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2008 Bmw 528i Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Critical

181 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.45 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical17V683000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Crankcase (Pcv)

electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, raises the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.

Remedy & full details

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Serious13V407000

Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights

Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).

Complaint volume

181 this model-year 14 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

Complaints filed181
Reporting a crash1
Reporting a fire24
Injuries reported2
Deaths reported0
Severity Index0.45

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

  1. Exterior Lighting — 30 reports
  2. Electrical System — 30 reports
  3. Engine — 20 reports
  4. Power Train — 15 reports
  5. Air Bags — 14 reports
  6. Fuel/Propulsion System — 14 reports
  7. Engine And Engine Cooling — 13 reports
  8. Seat Belts — 8 reports
  9. Unknown Or Other — 7 reports
  10. Seats — 4 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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