCAL DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE WHICH WOULD HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE'S ODOMETER WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #11413930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Lutz, FL Fire

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

ALL WIRES LEADING INTO THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE DETERIORATED AND ARE BARE. IT KEEPS SHORTING OUT THE LIGHTS AND SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. THIS IS A GARAGE KEPT CAR WITH 80K MILES. APPEARS MANY MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA complaint #11258658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Lutz, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ALL WIRES LEADING INTO THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE DETERIORATED AND ARE BARE. IT KEEPS SHORTING OUT THE LIGHTS AND SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. THIS IS A GARAGE KEPT CAR WITH 80K MILES. APPEARS MANY MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA complaint #11258658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Jacksonville, FL Crash

AIR BAGS

ON SEPT 25, 2014, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 BMW M5 AND TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, SHOVED ON TOP AND OVER A MEDIAN AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR AND THEN STRUCK AGAIN FROM THE FRONT. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST THE DRIVER THAT HIT ME WAS GOING, HOWEVER, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE WERE DEPLOYED. I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CHARACTERISTICS IN WHICH EACH AIRBAG WOULD BE DEPLOYED AND I REQUESTING THE NHTSA TO PERFORM THAT REVIEW.

NHTSA complaint #10641706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Jacksonville, FL Crash

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

ON SEPT 25, 2014, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 BMW M5 AND TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, SHOVED ON TOP AND OVER A MEDIAN AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR AND THEN STRUCK AGAIN FROM THE FRONT. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST THE DRIVER THAT HIT ME WAS GOING, HOWEVER, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE WERE DEPLOYED. I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CHARACTERISTICS IN WHICH EACH AIRBAG WOULD BE DEPLOYED AND I REQUESTING THE NHTSA TO PERFORM THAT REVIEW.

NHTSA complaint #10641706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 45,000 miles Houston, TX Fire

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARALLEL PARK, THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED TO REVERSE AND A LOUD POP NOISE WAS HEARD AS FLAMES WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SCREAM TO HIM THAT THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PARKED, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING YARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED AND HE WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE LOCAL DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE WHICH WOULD HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE'S ODOMETER WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #11413930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,480 miles Pine Bush, NY

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING MY BMW M5, THE VEHICLE BECAME MOMENTARILY UNSTABLE WHILE DRIVING ON STATE ROUTE 52 BETWEEN WALKER VALLEY AND ELLENVILLE AROUND A TURN @ ~50MPH. SHORTLY AFTER THE ABS AND DSC LIGHTS BECAME ILLUMINATED. I HAVE SEVERAL VEHICLES SO I DID NOT DRIVE THIS CAR AND COULD NOT GET REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY DUE TO COVID-19. I AM NOT SURE THE EXACT DATE IN WHICH THIS OCCURRED BUT DROPPED OFF TO ORANGE COUNTY BMW ON 5/19/2020. AFTER INSPECTION IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPLETE DSC UNIT (HYDRO / ELECTRIC) COMPLETELY FAILED. MEANING THERE WAS ALTERED STABILITY CONTROL, ABS BRAKING AND COME TO FIND OUT STEERING. THE STEERING SENSORS WERE DIAGNOSED AFTER THE NEW DSC UNIT WAS INSTALLED AND COULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED DUE TO FAULTY STEERING SENSORS. NOT ONLY WAS THIS SOMETHING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HAPPEN, IT WAS ALSO EXTREMELY COSTLY TO REPAIR. TO BMW'S CREDIT THEY DID COVER THE FAULTY STEERING SENSORS BUT THE DSC UNIT THAT KEEPS THE VEHICLE HEADING IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU STEER THE CAR.....WAS NOT. I ATTACHED THE INVOICE FROM BMW CONFIRMING ALL THAT WAS STATED ABOVE. I AM SURE THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS DOCUMENTED.

NHTSA complaint #11327721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,480 miles Pine Bush, NY

SERVICE BRAKES

WHILE DRIVING MY BMW M5, THE VEHICLE BECAME MOMENTARILY UNSTABLE WHILE DRIVING ON STATE ROUTE 52 BETWEEN WALKER VALLEY AND ELLENVILLE AROUND A TURN @ ~50MPH. SHORTLY AFTER THE ABS AND DSC LIGHTS BECAME ILLUMINATED. I HAVE SEVERAL VEHICLES SO I DID NOT DRIVE THIS CAR AND COULD NOT GET REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY DUE TO COVID-19. I AM NOT SURE THE EXACT DATE IN WHICH THIS OCCURRED BUT DROPPED OFF TO ORANGE COUNTY BMW ON 5/19/2020. AFTER INSPECTION IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPLETE DSC UNIT (HYDRO / ELECTRIC) COMPLETELY FAILED. MEANING THERE WAS ALTERED STABILITY CONTROL, ABS BRAKING AND COME TO FIND OUT STEERING. THE STEERING SENSORS WERE DIAGNOSED AFTER THE NEW DSC UNIT WAS INSTALLED AND COULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED DUE TO FAULTY STEERING SENSORS. NOT ONLY WAS THIS SOMETHING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HAPPEN, IT WAS ALSO EXTREMELY COSTLY TO REPAIR. TO BMW'S CREDIT THEY DID COVER THE FAULTY STEERING SENSORS BUT THE DSC UNIT THAT KEEPS THE VEHICLE HEADING IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU STEER THE CAR.....WAS NOT. I ATTACHED THE INVOICE FROM BMW CONFIRMING ALL THAT WAS STATED ABOVE. I AM SURE THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS DOCUMENTED.

