BMW · 6 Series · 2005
4
Recalls
40
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2005 BMW 6 Series has 4 recalls and 40 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: air bags (8 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the aluminum heat sink. This primary failure could cause adjacent components on the fan assembly motor circuit board to overheat and short.
Remedy Status
Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2008 7-SERIES VEHICLES. A CHECK VALVE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP MAY LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING OIL. OVER TIME THIS COULD RESULT IN CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
Remedy Status
BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL GUIDE PLATE.
Remedy Status
DEALERS WILL REPAIR AND REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GUIDE PLATE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-332-4269.
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 6-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 M5, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 M6 VEHICLES. THE INSULATED BULKHEAD CONNECTOR FOR THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PANEL, WHICH CAN LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE BOLT CONNECTION. AS IT LOOSENS, AN INCREASE IN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE AT THIS CABLE CONNECTION IS POSSIBLE AND COULD CAUSE THE CABLE CONNECTION TO OVERHEAT.
Remedy Status
BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND SECURE THE BATTERY BOLT CABLE CONNECTION AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.
The contact owns a 2005 BMW 645CI. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the independent mechanic for the front driver’s side bulb replacement, the mechanic informed the contact that the headlight wires were brittle and burnt. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to buy new headlamps. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was 100,046.
I PLACED AN ITEM IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WITHOUT FASTENING THE SEATBELT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON... THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY BUT THE ENGIN WAS RUNNING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 645CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE VACUUM PUMP TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
"TAKATA RECALL" HEADLIGHT WIRING BURNED
I OWN A BMW 645CI 2005 CONVERTIBLE I HAVE ISSUES YES ISSSUES WITH THIS VECHILE, FIRST ISSUE IS THE INFAMOUS IDRIVE THAT NEVER REALLY WORKED PROPERLY SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR, IT BLINKS ON AND OFF FOR 30MINS THEN IT WOULD MAGICALLY COME ON UNTIL ONE DAY IT JUST DIDN'T COME BACK ON THIS WAS AFTER A TRIP TO THE DEALER TO GET THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LOCK REPROGRAMMED.. SO THE CAR WAS INCLUDED IN THE LAWSUIT SO I TAKES IT TO THE DEALER FOR THE REPROGRAMMING AND MY CAR CAME OUT WORST THEN IT WENT IN THE IDRIVE NEVER WORKED TO THIS DAY WHICH IS 04/16/2018, MY TOP ONLY OPENS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR SLIGHTLY OPENED YES THE DOOR HAS TO BE OPEN FOR THE TOP TO OPERATE... THIS IS WHAT THE DEALER TOLD ME SO I WAS SO CONFUSED OF WHAT THE REPROGRAMMING WAS FOR ? I NEED ANSWERS AND IT'S NOTHING I DID AS A OWNER I WAS VERY TO THE BOOK WHEN IT CAME TO OPENING MY TOP AND OPERATING THE IDRIVE AND ETC... THE INFAMOUS COOLANT LEAK ALSO COMES FROM A DEFECTIVE BIMMER PIPE THAT WAS INSTALLED BY THE MAKERS OF THE VEHICLE AND WE THE CUSTOMERS HAS TO PAY TO REPAIR THESE ISSUE THAT OCCUR ON 60% IF NOT MORE OF THESE CARS ...
CONVERTIBLE TOP WARNING CAME ON SAYING IT WAS NOT LOCKED, COULD NOT USE THE WINDOWS OR ANYTHING
WHILE DRIVING, A SYMBOL ON THE DASBOARD DISPLAYED THE FOLLOWING ALERT MESSAGE "FAULT IN PASSENGER-RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT-FORCE LIMITER." THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY DURING THIS OCCURANCE.
SOME DAY WHEN I COME OUT TO MY CAR IT WANT GO IN DRIVE AND DYNAMIC MALFUNCTION & TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION POP UP ON THE SCREEN
THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP SEALS ARE LEAKING. THIS ULTIMATELY WILL AFFECT THE BRAKE ASSIST AND POTENTIALLY RESULT IN FAILURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHIN PRESCRIBED STOPPING DISTANCES CREATING POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH. THIS PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED BY THE LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP IN HIGHLANDS RANCH DENVER. OCT 1 2010 BMW RECALLED 198,000 VEHICLES INCLUDING V8 AND 6 SERIES VEHICLES FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM BUT MY VIN SHOWS NO RECALL NOTICE HOWEVER IT HAS THE EXACT SAME COMPONENT EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES AND BMW IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED AS FOR THIS VIN THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING NOTIFICATIONS. I REPEAT THE EXACT SAME ISSUE IS BEING EXPERIENCED ON MY VEHICLE AS WAS THE REASON FOR 198,000 VEHICLES RECALLED FROM THE NOTICE OF OCT 1 2010
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL, WHEN SMOKED FILLED THE CABIN OF THE CAR. SHE PANICKED AND CALLED ME AND I TOLD HER TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND GET OUT. MY SON NOTICED THAT HIS MOTHER WAS SMOLDERING. PLEASE SEE THE PICTURES ATTACHED. I CONTACTED BMW AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. I LOOK ONLINE AND FOUND THE DOCUMENT ATTACHED AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. HOW MANY TIMES DOES THIS NEED TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURTS SERIOUSLY. PLEASE CONSIDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL SO THAT THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE WARMERS CAN BE CHECKED OR REPLACED.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE AUTOBAHN AND MY BMW 645 AND ALL FAULT MESSAGE WERE DISPLAYED. AFTER THAT, THE CAR SPEED ABRUPTLY,THEN JUST CUT OFF!I IT RESTARTED WITH CODES AND ALL THEN SHUT OFF AGAIN. THIS CONTINUED FIVE TIMES UNTIL I REACHED MY DESTINATION. I RESTART THE CAR,AND IT STARTED, BUT THE RADIO AND DOOR SIREN WAS NOT WORKING WITH NO FAULT MESSAGES;NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT; AND DROVE FINE FOR A FEW MIN. AND THEN DID THE SAME THING AGAIN!! I TOOK THE CAR TO A BMW REPAIR SHOPPED TO HAVE THE FAULT CODES READ, WHICH END UP BEING A LONG LIST OF CODES.
PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION.
THIS VEHICLE WAS ONLY 31,000 MILES ON IT. HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE BRINGING HOME 9 YEARS AGO. I WAS JUST INFORMED TODAY THAT THE ENTIRE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS ALL AIR BAGS IS DEFECTIVE. THIS CAR HARDLY GETS DRIVEN.. HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT.. NEVER DRIVEN IN SNOW.. ONLY A HANDFUL OF RAIN STORMS AND THAT WAS BECAUSE I GOT CAUGHT IN ONE. IT IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION!! I JUST CALLED AN INDEPENDENT BMW SUPPLIER WHO HAS HEARD OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS SUPPLIED MANY REPAIR FACILITIES WITH THIS COMPONENT. THE COST OF THE COMPUTER IS $1,200.00. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, A SYMBOL ON THE DASBOARD DISPLAYED THE FOLLOWING ALERT MESSAGE "FAULT IN PASSENGER-RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT-FORCE LIMITER." *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 645CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH UP A HILL, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED THE BRAKE BOOSTER , THE VACUUM PUMP, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, THE VACUUM LINE, THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP, AND THE BRAKE VACUUM GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,290.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY BMW 645 FAULT MESSAGE DISPLAYED (TRANSMISSION RELATED MALFUNCTION,DRIVE MODERATELY). AFTER THAT,THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON,ALONG WITH A NEW FAULT MESSAGE THAT DISPLAYED (INCREASED EMISSION). AFTER THAT, THE CAR SPEED ABRUPTLY WENT FROM 60, TO (WHAT FELT LIKE FIRST GEAR),THEN JUST CUT OFF!! THERE WERE CARS AND TRUCKS ALL AROUND ME,DOING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 60 OR HIGHER,JUST MISSING ME,WHILE I'M SITTING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY!! I PROCEEDED TO RESTART THE CAR,AND IT STARTED, WITH NO FAULT MESSAGES;NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT; AND DROVE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS,AND THEN DID THE SAME THING AGAIN!! I TOOK THE CAR TO A BMW REPAIR SHOPPED TO HAVE THE FAULT CODES READ, WHICH END UP BEING A LONG LIST OF CODES, THAT THE MECHANICS COULD NOT FIND THE REAL CAUSE OF THE ISSUE. SO,I HAD THE SHOP REPLACE MY SPARK PLUGS; IGNITION COIL; AND RESET THE COMPUTER CODES. THE CAR DROVE OKAY FOR ABOUT A MONTH,AND THEN DID THE SAME THING AGAIN!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO,THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE ME TO END UP IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT,I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR!! AS OF 07/06/2014, MY BMW 645 IS OFTEN SHOWING FALSE; LOW OIL MESSAGE; INCREASE EMISSION; TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION; AND CLEAR AFTER TURNING CAR OFF, AND RESTARTING THE CAR!! I AM SO CONFUSED ABOUT THIS BMW 645!! *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 645 CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S DOOR ERRONEOUSLY OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILURE - BEEN DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS LIKE BUNCH OF PPL GET THIS ERROR. I DON'T THINK IS NORMAL BECAUSE MY PASSENGER SEAT IS RARELY USED AND YET I'M GETTING THAT ERROR. MY CAR IS IN MINT CONDITION, NEVER ABUSED AND ALWAYS TAKEN CARED OF. LAST TIME I WAS AT THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ALTERNATOR MAKES THE COMPUTER GIVE OUT THAT ERROR SO I CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILURE ERROR IS STILL THERE. I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE 6SERIES MODELS CONSIDERING THAT BMW HAD SIMILAR RECALLS FOR THEIR 3, 5 AND X SERIES MODELS. *TR
WATER STARTED LEAKING FROM THE CAR AND ONCE CHECKED FOUND THAT THE ALUMINUM PIPE UNDER THE INTAKE HAD A CRACKED IN IT AND HAD TO REPLACE THE PIPE WITH A NEW METAL PIPE, WHICH COST ME 1500.00 AND THE BMW MECHANIC STATES MOST OF ALL THESE CARS EXPERIENCE THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHICH CAN LOCK UP YOUR MOTOR OR CRACKED THE HEADS ON IT. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 BMW 645 CI YESTERDAY, I NOTICED A STRONG BURN SMELL IN MY CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS OUTSIDE UNTIL I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ODOR TODAY WHEN I TURNED ON MY SEAT WARMER. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, I'VE DISCOVERED THERE IS SMALL HOLE ON MY LEATHER SEAT. APPARENTLY, THE SEAT WARMER BURNT THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT CAUSING THE SMELL. THIS HAVE GOT TO BE A DEFECT, HOW CAN BMW ENGINEER A PRODUCT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CATCH ON FIRE. 02/20/2013 *TR.... UPDATED 03/08/13 *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE COMPLAINT DELETED FROM OUR DATABASE. UPDATED 03/11/13 UPDATED 3/13/13
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2005 BMW 6 Series has 4 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 40 owner-reported complaints for the 2005 BMW 6 Series.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2005 BMW 6 Series.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2005 BMW 6 Series are air bags (8 reports), air bags,seat belts (5 reports), service brakes, hydraulic (5 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 4 recalls on record for the 2005 BMW 6 Series. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.