Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 BMW M5 problems
Owners filed 19 complaints about the 2002 BMW M5 with NHTSA between May 2002 and Aug 2019. The most-cited component is power train (4).
Complaints
19
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train4
- Visibility3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Fuel system, gasoline3
- Structure2
- Exterior lighting2
- Engine1
- Air bags1
- Seats1
- Equipment adaptive/mobility1
- Electrical system1
- Suspension1
- Equipment1
- Other / unknown1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
3
1
0
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
4 reports1 crash
“THERE ARE NO POWER MODIFICATIONS TO MY VEHICLE, I JUST RECENTLY INSTALLED A LOWER MILEAGE ENGINE, ALONG WITH ALL OF THE PARTS SURROUNDING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION (IE CLUTCH, FLYWHEEL, THROWOUT BEARING, CLUTCH FORK, ETC). THE BREAK-IN PERIOD FOR A NEW CLUTCH IS 500 MILES OF NORMAL DRIVING AND 1000 MILES FOR THE ENGINE. I COMPLETED THE BREAK-IN PERIOD ON SATURDAY JULY 20, 2019, FOR THE CLUTCH BUT STILL HAVE SOME MILES TO GO FOR THE ENGINE BREAK-IN, SO ON 7-24-19 I WAS ENTERING THE FWY FROM A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEADAL IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING EXPLODED AND I HADN'T EVEN GOTTEN OUT OF 1ST GEAR YET!!! SO, I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, B/C I HEARD SOMETHING RUBBING, AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TOW IT BACK TO THE SHOP THAT HAD JUST INSTALLED THE NEW ENGINE. THE SHOP CONTACTED ME WITH NEWS AND PICTURES, SHOWING ME THAT THE FACTORY WELDS ON THE DIFFERENTIAL'S SUBFRAME MOUNT HAD SNAPPED APART, DROPPING THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM ITS CORRECT POSITION AND DESTROYING MY DRIVESHAFT, IN THE PROCESS. I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AND THEY SAID THERE'S A RECALL FOR THE M3 SUBFRAME BUT NOT THE M5??? THEN GOES ON TO SAY WITH THE AGE AND MILEAGE...BUT WELDS…”
Visibility
3 reports
“FOR SOME MONTHS NOW, MY REARVIEW MIRROR HAS BEEN DISCOLORED/OBSTRUCTED WITH A FLUID "BUBBLE" IN THE GLASS. I GENERALLY ONLY DRIVE THE CAR ON WEEKENDS IN BRIGHT AND SUNNY WEATHER, SO THE DECREASED VISIBILITY ISN'T A REAL BIG A DEAL AS IT WOULD BE IF DRIVEN AT NIGHT OR DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. HOWEVER I'VE RECENTLY LOOKED INTO REPLACING THE MIRROR MYSELF--THE DEALER WANTS A RELATIVELY LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO PERFORM THE WORK AS THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY--AND HAVE DISCOVERED THERE MIGHT BE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS IF EXPOSED TO THE FLUID CONTAINED INSIDE. (FELLOW OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THESE MIRRORS NOTE THAT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS FLUID TO LEAK OUT OR EXPLODE, PARTICULARLY ON HOT DAYS AS I OFTEN EXPERIENCE HERE IN FLORIDA; THIS FLUID SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR IN ADDITION TO THE AFOREMENTIONED POSSIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS.) THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER OF THE MIRROR HAS NOT PUBLICLY DISCLOSED ANY INFORMATION AT THIS TIME IN REGARDS TO THE FLUIDS CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OR PROPER HANDLING MEASURES. IF NOTHING ELSE, I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PROPER DISPOSAL METHOD IS FOR THE OLD MIRROR (WHICH I ASSUME TO CONTAIN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OF SOME…”
Engine and engine cooling
3 reports
“MY BMW M3CI IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP. IN THE LAST 23K MILES, THE CAR HAS SEEN THE SHOP MORE THAN ANYONE'S IMAGINATION. NOW THE ENGINE REVS HIGH AT IDLE, TRANSMISSION LIGHT (SMG 2 OF M3) CAME ON, WHICH NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHY, AND MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED. THE CAR NOW VIBRATE TRHOUGH OUT THE CABIN AND AT STEERING WHEEL IT VIBRATES ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER TRIES TO DOWN PLAY IT. IT'S BEEN IN TH SHOP FOR THE LAST 14 DAYS, AND STILL NO ENDING INSIGHT”
Fuel system, gasoline
3 reports
“BMW, R1150R, 2002; THE CONSUMER STATED UPON COLD START, THE MOTORCYCLE LEAKED 2 OUNCES OF FUEL ONTO THE EXHAUST. THE DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE O RINGS ON QUICK DISCONNECT FUEL LINES. *AK *CB *JB”
Structure
2 reports1 fire
“I HAVE A 2002 525I WHICH I DROVE TO WORK ON JANUARY 15, 2019. AFTER BEING IN WORK FOR 15 MINUTES, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE TOP OF THE HOOD, UNDER THE HOOD, AND UNDER THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE PVC RECALL FOR 2007-2011, BUT I ALSO READ "BMW HAD LOOKED INTO HEAT DAMAGE INVOLVING THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM AS EARLY AS 2007 BUT STEPPED UP ITS ANALYSIS WORK IN SEPTEMBER." THAT WAS FROM A CHRONOLOGY REPORT PROVIDED BY BMW TO NHTSA, AND QUOTED FROM ABCNEWS.GO.COM. WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS BMW DIDN'T LOOK BACK ANY EARLIER THAN 2007. IT WAS TERRIFYING, AND THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. WHAT IS BMW DOING ABOUT THIS? AND WHAT IS MY NEXT COURSE OF ACTION?”
Exterior lighting
2 reports
“XENON HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO BRIGHT, BLIND ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THESE HEADLIGHTS SHOULD BE BANNED! WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HEADLIGHT STANDARDS.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.