Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

8 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
2

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 1software faults 1
A recent report: Vehicle History & Initial Defect: I took delivery of a used 2025 BMW i5 in November 2025 (1025 mi). Upon delivery, the vehicle immediately displayed a persistent "Acoustic Pedestrian Warning"…
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Vehicle History & Initial Defect: I took delivery of a used 2025 BMW i5 in November 2025 (1025 mi). Upon delivery, the vehicle immediately displayed a persistent "Acoustic Pedestrian Warning" failure. This was a direct violation of FMVSS No. 141 (Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and EV). Despite dealer assurances that a software update would resolve the issue, the failure persisted through multiple repair attempts in late 2025 and early 2026. Critical System Failures (Jan-Apr 2026): On January 18, 2026, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic drivetrain failure while in motion, displaying the messages: "Stop. Apply parking brake. Drivetrain malfunction. You cannot continue driving" and "Stop carefully now. Faults. Do not continue driving." The vehicle was rendered inoperable. Subsequently, the vehicle has been subject to five (5) total repair attempts for these and related electronic faults, including "Phantom Warnings" of the hood and trunk being open while traveling at highway speeds. Unintended Emergency Braking Event (April 4, 2026): Within 48 hours of a 31-day repair stay (where the manufacturer insisted the vehicle was safe), the Driver Assistance Professional Package (DAPP) failed. While driving on a high-speed highway, the system prompted me to place my hands on the steering wheel. I complied immediately, yet the vehicle failed to recognize human intervention. The car then initiated a sudden, unintended emergency braking maneuver in active traffic. There was a significant lag before the system relinquished control, nearly resulting an accident. Manufacturer Negligence: Despite these life-threatening failures and the vehicle meeting the 30-day out-of-service threshold under California law, BMW North America has formally denied a repurchase on 3Apr26. They have failed to warn of continued safety risks and persist in claiming the vehicle is repaired despite repeated recurrences of the same failures. I have declared a "Safety Stop Use" on the vehicle.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11729328 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
1

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 1
A recent report: Loss power and system reset

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11722386 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
3

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

loss of braking 2software faults 1
A recent report: -The automatic emergency braking system and the forward collision warning system did not work. -The car is at the dealership where an SPI is being conducted. -While there was no serious injury, had a…
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-The automatic emergency braking system and the forward collision warning system did not work. -The car is at the dealership where an SPI is being conducted. -While there was no serious injury, had a pedestrian been in front of me they would have been killed. -The manufacturer was notified the day of the accident. Within two days I received a call back from a case manager who said that BMW was taking my concerns very seriously. Two days after the first call, BMW called me and said they wanted to conduct an SPI on my vehicle. -My insurance company is aware that BMW has been contacted. -The car should have stopped itself. A red warning light should have gone off. It did not.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762662 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: was driving down the highway in heavy traffic going 70 mph and Sunroof exploded. Glass rained down on me while driving. The glass was actually risen like it had exploded upward, which is why I do not…
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was driving down the highway in heavy traffic going 70 mph and Sunroof exploded. Glass rained down on me while driving. The glass was actually risen like it had exploded upward, which is why I do not think a rock or anything else hit my vehicle.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761269 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: The dealer is refusing to remedy the recall campaign No.26V-09 stating that we need to wait for service to be due to address it. NHTSA letter says otherwise.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11733770 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 8 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2024 and 2026, roughly 4 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.