2004 BMW 525I Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2004 BMW 525I, and owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2004 BMW 525I. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2004 BMW 525I have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA; 17 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 91,119 miles. Complaints peaked in 2012 with 11 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“On dec.2 my 2004 BMW 525i was sitting outside my house when it cought on fire at the fuse panel in the trunk on the right fender well. The car had been driven over 100 miles that day. My step-daughter”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 3, 2018 · Structure
“Tl* the contact owned a 2004 BMW 525i. While the vehicle was parked in the garage, a neighbor noticed that the vehicle was on fire. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. The fire d”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 25, 2018 · Electrical system
Compare BMW 525I model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 525I model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 BMW 525I | 2 | 4 |
| 1990 BMW 525I | 3 | 11 |
| 1991 BMW 525I | 4 | 13 |
| 1992 BMW 525I | 4 | 18 |
| 1993 BMW 525I | 3 | 5 |
| 1994 BMW 525I | 4 | 7 |
| 1995 BMW 525I | 3 | 24 |
| 1998 BMW 525I | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 BMW 525I | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 BMW 525I | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW 525I | 4 | 22 |
| 2002 BMW 525I | 4 | 28 |
| 2003 BMW 525I | 2 | 32 |
| 2004 BMW 525I | 0 | 84 |
| 2005 BMW 525I | 0 | 35 |
| 2006 BMW 525I | 3 | 77 |
| 2007 BMW 525I | 2 | 72 |
| 2008 BMW 525I | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 BMW 525I | 1 | 1 |
| 2010 BMW 525I | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 BMW 525I | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 2004 BMW 525I
How do I know if my 2004 BMW 525I has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
- X53,154 complaints
- 328I2,578 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 330I815 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.