U.S. public vehicle records

2018 Bmw M550I: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

23 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

23,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 4 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 23 complaints (43.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	1	4.3%
Braking behavior	1	4.3%
Steering behavior	1	4.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags

Seat Belts

Electrical System

Seats

Engine

Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control

Lane Departure: Assist

Structure:Body

Air Bags: 10; Seat Belts: 6; Electrical System: 4; Seats: 3; Engine: 2; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 2; Lane Departure: Assist: 2; Structure:Body: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 19 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2018

2019

2020

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2022: 2; 2023: 4; 2024: 8; 2025: 2; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11089242 · 2018-04-21 (April 21, 2018)

ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11219693 · 2019-06-13 (June 13, 2019)

VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AT MODERATE SPEED AND HIT A SMALL POT HOLE CREATING A 3 INCH CUT WHERE TIRE AND RIM LIP MEETS. DAMAGE TO TIRE WAS NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL ONE DAY LATER WHEN TIRE WAS DEFLATED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED POTENTIAL DANGER TO DRIVER,PASSANGER AND TO OTHER ONCOMING VEHICLES.

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11219693 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11268330 · 2019-10-14 (October 14, 2019)

? THIS IS MY FOURTH CAR(BMW) BECAUSE I BIG FUN OF IT. HOPING FOR YOUR KIND CONSIDERATION. THANKS,

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11268330 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11350167 · 2020-08-18 (August 18, 2020)

DUE TO WEATHER CHANGE THE SUNROOF CAN SHATTER. THIS COULD HAD INJURED TO PASSENGER AND INFANTS IN CAR. BMW TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY ON FIXING IT

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11350167 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11353442 · 2020-09-06 (September 6, 2020)

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE SUNROOF EXPLODED OUT OF NO WHERE, BMW SAID A ROCK HIT IT OR SOMETHING BUT I AM 90% SURE A ROCK DIDN'T HIT IT. DID NOT SEE ANYTHING FLY UP TOWARDS THE CAR. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT WENT OFF IN THE CAR AND GLASS SHOWERING ALL OVER YOU BECAUSE I HAD THE SHADE OPEN. LUCKILY IT DID NOT GET INTO MY EYES TO CAUSE ANOTHER ACCIDENT. GLASS SHATTERED UPWARDS AND FROM DOING RESEARCH IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM

Owner-reported narrative. 18,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 11353442 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11458748 · 2022-03-29 (March 29, 2022)

Sunroof on 2018 BMW M550i "exploded" while driving home from work. Weather was cloudy, light rain in the 50's, late March in northern California, USA. Sunroof was in closed position and cars HVAC was not being used to create temperature or pressure difference. Heated seat was being used. Had been parked outdoors under an awning during the day and had been on the road for less than 15 minutes. The automobile will be taken to the nearest dealership in the morning. Pictures were taken. Significant safety risk to occupants if glass shatters when th…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11458748 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11495027 · 2022-11-27 (November 27, 2022)

On vacation road trip driving for about 3 hours. Instrument cluster completely shuts off and goes to black. Screen, vehit speed and rpm and all adas systems stop working. Sometimes turning the car off and on will address the issue other times it will constantly restart the instrument cluster when driving.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11495027 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11503861 · 2023-01-26 (January 26, 2023)

My old 5 series 2017 had this same problem, now my 2018 m550i has the airbag problem. A warning light for no reason pops up saying “passenger restraint system malfunction” and turns off the passengers airbag, BMW will not fix it out of warranty and charges 3,000$. Many people are driving around without airbags in a new car because of this.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11503861 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

19V684000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Reported: 2019-09-27 (September 27, 2019)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

