Total Complaints
10 filings
BMW 650I · model year
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008BMW650I carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 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 2008 650I is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by engine (2) and seats (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 2008 650I. 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.
Total Complaints
10 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PIPES, HOSES, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 650I. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway and had the vehicle towed an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the vehicle was leaking oil and the engine oil seals needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. Additionally, the vehicle had lost power while on the road causing the contact to have to pull off the road. The contact observed that the "engine malfunction" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the engine failure had been ongoing. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,001.
Mileage: 127,001
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 650I. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway and had the vehicle towed an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the vehicle was leaking oil and the engine oil seals needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. Additionally, the vehicle had lost power while on the road causing the contact to have to pull off the road. The contact observed that the "engine malfunction" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the engine failure had been ongoing. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,001.
Mileage: 127,001
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 650I. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE ENTERED LIMP MODE AND THE SPEED WAS REDUCED. THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,965.
Mileage: 105,965
THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY IN TANK FUEL PUMP THAT HASN'T BEEN REPLACE I. NOTIFYIED MY BMW DEALER SHIP IN HENDERSON NV. AND THEY AND THEY REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE MY RECALL ABOUT THE FUEL PUMP THEY REFUSE TO DO IT. AND YES I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FAIL. AND MY VEHICLE FALLS IN THE CATEGORY OF FOR THE RECALL IS LISTED IN THE RECALL BY NASTA
Mileage: 121,876
ALL THE WIRING TO THE STANDARD XENON HEADLIGHTS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE DETERIORATED. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY BMW, AS THEY WERE USING BIODEGRADABLE WIRING COATING. THE PROTECTIVE COATING OF THE WIRES DRIES UP, FALLS OFF AND CREATES SHORTS LEADING TO TOTAL HEADLIGHT FAILURE THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMERIOUS COMPLAINTS OF THESE WIRES CAUSING CAR AND ENGINE FIRES AS WELL AS DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK. BMW REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEIR ONLY FIX IS TO HAVE THE CONSUMER BUY NEW HEADLIGHTS AT ROUGHLY $1800 PER LIGHT. IN MY CASE, BOTH HEADLAMPS HAVE DETERIORATED WIRE COATING AND EXPOSED WIRES. THE RIGHT HEADLAMP HAS FAILED.
Mileage: 51,000
ALL THE WIRING TO THE STANDARD XENON HEADLIGHTS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE DETERIORATED. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY BMW, AS THEY WERE USING BIODEGRADABLE WIRING COATING. THE PROTECTIVE COATING OF THE WIRES DRIES UP, FALLS OFF AND CREATES SHORTS LEADING TO TOTAL HEADLIGHT FAILURE THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMERIOUS COMPLAINTS OF THESE WIRES CAUSING CAR AND ENGINE FIRES AS WELL AS DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK. BMW REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEIR ONLY FIX IS TO HAVE THE CONSUMER BUY NEW HEADLIGHTS AT ROUGHLY $1800 PER LIGHT. IN MY CASE, BOTH HEADLAMPS HAVE DETERIORATED WIRE COATING AND EXPOSED WIRES. THE RIGHT HEADLAMP HAS FAILED.
Mileage: 51,000
WE HAVE ALMOST DIED IN THIS CAR TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IN 2017, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, AND OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND STARTER IN FLAMES. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE CAR SPENT A WEEK IN THE SHOP GETTING "REPAIRED". THIS PAST WEEK, AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I SMELLED WHAT SMELLED LIKE BURNING METAL. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD HOWEVER NOTHING WAS THERE. FELT A SLIGHT BURN ON MYSELF AND DISCOVERED THAT MY HEATED SEAT HAD BURNED A A HALF DOLLAR SIZE HOLE IF NOT BIGGER INTO THE SEAT AND BURNED THROUGH MY EXPENSIVE JACKET AND A SWEATER! THIS CAR IS UNSAFE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, WE LEARNED THAT THOUSANDS OF BMW'S CATCH ON FIRE EVERY YEAR. WE SPENT MONEY ON A LUXURY VEHICLE FOR MORE SAFETY AND COMFORT, NOT A DEATH TRAP. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR AND HAVE NOT DONE SO SINCE THE LAST FIRE (BURNED SEAT).
WE HAVE ALMOST DIED IN THIS CAR TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IN 2017, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, AND OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND STARTER IN FLAMES. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE CAR SPENT A WEEK IN THE SHOP GETTING "REPAIRED". THIS PAST WEEK, AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I SMELLED WHAT SMELLED LIKE BURNING METAL. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD HOWEVER NOTHING WAS THERE. FELT A SLIGHT BURN ON MYSELF AND DISCOVERED THAT MY HEATED SEAT HAD BURNED A A HALF DOLLAR SIZE HOLE IF NOT BIGGER INTO THE SEAT AND BURNED THROUGH MY EXPENSIVE JACKET AND A SWEATER! THIS CAR IS UNSAFE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, WE LEARNED THAT THOUSANDS OF BMW'S CATCH ON FIRE EVERY YEAR. WE SPENT MONEY ON A LUXURY VEHICLE FOR MORE SAFETY AND COMFORT, NOT A DEATH TRAP. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR AND HAVE NOT DONE SO SINCE THE LAST FIRE (BURNED SEAT).
WE HAVE ALMOST DIED IN THIS CAR TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IN 2017, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, AND OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND STARTER IN FLAMES. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE CAR SPENT A WEEK IN THE SHOP GETTING "REPAIRED". THIS PAST WEEK, AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I SMELLED WHAT SMELLED LIKE BURNING METAL. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD HOWEVER NOTHING WAS THERE. FELT A SLIGHT BURN ON MYSELF AND DISCOVERED THAT MY HEATED SEAT HAD BURNED A A HALF DOLLAR SIZE HOLE IF NOT BIGGER INTO THE SEAT AND BURNED THROUGH MY EXPENSIVE JACKET AND A SWEATER! THIS CAR IS UNSAFE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, WE LEARNED THAT THOUSANDS OF BMW'S CATCH ON FIRE EVERY YEAR. WE SPENT MONEY ON A LUXURY VEHICLE FOR MORE SAFETY AND COMFORT, NOT A DEATH TRAP. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR AND HAVE NOT DONE SO SINCE THE LAST FIRE (BURNED SEAT).
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 650I. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP ON THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT CLOSE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE VEHICLE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF LAS VEGAS (6900 W SAHARA AVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89117, (702) 570-0279), BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
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.