Problems · by component
2014 BMW 5 Series electrical system problems
38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2014 BMW 5 Series cite electrical system, 25% of all 151 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
38
25% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2014 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust and there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The message "Engine Temperature High" was displayed. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the recall repairs were performed at a previous engine oil service. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.”
“car was brought in for a recall could erupt fire from engine and electrical brought car to bmw 8/2025 have checked list when brought in car was in perfect condition per bmw .pick up car checked engine light was on brought back immediately manager took to shop and cleared light immediately came back on i called them then i drive screen was saying low coolant oil low drivetrain overheating oil leaks burning smell coolant smell etc called bmw na service manager etc waited for appointment 1/26 bmw had for 8 days only to say it had nothing to do with recall car now has no power excessive smoke smell undriveable been in garage for 3 months if ran would catch on fire”
“This is a known and unaddressed issue. BMW headlight seals fail allowing condensation to build and erode electronics. Replacement costs exceed $15K and only OEM parts and BMW servicing are options. Many BMW repair shops refuse to do this work as it is overly complicated and expensive. This issue is well known and document and warrants compensation and/or recall.”
“See attached document for complaint. Greetings: I am writing pursuant to recalls No. 24V‑608, both remedy unavailable and remedy available, ten months later. During the intervening ten months, I experienced hardship, expense and loss of use of my vehicle. The attached documents represent my correspondence to BMW Customer relations. The docs were submitted on September 22, 2025 and October 14, 2025, by email. I have received no response, to date; not even acknowledgement of receipt. I hereby submit my belief that BMW has some responsibility for failure to cure the smoke condition they knew about for ten months. Please note the BMW service inspection of August 14, 2025 in which it was stated that my warning lights passed the inspection. Meanwhile, the warning lights on my dashboard look like a “xmas tree”. I am being ghosted by BMW and I have no power, unless you say I do. Please help in any way which is fair. Thank You.”
“Incident Description: This complaint concerns both the lack of navigation system support and the unresolved recall status for my 2014 BMW 5 Series. 1.Navigation System: BMW no longer supports map or system updates for this vehicle, and no hardware or retrofit upgrade is available. The outdated GPS system results in inaccurate directions, missing roads, and potentially unsafe routes. BMW dealerships confirm there are no solutions, creating a long-term safety hazard for owners who rely on navigation systems. 2.Recall Incomplete: I have an open recall on this vehicle, but BMW dealerships have only responded with vague statements such as, “it should be coming soon.” There has been no formal notification, letter, or resolution from BMW. This lack of transparency and urgency in addressing safety recalls is unacceptable. 3.Unethical Service Tactics: BMW dealerships are often more focused on convincing customers to upgrade their vehicle than resolving legitimate service issues. Staff push expensive services and frame them as “complaints” on invoices—using high-pressure tactics to imply serious mechanical threats unless those services are purchased. This raises concerns…”
“The contact owned a 2014 BMW 528i. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electrical discharge warning light illuminated and the contact noticed fire coming from the rear end of the vehicle. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss. The manufacturer was scheduled to perform an inspection of the vehicle. The contact was taken to the local medical center in a family member's vehicle. The contact sustained second-degree burns to his right ankle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. There was an open recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System), however the contact was unaware of the recall notification. The failure mileage was approximately 54,283.”
Showing 6 of 38 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.