Problems · by component
2015 BMW 5 Series electrical system problems
44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2015 BMW 5 Series cite electrical system, 44% of all 100 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
44
44% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2015 BMW 528i. The contact stated that while idling, there was smoke emerging from under the hood, and the contact discovered that the electrical connection for the water pump caught fire. No warning light illuminated. The contact extinguished the fire using a fire extinguisher. No injury was reported, and no police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump and other damaged components needed replacement. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The dealer submitted a claim to the manufacturer, but the manufacturer denied coverage because the water pump was previously replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had not directly contacted the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.”
“the vehicle was driven for approximately 30 minutes, operating with zero dashboard warnings or performance indicators. The vehicle was then parked on my property and turned off completely. Approximately two hours and thirty minutes later, the vehicle spontaneously ignited while stationary and unoccupied. The local fire department responded and successfully extinguished the blaze. Both physical observations and my home security camera footage confirm that the point of origin was the front right passenger side of the engine compartment. This exact location houses the factory electric water pump and its electrical plug connector, directly matching the failure mechanism detailed in NHTSA Campaign 24V608000, wherein fluid intrusion causes a severe, persistent electrical short circuit capable of igniting a fire hours after the vehicle is parked. The car is completely totaled because of this.”
“The contact owns a 2015 BMW 528i. The contact stated that while his vehicle was parked, the coolant pump connector caught on fire, which was connected to a after market Coolant pump. The failure experienced was a localized electrical fire that originated at the coolant pump connector and aftermarket coolant pump while the vehicle was parked. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) but was told by the dealer they could not repair the recall due to the vehicle having an aftermarket coolant pump. The contact stated he originally replaced the coolant pump with an aftermarket one due to a failure, as advised in the recall notice. The vehicle was occupied during the failure. There was grey smoke coming from the engine and inside the vehicle, with flames that were coming from the hood and under the engine. The fire originated specifically within the coolant pump assembly and its associated electrical connector, with the thermal damage concentrated in that area before spreading. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The…”
“The contact owns a 2015 BMW 528I. The contact previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical Systems). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was only inspected for the plug connector, and a protective shield was installed. The contact stated that the vehicle was not inspected for the water pump as part of the recall. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated, with several unknown messages displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 174,000.”
“The contact owns a 2015 BMW 535I. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the engine overheated. The engine temperature gauge was between 250 and 300 degrees. The contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with a water pump connector failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”
“The contact owns a 2015 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); 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 contact stated that after driving approximately 2 hours or more, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle and entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact would pull over to a safe location and park for approximately an hour before continuing to drive. The failure was persistent and recurred after driving for approximately 2 hours or more. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the water pump. The mechanic replaced the ignition coils twice. The contact stated that one coil was replaced the first time, and the entire four ignition coils were replaced the second time however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer related the failure to the recall; however, the part was not yet available. The manufacturer…”
Showing 6 of 44 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.