There are 15 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2007 BMW 5 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND TRANSMISSION REPAIR ISSUES
TRANSMISSION GOES IN TO SAFE MODE SUDDENLY ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGH SPEED RANDOMLY AND SLOWS DOWN MAKING IT DANGEROUS SITUATION. CODE P17EC .
CAR VIBRATES WHEN AC IS ON. PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUZZES WHEN NO ONE IS IN THE SEAT AS WELL AS SEAT BELT TIGHTEN WHILE DRIVING. TRANSMISSION HESITANT AT TIMES. ( TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT COME ON AT TIMES, WHEN CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN SERVICE).
MY CAR DO NOT GO PASS 50 MILES PER HOUR.
TRANSMISSION JERKS AND THE CAR GIVES A KICK WHEN THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY DOWNSHIFTS FROM 2 TO 1. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP. SEEN MANY REFERENCES OF TRANSMISSION JERK / KICK ISSUES ONLINE ON BIMMERFEST. REPORTS TO BMW USA AS WELL. BMW USA REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR
I'M AN OWNER OF THE BMW530I & AROUND THE END OF APRIL I BEGAN TO FEEL A JERK TYPE OF MOTION (A SLIGHT ACCELERATION) WHEN I CAME TO A STOP . I CALLED THE DEALER WHO ASKED IF THEY COULD TEST DRIVE IT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT EXPLAIN WHAT THAT COULD BE . ON 5/30/2013 I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER & I WAS TOLD THE CAR MAY JUST NEED TO BE UPDATED BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT WAS CAUSING THE JERKING MOTION UPON STOPPING . AFTER ABOUT 1 HR 1/2 I WAS TOLD THEY NEEDED ME TO GIVE THEM AUTHORIZATION TO PUSH PASS THERE SYSTEM BECAUSE FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON THERE SYSTEM KEEPS STOPPING/UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE & THE TECH SAYS THEY TRIED SEVERAL TIMES & IF THEY CONTINUED IT COULD POSSIBLY BLOW MY ELECTRICAL OR RADIO SYSTEM , THEY WOULD NOT TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY . I COULD NOT TAKE THAT CHANCE BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY VEHICLE MY SELF & FAMILY HAS . SO AT THAT POINT THE TECH & THE SERVICE MGR EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO & THEY FELT IT WAS STILL A SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE . BMW SHOULD BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THERE OWN VEHICLES & IS THIS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT ? I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED & CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY & SECURITY OF MY SELF & MY CHILDREN . *TR
VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN 2007 BMW 530 XI IS TRANSMISSION GASKET LEAK AND I CAME TO KNOW FROM WEB THIS IS HAPPENED TO MANY VEHICLES. *TR
THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING STARTED ON JUNE 18, 2012, WHEN I HEARD A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE DRIVERS? SIDE EVERY TIME I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THE CLICKING SOUND ONLY OCCURRED WHEN I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AND WAS ONLY HEARD FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. ON JUNE 19, 2012, I DECIDED TO VISIT THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS CLICKING MY 530XI HAD. AT THIS TIME, NO ERROR MESSAGES WERE PRESENT ON THE IDRIVE SYSTEM. I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT DAY, SO I DECIDED I WOULD RETURN THE FOLLOWING DAY TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED ON IT. ON MY WAY HOME (1.5 MILE DRIVE), I HAD THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE ON MY IDRIVE SYSTEM ?AWD, DSC, ABS, AND EMERG EBV? THIS HAD ME VERY WORRIED, AND I STARTED RESEARCHING IF OTHER BMW OWNERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I DID. AFTER TALKING TO SEVERAL BMW OWNERS, THEY POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THEY ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN THE PAST, AND THAT THE PROBLEM THAT THEY HAD INVOLVED A DEFECTIVE TRANSFER CASE ACTUATOR MOTOR (BMW PART 27-10-7-546-671). ON JUNE 20, 2012, I AGAIN VISITED THE BMW SERVICE CENTER AND HAD THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST RUN ON MY VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AS A DEFECTIVE TRANSFER CASE ACTUATOR MOTOR. *TT
THE CAR BEEPS EVERY FEW MILES AND A WARNING LIGHT SHOWS IT NEED AN OIL CHANGE, I HAD JUST GOTTEN A CHANGE, SO THEY CHANGED IT AGAIN, THE NEXT DAY THE BELLS STARTED RINGING AGAIN. ALSO THE GEAR SHIFTER WENT OUT. IT IS STILL RINGING.
