Total Complaints
11 filings
BMW 850I · model year
11 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991BMW850I carries 11 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, 1 injury, 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 1991 850I is exterior lighting:headlights with 4 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1) and suspension:rear (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 1991 850I. 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
11 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
STARTED MY BMW 850I, DRIVE HALF A BLOCK DOWN THE STREET, THE AIRBAG BLOW , BURN MY HANDS. I CAN TAKE PICTURE OF THE BROKEN AIRBAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL IF NEEDED.
Mileage: 78,000
THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ADJUSTER WAS BROKEN. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ADJUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SHINE ON THE ROAD TO ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO VIEW THE ROAD. THE LIGHTS WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 15-20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *SC *JB
BOTH HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT MECHAISMS HAVE REPEATEDLY FAILED. THIS IS AN ONGOING COMPLAINT WITH BMW 8 SERIES OWNERS. WHEN THE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FAILS THE HEADLIGHT BUCKETS POINT DOWNWARDS SO THAT THE AMOUNT OF ROAD VISIBLE TO THE DRIVER IS 25 FEET OR LESS. BMW HAS A "FIX" FOR THIS WHICH CONSISTS OF "PEENING" A PLASTIC ADJUSTMENT WHEEL TO THE ADJUSTMENT SHAFT. THIS USUALLY FAILS WITHIN SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES. BMW THEN SAYS TO BUY A NEW HEADLIGHT BUCKET... $4-500 TO FIX A $2.00 PART. SOMETIME, OR MAYBE IT HA ALREADY HAPPEND THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR A PEDESTRIAN FATALITY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE LIGHTS ARE NOT PROJECTING FAR ENOUGH FOR A DRIVER TO SEE A REASONABLE DISTANCE DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW AND HAVE YET TO RECIVE THE COURTESY OF A RETURN CALL. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS COMPLAINT WITH WHAT ACTION THAT YOU MIGHT BE TAKING REGARDING THIS MATTER.*AK
AFTER FAILURE, BMW TELLS YOU TO BUY NEW HEADLIGHT BUCKETS FOR $650 WITH NEW ADJUSTERS IN THEM, WHICH WILL FAIL AGAIN AFTER TWO TO FOUR YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE MILEAGE. AFTER FAILURE THE LIGHTS SHINE EXTREMLY LOW WITHOUT COVERING THE STREET IN FRONT OF YOU, RESULTING IN A REAL SAFETY HAZARD.
HEADLIGHT HOUSING BROKEN. POINTS DOWNWARD.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THE CONVERTIBLE HEADLIGHTS KNOB ARE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY MECHANIC AND MANUFACTURE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED HOWEVER TO RESOLVE PROBLEM MANUFACTURE HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE LIGHTS FOR $400.00 PER LIGHTS. NLM
THIS CAR LOSES COOLANT, OVERHEATS, AND BLOWS A HEAD GASKET, AND NOW POSSIBLY NEEDS NEW CYLINDER HEADS. BMW MECHANIC STATES THAT THE TEMPERATUTE GAUGE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING IF THE COOLANT HAS ALREADY COMPLETELY LEAKED OUT OF THE SYSTEM. THAT THE GAUGE DOES NOT REGISTER THE EMPTY AIR IN A NOW EMPTY COOLANT SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION THE TEMP GUAGE SHOULD TELL ME THE POSSIBILITY OF MY CAR OVERHEATING SO THAT I CAN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE($5,000 FIRST TIME) AND NOW AN ESTIMATED $9,000-15,000 DEPENDING ON EXTENT OF DAMAGE. PLEASE SEND ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A LOCAL REPUTABLE IMPORT REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAPPENS WITH THIS CAR AND THAT THEY CONSIDER IT A COMMON DEFECT/OCCURRENCE. TO COMBAT THIS THEY EVEN HAVE THEIR OWN SOLUTION MY DRILLING EXTRA HOLES IN THE ENGINE AND BOLTING IT DOWN WITHOUT HAVING TO EVEN USE A HEADGASKET. IF THIS IS ACCEPTED COMMON KNOWLEDGE TH
THIS CAR LOSES COOLANT, OVERHEATS, AND BLOWS A HEAD GASKET, AND NOW POSSIBLY NEEDS NEW CYLINDER HEADS. BMW MECHANIC STATES THAT THE TEMPERATUTE GAUGE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING IF THE COOLANT HAS ALREADY COMPLETELY LEAKED OUT OF THE SYSTEM. THAT THE GAUGE DOES NOT REGISTER THE EMPTY AIR IN A NOW EMPTY COOLANT SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION THE TEMP GUAGE SHOULD TELL ME THE POSSIBILITY OF MY CAR OVERHEATING SO THAT I CAN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE($5,000 FIRST TIME) AND NOW AN ESTIMATED $9,000-15,000 DEPENDING ON EXTENT OF DAMAGE. PLEASE SEND ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A LOCAL REPUTABLE IMPORT REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAPPENS WITH THIS CAR AND THAT THEY CONSIDER IT A COMMON DEFECT/OCCURRENCE. TO COMBAT THIS THEY EVEN HAVE THEIR OWN SOLUTION MY DRILLING EXTRA HOLES IN THE ENGINE AND BOLTING IT DOWN WITHOUT HAVING TO EVEN USE A HEADGASKET. IF THIS IS ACCEPTED COMMON KNOWLEDGE TH
THIS CAR LOSES COOLANT, OVERHEATS, AND BLOWS A HEAD GASKET, AND NOW POSSIBLY NEEDS NEW CYLINDER HEADS. BMW MECHANIC STATES THAT THE TEMPERATUTE GAUGE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING IF THE COOLANT HAS ALREADY COMPLETELY LEAKED OUT OF THE SYSTEM. THAT THE GAUGE DOES NOT REGISTER THE EMPTY AIR IN A NOW EMPTY COOLANT SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION THE TEMP GUAGE SHOULD TELL ME THE POSSIBILITY OF MY CAR OVERHEATING SO THAT I CAN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE($5,000 FIRST TIME) AND NOW AN ESTIMATED $9,000-15,000 DEPENDING ON EXTENT OF DAMAGE. PLEASE SEND ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A LOCAL REPUTABLE IMPORT REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAPPENS WITH THIS CAR AND THAT THEY CONSIDER IT A COMMON DEFECT/OCCURRENCE. TO COMBAT THIS THEY EVEN HAVE THEIR OWN SOLUTION MY DRILLING EXTRA HOLES IN THE ENGINE AND BOLTING IT DOWN WITHOUT HAVING TO EVEN USE A HEADGASKET. IF THIS IS ACCEPTED COMMON KNOWLEDGE TH
SHOCK SUPPORT CAME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE ON TWO OCCASIONS.
BRAKES CONTINUE TO FAIL ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
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.