Total Complaints
6 filings
BMW 1 SERIES · model year
2004 BMW 1 SERIES
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004BMW1 SERIES carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 1 SERIES is air bags with 1 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (1) and visibility/wiper (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2004 1 SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20180111ENGINE
THE '04 BWM 545I HAS BEEN LEAKING MOTOR OIL THROUGHOUT THE MOTOR GASKET AND HOLES. THE POWER STEERING IS LEAKING HOLES CONNECTING TO THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING AND THE RESERVOIR STAYS LOW ON FUILD DUE TO THE ISSUE I HAD TO PARK THE CAR IN GARAGE, IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED BECAUSE ALL OF THESE ISSUES NOT DRIVEABLE
Mileage: 125,000
20180111STEERING
THE '04 BWM 545I HAS BEEN LEAKING MOTOR OIL THROUGHOUT THE MOTOR GASKET AND HOLES. THE POWER STEERING IS LEAKING HOLES CONNECTING TO THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING AND THE RESERVOIR STAYS LOW ON FUILD DUE TO THE ISSUE I HAD TO PARK THE CAR IN GARAGE, IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED BECAUSE ALL OF THESE ISSUES NOT DRIVEABLE
Mileage: 125,000
20180111SUSPENSION
THE '04 BWM 545I HAS BEEN LEAKING MOTOR OIL THROUGHOUT THE MOTOR GASKET AND HOLES. THE POWER STEERING IS LEAKING HOLES CONNECTING TO THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING AND THE RESERVOIR STAYS LOW ON FUILD DUE TO THE ISSUE I HAD TO PARK THE CAR IN GARAGE, IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED BECAUSE ALL OF THESE ISSUES NOT DRIVEABLE
Mileage: 125,000
20160603FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
GAS TANK IS NOT REGISTERING PROPERLY. GAUGE SHOWS NEEDING FUEL BUT GAS COMES OUT WHEN YOU ARE PUMPING SIGNIFYING THAT IT IS FULL. ALSO, PUMP TO WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID IS NOT WORKING. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX.
Mileage: 124,000
20160603VISIBILITY/WIPER
GAS TANK IS NOT REGISTERING PROPERLY. GAUGE SHOWS NEEDING FUEL BUT GAS COMES OUT WHEN YOU ARE PUMPING SIGNIFYING THAT IT IS FULL. ALSO, PUMP TO WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID IS NOT WORKING. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX.
Mileage: 124,000
20140606AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 5301. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER RESET THE AIR BAG SYSTEM HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.
Mileage: 60,000
Compare 2004BMW1 SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 BMW 1 SERIES have?▼
The 2004 BMW 1 SERIES has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW 1 SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 BMW 1 SERIES is AIR BAGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM and VISIBILITY/WIPER.
Is the 2004 BMW 1 SERIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.