NHTSA complaint #11327721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,480 miles Pine Bush, NY

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHILE DRIVING MY BMW M5, THE VEHICLE BECAME MOMENTARILY UNSTABLE WHILE DRIVING ON STATE ROUTE 52 BETWEEN WALKER VALLEY AND ELLENVILLE AROUND A TURN @ ~50MPH. SHORTLY AFTER THE ABS AND DSC LIGHTS BECAME ILLUMINATED. I HAVE SEVERAL VEHICLES SO I DID NOT DRIVE THIS CAR AND COULD NOT GET REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY DUE TO COVID-19. I AM NOT SURE THE EXACT DATE IN WHICH THIS OCCURRED BUT DROPPED OFF TO ORANGE COUNTY BMW ON 5/19/2020. AFTER INSPECTION IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPLETE DSC UNIT (HYDRO / ELECTRIC) COMPLETELY FAILED. MEANING THERE WAS ALTERED STABILITY CONTROL, ABS BRAKING AND COME TO FIND OUT STEERING. THE STEERING SENSORS WERE DIAGNOSED AFTER THE NEW DSC UNIT WAS INSTALLED AND COULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED DUE TO FAULTY STEERING SENSORS. NOT ONLY WAS THIS SOMETHING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HAPPEN, IT WAS ALSO EXTREMELY COSTLY TO REPAIR. TO BMW'S CREDIT THEY DID COVER THE FAULTY STEERING SENSORS BUT THE DSC UNIT THAT KEEPS THE VEHICLE HEADING IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU STEER THE CAR.....WAS NOT. I ATTACHED THE INVOICE FROM BMW CONFIRMING ALL THAT WAS STATED ABOVE. I AM SURE THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS DOCUMENTED.

NHTSA complaint #11327721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Lutz, FL Fire

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

ALL WIRES LEADING INTO THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE DETERIORATED AND ARE BARE. IT KEEPS SHORTING OUT THE LIGHTS AND SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. THIS IS A GARAGE KEPT CAR WITH 80K MILES. APPEARS MANY MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA complaint #11258658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Lutz, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ALL WIRES LEADING INTO THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE DETERIORATED AND ARE BARE. IT KEEPS SHORTING OUT THE LIGHTS AND SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. THIS IS A GARAGE KEPT CAR WITH 80K MILES. APPEARS MANY MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA complaint #11258658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 86,000 miles Rochester, NY

SEATS

VANOS, ENGINE

NHTSA complaint #11081175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 86,000 miles Rochester, NY

POWER TRAIN

VANOS, ENGINE

NHTSA complaint #11081175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 86,000 miles Rochester, NY

ENGINE

VANOS, ENGINE

NHTSA complaint #11081175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Gerrardstown, WV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE SUNROOF DRAINS OF MY VEHICLE OVERFILL OR CLOG CAUSING WATER TO LEAK IN THE TRUNK AND WHEEL WELL. THE CARS WHEEL WELL HOLDS THE CARS BATTERY, RDC, AND PDC MODULES. SURROUNDED BY FOAM WHEN WATER REACHES THE MODULES THEY ARC AND SPARK CAUSING THEM TO HEAT UP AND MELT. ALSO LOCATED IN THE TRUNK IS SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS XM RADIO AMP, ETC. IF NOT CAUGHT IN TIME COULD CAUSE FIRE AND MAYBE EVEN DEATH. YOU CAN'T TELL WHEN THEY ARE OVERFILLED/CLOGGED UNTIL IT'S TO LATE. I HAVE REPLACED THEM 2 TIMES BOTH TIMES ALMOST CAUSING FIRE TO THE CAR. HERE IS A LING SHOWING THAT BMW ACKNOWLEDGES THE ISSUE AND IS NOT FIXING IT. FROM SOMEONE ELSE TOO. HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/ATTACHMENT.PHP?ATTACHMENTID=265090&D=1296781065 HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=259095&PAGE=1

NHTSA complaint #10732757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Jacksonville, FL Crash

AIR BAGS

ON SEPT 25, 2014, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 BMW M5 AND TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, SHOVED ON TOP AND OVER A MEDIAN AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR AND THEN STRUCK AGAIN FROM THE FRONT. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST THE DRIVER THAT HIT ME WAS GOING, HOWEVER, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE WERE DEPLOYED. I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CHARACTERISTICS IN WHICH EACH AIRBAG WOULD BE DEPLOYED AND I REQUESTING THE NHTSA TO PERFORM THAT REVIEW.

NHTSA complaint #10641706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Jacksonville, FL Crash

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

ON SEPT 25, 2014, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 BMW M5 AND TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, SHOVED ON TOP AND OVER A MEDIAN AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR AND THEN STRUCK AGAIN FROM THE FRONT. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST THE DRIVER THAT HIT ME WAS GOING, HOWEVER, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE WERE DEPLOYED. I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CHARACTERISTICS IN WHICH EACH AIRBAG WOULD BE DEPLOYED AND I REQUESTING THE NHTSA TO PERFORM THAT REVIEW.

NHTSA complaint #10641706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.