Consequence: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

23 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

17.4%Usable mileage4 / 23 records

100.0%Valid incident date23 / 23 records

100.0%Valid filing date23 / 23 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates23 / 23 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Air Bags	1043.5% ODI 11503861 My old 5 series 2017 had this same problem, now my 2018 m550i has the airbag problem. A warning light for no reason pops up saying “passenger restraint system malfunction” and turns off the passengers airbag, BMW will not fix it out of warranty and charges 3,000$. Many people are driving around without airbags in a new car because of this. Look up ODI 11503861 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seat Belts	626.1% ODI 11540031 Passenger side sensor is faulty. BMW has issued Technical Service Bulletin to repair when found in warranty. The sensor will errantly warn airbag disable when person is not in seat. Look up ODI 11540031 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System	417.4% ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Unknown Or Other	28.7% ODI 11353442 · 18,750 mi I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE SUNROOF EXPLODED OUT OF NO WHERE, BMW SAID A ROCK HIT IT OR SOMETHING BUT I AM 90% SURE A ROCK DIDN'T HIT IT. DID NOT SEE ANYTHING FLY UP TOWARDS THE CAR. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT WENT OFF IN THE CAR AND GLASS SHOWERING ALL OVER YOU BECAUSE I HAD THE SHADE OPEN. LUCKILY IT DID NOT GET INTO MY EYES TO CAUSE ANOTHER ACCIDENT. GLASS SHATTERED UPWARDS AND FROM DOING RESEARCH IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM Look up ODI 11353442 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 11644667 The front differential and rear drive train has been problematic and has failed in model years starting 2019. My car is a April 2020 car with 34,000 miles and has already failed. There are numerous cars that share the same V8 engine and drive train, has similar front differential failures at very low mileage. BMW USA seems to not car and address the issue after it being brought to their attention. Look up ODI 11644667 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11585838 The car was purchased new in July 2023. On or about [XXX], while the car was parked the front license plate holder separated suddenly and unexpectedly from the front bumper of the car and fell to the ground. Incidental to the failure of the front license plate holder, the separation of the holder caused damage to the front bumper. There was no external force applied to the front license plate holder, and the vehicle was not involved in a collision. Because the car was stationary at the time of the incident, there was no additional damage; t… Look up ODI 11585838 at NHTSA ↗
Engine	28.7% ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 11763306 On most modern BMW models (with Hot V V8 engines like the N/S 63) the coolant tank that is supposed to last at least the lifetime of the vehicle, only lasts about 40,000 Miles before cracking. The main issue is that the tank sits over the engine, which when coolant leaks, it will leak into the injectors causing engine misfires. There is no warning to the issue until you have a low coolant, but at that point, the coolant has already dripped into your engine. Not only this but anti freeze can cause corrosion to metal, plastic and all the wiring. … Look up ODI 11763306 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seats	313.0% ODI 11586141 The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled. Look up ODI 11586141 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Structure:Body	28.7% ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11585838 The car was purchased new in July 2023. On or about [XXX], while the car was parked the front license plate holder separated suddenly and unexpectedly from the front bumper of the car and fell to the ground. Incidental to the failure of the front license plate holder, the separation of the holder caused damage to the front bumper. There was no external force applied to the front license plate holder, and the vehicle was not involved in a collision. Because the car was stationary at the time of the incident, there was no additional damage; t… Look up ODI 11585838 at NHTSA ↗
Wheels	28.7% ODI 11219693 · 20,000 mi VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AT MODERATE SPEED AND HIT A SMALL POT HOLE CREATING A 3 INCH CUT WHERE TIRE AND RIM LIP MEETS. DAMAGE TO TIRE WAS NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL ONE DAY LATER WHEN TIRE WAS DEFLATED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED POTENTIAL DANGER TO DRIVER,PASSANGER AND TO OTHER ONCOMING VEHICLES. Look up ODI 11219693 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 11606073 I have had two separate incidents of cracked wheels. I drive the vehicle on normal roadways and have had no impacts with curbs, debris or significant road hazards. The wheels show no signs of any impact or damage, just a crack. Of course the cracked wheels result in a rapid loss of tire pressure. BMW will not warranty the wheels and replacement of each has cost me $800. I feel the wheels were obviously not engineered properly to withstand the load and forces of normal highway driving. The First cracked wheel was in November of 2023 … Look up ODI 11606073 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
No usable records for this analysis.