2007 BMW 550I, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ABOUT 48,000 MILES. AFTER A PERIOD OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, IF REVERSE IS SELECTED (E.G., IN A PARKING LOT, A U-TURN THAT REQUIRES BACKING UP), THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS RATHER THAN IMMEDIATELY ENGAGING. SCENARIO 1 (COMMON): PULLING INTO PARKING LOT AFTER 22 MINUTE HIGHWAY COMMUTE TO WORK. I START TO GO BY AN OPEN SPOT AND NEED TO ENGAGE REVERSE IN ORDER TO PULL IN. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. AFTER ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS, REVERSE FINALLY ENGAGES. THIS IS A RECENT PHENOMENON. PREVIOUSLY, ENGAGEMENT WAS IMMEDIATE. INCIDENT 1 (6 JUNE 2011): AFTER DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, A TIGHT U-TURN WAS REQUIRED. COMING OUT OF THE U-TURN, THE ROAD WAS DOWNHILL. I NEEDED TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TIGHT U-TURN. I PUT THE SHIFTER IN REVERSE, AND STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR ROLLED FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, THEN REVERSE. SAME THING. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THEN REVERSE, SAME PROBLEM. ULTIMATELY, I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR, THEN START IT AGAIN. NOW, REVERSE ENGAGED. UNFORTUNATELY, I RAN INTO A FIXTURE AT VERY LOW SPEED, CAUSING NO DAMAGE TO THE FIXTURE AND COSMETIC DAMAGE TO MY FRONT FENDER. INCIDENT 2 (10 JUNE 2011): AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, I WAS PULLING INTO A HOTEL PARKING LOT. I NEEDED TO ENGAGE REVERSE IN ORDER TO PULL IN AS I DROVE SLIGHTLY PAST THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING LOT. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE ENGINE REVVED AND DID NOT MOVE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL. I AGAIN HAD TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, THEN TURN ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE I COULD ENGAGE REVERSE. *TR
REPORTED ENGINE LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUIDS (LESS THAN 40,000 MILES AT THE TIME REPORTED) AND WAS ADVISED BY BMW DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, REPAIRS EXCEED $1000. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC'S ADVICE THAT IF TRANSMISSION GOES UNREPAIRED, RISK TRANSMISSION LOCKING UP AND NO LONGER DRIVABLE. BMW IS AWARE OF LATENT DEFECT AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE, SHOULD MAKE REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. BMW SHOULD ALSO BE CONCERNED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. TRANSMISSION FLUID RELEASES TOXINS THAT WHEN LEACHED INTO GROUNDWATER, REALSEASES CONTAMINATES INTO SOIL AND WATER, AND POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TO ECOSYSTEM. *TR
MY 2007 BMW 530XI'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLAMS AS DOWN SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. THIS HAPPENS DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION GETS HOT. IT FELT LIKE I GOT REAR ENDED EVERY TIME. THE CAR JERKS SO HARD, IT FEELS LIKE I GOT WHIPLASH. MY WIFE REFUSE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND THINK THE CAR HAS BRAKE DEFECTS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 5 TIMES AND STILL NO RESOLUTION. BMW OFFERED 2 SOFTWARE UPDATES AND IT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP. THERE WAS ALSO A VERY LOW POWER RESPONSE WHEN ACCELERATING. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY DETECTED FAILURE WITHIN THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AGAIN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
I LEASED A BMW 328I ON 02/07/07. IT IS A BRAND NEW MODEL WITH A NEW ENGINE THAN BMW 325, ACCORDING TO THE SALESMAN. ON 02/16/07, WHILE I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AT THE RED LIGHT, I FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START MOVING WHEN THE GREEN LIGHT WAS ON. THE CAR WAS STOPPED ON THE ROAD AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON. LOTS OF CARS WERE BEHIND ME AND SPEEDING PAST MY CAR. I WAS VERY UPSET AND I GOT THE 800 TOLL FREE NUMBER FOR BMW'S FREE TOWING SERVICE FROM MY SALES PERSON VIA PHONE. THE FIRST LADY WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE TOLD ME TO CALL 911 AFTER A FIVE MINUTES TALKING TO ME WITH LOTS OF QUESTIONS. A NICE GENTLEMAN HELPED ME TO PUSH MY CAR TO A SAFETY STORES PARKING LOT. SO I CALLED 800 BMW TOW LINE NUMBER AGAIN. THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BY BMW 1-800 FREE TOW LINE AFTER A 3-HOUR'S WAITING TIME. THE SALESMAN HAD TO SEND HIS ASSISTANCE TO DELIVER ME ANOTHER USED CAR DUE TO I WAS IN A HURRY TO PICK UP MY SON FROM SCHOOL. I WAS THEN TOLD ON 02/17/07 FROM THE SALES PERSON THAT THE FUEL SENSOR IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. IT WILL STOP ITS SENSOR FUNCTION AT THE LAST QUARTER OF THE FUEL INDICATOR. SO I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT KNOWING THERE WAS NO MORE FUEL INSIDE THE CAR BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT STILL HAD A QUARTER FUEL IN THE TANK. I WAS SO SCARED TO HEAR IT AND I TOLD HIM THAT THIS FUEL SENSOR DEFECT MIGHT KILL MY LIFE IF I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY AT THAT TIME WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED. SO I REFUSED TO TAKE BACK THE VEHICLE AND REQUESTED FOR EXCHANGING FOR ANOTHER CAR. BUT BMW REJECTED MY REQUEST BECAUSE "IT'S JUST A MINOR PROBLEM AND THEY ALREADY FIXED IT, " ACCORDING TO THE SALES PERSON'S MESSAGE TO ME ON MY CELL PHONE LAST NIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO BE TESTED FOR BMW TO SEE IF THEY REALLY FIXED THE FUEL SENSOR PROBLEM. IT'S VERY RISKY TO USE MY LIFE TO TEST FOR BMW WHETHER NEW SENSOR PUT ON MY VEHICLE IS ANOTHER DEFECT OR NOT. NOW I WANT TO CANCEL MY LEASING AGREEMENT ASAP. I AM HOPING BMW TO RECALL ALL THE 328I. *JB
2007 550I BMW SEDAN JERKY TRANSMISSION***CC THE TRANSMISSION WOULD ACT ERRATIC AT ANYTIME. THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH WHILE AT INTERSECTIONS AND STOP LIGHTS. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS WERE HIDDEN BY THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER HAD TO LOOK DOWN TO SEE IF THEY WERE FLASHING. *JB THE CONSUMER BROUGHT THE PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER WHO CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED. THE CONSUMER WAS SO DISAPPOINTED WITH THE WAY THE VEHICLE PERFORMED THAT HE TRADED IT IN AFTER 5 WEEKS AND 2800 MILES. *NM UPDATED *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026