Most common 2006 BMW 5 Series problems
Share of the 85 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW 5 Series complaints by model year
Best 5 Series years: 2002, 2010, 2009. Years to avoid: 2008, 2011, 2006, 2004. Compare all years →
2006 BMW 5 Series recalls (7)
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Crankcase (pcv)
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon…
Remedy: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of…
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery › Cables
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.
Remedy: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
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: 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.
Air bags › Frontal
BMW is recalling 200,000 my 2006 3 series sport seat, my 2004-2006 5 series standard and sport seat, and my 2004-2006 x3 passenger vehicles. Depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit, small cracks have developed in the mat.
Remedy: Dealers will rework the front passenger seat sensor mat so that external force application to the seat does not cause a crack to the mat. The recall began on November 6, 2008.
Suspension › Rear › Shock absorber
On certain passenger vehicles, the lower rubber mount of the rear shock absorbers May not have been manufactured to specifications and May not adhere correctly to its housing within the shock absorber.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear shock absorber free of charge. The recall began on September 13, 2006. Owners May contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Suspension › Front › Control arm
On certain passenger vehicles, the nuts which secure the front axle control arm and tension strut to the front wheel hub May not have been tightened to specification. Over time the nuts could loosen and the control arm and tension strut could be damaged.
Remedy: Dealers will retighten the front axle control arm and tension strut nuts to the correct specifications free of charge. The recall began on June 28, 2006. Owners May contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Show 1 more recall
Power train › Automatic transmission
Certain passenger vehicles May have been built with an incorrectly manufactured automatic transmission parking pawl guide plate.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2006 BMW 5 Series:
BMW airbag light illumination
In certain my 2005 through my 2006 BMW vehicles, the occupant classification system (ocs) for the passenger frontal airbag May malfunction and render the passenger airbag inoperative.in June 2006, BMW issued a technical service bulletin (si b 72 02 06) regarding the illumination of the airbag warning light and the passenger airbag status lamp.illumination of these lights warn that an open electrical circuit May be…
BMW airbag light illumination
BMW is conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 my04 through my06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. The specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and my06/ 3-series with sport seats.
What 2006 BMW 5 Series owners say
Air bags all 36 →
Front passenger seat occupancy detection mat had to be replaced as it was defective. Though not in previous recalls in similar bmws and similar years, the error presented a safety issue that would disable the front passenger air bags and increase the risk of injury during a crash. With this error, I was forced to repair the seat mat and expended $1.5K to remedy this safety issue. This seat mat issue is a known BMW problem that BMW and NHTSA have not addressed. VIN: [redacted].
Tl contact owns a 2006 BMW 525i. While driving approximately 10 MPH, the contact's wife began to feel dizzy. The next thing she remembered is smoke appearing under the hood and she rear ended another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact was injured and had to be transported to the hospital. The vehicle sustained damage to the front end. A police report was filed. There were no air bag recalls, but there is an open investigation regarding the air bags. The current and failure mileages were 14,500.
Electrical system
A message on the vehicle display screen indicated that the right-side low beam headlight was malfunctioning. I removed the headlight assembly to replace the bulb and found the wiring insulation is crumbling to the touch, resulting in a short circuit. The headlight bulb is not actually burned out. There are many complaints about this on the BMW forums but BMW and the headlight manufacturer, hella, refuses to acknowledge the problem or do anything about it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 BMW m5. While driving between 35-40 MPH the vehicle caught on fire. The vehicle had a history of electrical problems since the day of purchase. During the fire, the vehicle lost the ability to brake. He had to use the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the flames. The vehicle was completely destroyed. He suffered minor burns on his hands. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Transmission & drivetrain
BMW car can be a death trap! My 2006 530i smg gearbox with 34K miles lost power completely without warning on the road. Luckily, I was approaching a stop light and the car became undrivable and needed to be tolled away. I was 5 minutes from getting on a highway and if I was on highway, it would be a different story. The failure was due to a leak in the hydraulic component of the transmission. This is a sealed system with no user serviceable/inspection support and obviously the car has no monitor facility for this component since there was no warning. With the hydraulic failure, the transmission disengaged the gear back to neutral which results in complete power lost and I could not "re-engage" it back in gear. The transmission is under computer control (automatic).
I bought the car it had an oil leak, radiator leak, developed an air bag malfunction, the engine stopped running, tar is accumulating on top of the sunroof every time I open it, the heater fan makes noise, the transmission makes noise after four attempts it is still leaking oil. All of my friends who own BMW's have also had air bag malfunctions. None were part of the recall, all paid $1,300.00 to have it fixed. BMW should have recalled all of them. The purpose of recalling some is to avoid a total recall. They are building their cars with inferior parts so that they do not last for more than 60,0000 before major problems occur. One of my friends has spent over $10,000 on repairs to his 2004 x3.
2006 BMW 5 Series engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 28 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 21 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 BMW 5 Series a good car?
Based on 85 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 5 Series rates avoid: 6.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the 5 Series at the same age. It is one of the 5 Series years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 BMW 5 Series?
The air bags — 36 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the electrical system (19) and transmission & drivetrain (8).
How many recalls does the 2006 BMW 5 Series have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2006 BMW 5 Series, the most recent from March 2, 2022 (crankcase (pcv)). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW 5 Series?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 2010 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2011, 2006 and 2004. See the full BMW 5 Series years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 BMW 5 Series problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 65,000 miles; 38% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.