10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
44,308 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 BMW 528 engine problems

engine problem

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2008 BMW 528 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #34

Nov 252022

528

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a burning plastic odor throughout the vehicle and a dark gray cloud of smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) indicating that the remedy was available; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was notified of the recall notification and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

- Stevensville, MD, USA

problem #33

Jan 242023

528

  • 166,197 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528XI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The engine temperature warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 166,197.

- Reading, PA, USA

problem #32

Mar 022022

528

  • 0 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Prescott, AZ, USA

problem #31

Nov 072022

528

  • 107,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle in the morning, the vehicle hesitated, and revved up approximately three times. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as needed after driving approximately a half a mile. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Fountain Valley, CA, USA

problem #30

Dec 062022

528

  • miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #29

Nov 152020

528

  • 148,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was smoke coming from under the hood and through the A/C vents. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring issue. The contact stated he would pull over for approximately 30 minutes to allow the vehicle to cool down enough to drive. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had experienced a recent failure and the contact had to have the vehicle towed to his residence. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Menlo Park, CA, USA

problem #28

Mar 292022

528

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lunged forward and jerked significantly. The contact released the accelerator pedal and the failure stopped temporarily. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The contact stated that whenever the failure occurred, she would veer to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle would restart on some occasions and would fail to restart on other occasions. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence where the battery was replaced. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic on two occasions. The independent mechanic replaced the battery and fuses. However, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she smelled a strong burning odor and she noticed smoke in the rear of the vehicle. The contact veered to the side of the road, where she noticed flames on the rear driver's side of the vehicle where the gas tank was located. The contact immediately exited the vehicle. The contact also saw flames underneath the hood. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of fire extinguishers and the fire department. A fire department was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic. The independent mechanic jumpstarted the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her residence. The contact later received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine And Engine Cooling), which she associated with the failure. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Hanford, CA, USA

problem #27

Apr 152022

528

  • miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving, she noticed that smoke was coming from the hood of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the PCV valve needed to be replaced; however, the part to do the repair was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The failure mileage was unavailable. VIN tool confirms part not available.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #26

Aug 212022

528

  • 0 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528XI. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 55 MPH, there was a burning odor coming from the engine, and blue smoke from the exhaustion pipe. Additionally, there was oil blowing out from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was unknown.

- Geneva, NY, USA

problem #25

May 132013

528 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was overheating. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the failure recurred and the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where the battery and spark plugs were replaced however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer several times. The solenoid and the PCV valve were replaced. The contact stated that the seat belt and driver's side headlight harness connector were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal to the floorboard and the vehicle surged. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed to shift into drive and there was smoke coming out from the hood of the vehicle. The check engine warning light and the warning message "Transmission Malfunction" illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Hendrick BMW Certified Pre-Owned South Charlotte (9029 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273) where the gear shifter was replaced however, the failure persisted. The second dealer informed the contact that the transmission, the solenoid, and the mechatronics unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later received NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Rock Hill, SC, USA

problem #24

Apr 252022

528

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #23

Dec 012021

528

  • 88,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact stated there was an abnormal burning odor in the vehicle. The contact detected smoke in the vehicle. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling ). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000. (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT)

- Antioch, CA, USA

problem #22

Apr 122022

528

  • miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #21

Feb 152022

528

  • 148,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i Sedan. The contact stated while driving approximately 35mph when the vehicle began to produce smoke from the engine compartment alongside an odor of burning plastic. The contact was able to pull over and have the vehicle towed to their residence, but was not taken to a local dealer. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) however the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

- San Jacinto, CA, USA

problem #20

Jun 022014

528

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to towson BMW (700 kenilworth dr., towson, md) where it was diagnosed that the oil housing filter melted and the spark plugs emitted too much voltage in the vehicle. The failure was repaired. The contact also received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V683000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was notified and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. - (recall related incident)

- Lutherville, MD, USA

problem #19

Apr 012018

528

  • miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V683000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Center BMW (5201 van nuys blvd, sherman oaks, ca 91401, (818) 907-9995) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Sherman Oaks, CA, USA

problem #18

Dec 252011

528

  • 59,500 miles
TL- the contact owns a 2008 BMW 535. The contact was driving 60 mph when the vehicle overheated and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the dealer advised the contact that the electrical water pump and thermostat malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. There were no recalls for the failure of the vehicle. The failure mileage was 59,500. Kmj

- Galloway, OH, USA

problem #17

May 252011

528

  • 28,700 miles
Three wks ago my 08 528I was making a rattling sound in the engine, tin-can sounding. Took the car for service & they replaced my lifters and related parts. They said that the lifters are "known" for going bad on the 5 series and it's typically due to seasonal changes. When my husband brought the car home to me I was very upset because the noise was still there, not as loud as before. I called BMW and made another appointment, citing that this problem had not been resolved and it needed to be looked at again. The appointment with a loaner could not be scheduled for another 10 days, so we waited. During those 10 days the vehicle started to take longer to turnover at start up. I would also feel the engine lightly shuttering as I drove at speeds averaging 35-50 miles per hour. Monday 05/23/11 was my requested appointment; however because my 15 mo. Old baby was ill we had to cancel. Thank goodness we did because my car would not have made it the 20 miles of freeway to the dealership. Today, 05/25/11, I made a left out of my neighborhood and as I accelerated approx. 50 yards, my engine bucked (felt like the bottom fell out), I lost speed dramatically. Suddenly, steering became nearly impossible and I was forced to "turn" into a small shopping center. However, I lost ability to steer upon entering the parking lot. My car would respond to nothing but the brakes (thank god those atleast worked). I looked down at my gear shift to attempt to reverse away from the curb and maneuver into a parking space, though my car was thrown into neutral & would not respond to anything but "park". I attempted to startup again but engine wouldn't turn over. It was dead. Within moments my ABS, check eng, and battery lights illuminated & corresponding msgs came onto my communication screen. Car was towed. Awaiting dealership response in the am. After seeing prior complaints, I see someone needs to be fired. The us government needs to step in before people die! thank god my baby wasn't with me!

- Sewell, NJ, USA

problem #16

Sep 072010

528 6-cyl

  • 45,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 535xi. While driving approximately 65 mph, the accelerator pedal was engaged and the engine began to sputter with an extensive reduction in power. The contact continued with caution and the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they replaced the fuel pressure sensor, spark plugs and performed an oil change. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer three times in which there were no resolutions. The high pressure pump was replaced on a different occasion. In addition, when encountering a bump in the road and down-shifting from third to second gear, an abnormal clicking noise would occur. Recently, the engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was in the process of being diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. Updated 01/28/11 updated 02/07/11

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #15

Oct 282010

528

  • 22,750 miles
I purchased a certified, pre-owned 2008 BMW 535xi with approx. 22,000 miles on 10/23/10. Subsequent to my purchase, I discovered the high-pressure fuel pump in the vehicle had earlier failed and been replaced. On 10/28/10, just 5 days after purchasing - I was driving on a surface street when the car began violently shaking and rocking, the engine lost substantial power and nearly stalled, and the engine malfunction indicator lit. I took the vehicle in for service on 10/28/10 and the vehicle was returned 10/30/10. 3 of 4 fuel injectors were replaced along with all sparkplugs. At high speeds, this type of engine malfunction would pose an extreme safety risk in my opinion. I have contacted BMW usa and the dealership where I purchased the vehicle and I have not been satisfied with the response to-date.

- New Berlin, WI, USA

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