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Complaints	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	1	None	ODI 11655700 Passenger restrain system mail function Look up ODI 11655700 at NHTSA ↗
2025-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	1	None	ODI 11680940 I’m getting a passenger restraint system malfunction message on my infotainment. Says: “Passenger restraint system limited. Increased risk of injury in case of a collision. Continue wearing safety belt.” This is the second time this has occurred on this specific vehicle. First time was in 2021 and was repaired. Now it came up again. Look up ODI 11680940 at NHTSA ↗
2025-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	1	None	ODI 11711486 To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Subject: Safety Complaint – 2018 BMW M550i Driver Assistance System I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous malfunction of the driver assistance systems in my 2018 BMW M550i. These systems behave unpredictably and cannot be reliably disabled, creating an unsafe driving condition. The vehicle’s driver assistance features (including steering and braking interventions) activate or restrict themselves unexpectedly while driving, sometimes without clear warnings. At ot… Look up ODI 11711486 at NHTSA ↗
2026-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	1	None	ODI 11755556 Throughout my ownership, I have adhered to BMW’s recommended maintenance schedule, including routine oil changes and inspections. At no point was I advised of any engine issues, oil leaks, or conditions that could potentially lead to catastrophic engine failure. Most recently, the vehicle had change oil svc. at BMW of White Plains on June 25, 2026, at 69,456 miles. On July 17, 2026, while driving on the Bronx River Parkway, I unexpectedly noticed signs indicating that the vehicle was leaking oil. I was approximately three miles from BMW of Whit… Look up ODI 11755556 at NHTSA ↗
2026-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	0	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2022: 1 complaints · 2023: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2022	0	0	1
2023	0	1	1

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2022	2	0	0
2023	1	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Air Bags	Seat Belts	Electrical System	Seats	Engine	Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control	Lane Departure: Assist	Structure:Body
Air Bags	—	6 ODI 11540031 Passenger side sensor is faulty. BMW has issued Technical Service Bulletin to repair when found in warranty. The sensor will errantly warn airbag disable when person is not in seat. Look up ODI 11540031 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11543378 Passenger Restraint Warning Light has been coming on off and on and now stays on all the time. Dealer has confirmed car needs to have the OC3 mat replaced at a very high price. Car is a 2018 BMW M550ix. Apparently this has been a common problem with the BMWs. Look up ODI 11543378 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11586141 The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled. Look up ODI 11586141 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11540031 Passenger side sensor is faulty. BMW has issued Technical Service Bulletin to repair when found in warranty. The sensor will errantly warn airbag disable when person is not in seat. Look up ODI 11540031 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 11586141 The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled. Look up ODI 11586141 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11591343 Passenger restraint system malfunction. I took it to the dealership and was told it will cost $3785.91 to replace the passenger seat mat. Looking online, this problem appears to be widespread with many individual car owners complaining of the issue. Given that this is a life safety system and its apparent prevalence, it seems appropriate to consider this for a mandatory recall. Look up ODI 11591343 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11597615 Vehicle reported a Passenger Restraint Failure intermittently and upon getting diagnosed is related to a faulty seat occupancy sensor. If this sensor can fail ~4yrs of ownership with < 30k miles driven and it is critical to passenger restraint, it would seem that this should be fixed by BMW. With quick search, the problem doesn't seem isolated: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11597615 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	0
Seat Belts	6 ODI 11540031 Passenger side sensor is faulty. BMW has issued Technical Service Bulletin to repair when found in warranty. The sensor will errantly warn airbag disable when person is not in seat. Look up ODI 11540031 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11543378 Passenger Restraint Warning Light has been coming on off and on and now stays on all the time. Dealer has confirmed car needs to have the OC3 mat replaced at a very high price. Car is a 2018 BMW M550ix. Apparently this has been a common problem with the BMWs. Look up ODI 11543378 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11586141 The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled. Look up ODI 11586141 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 11540031 Passenger side sensor is faulty. BMW has issued Technical Service Bulletin to repair when found in warranty. The sensor will errantly warn airbag disable when person is not in seat. Look up ODI 11540031 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 11586141 The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled. Look up ODI 11586141 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11591343 Passenger restraint system malfunction. I took it to the dealership and was told it will cost $3785.91 to replace the passenger seat mat. Looking online, this problem appears to be widespread with many individual car owners complaining of the issue. Given that this is a life safety system and its apparent prevalence, it seems appropriate to consider this for a mandatory recall. Look up ODI 11591343 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11597615 Vehicle reported a Passenger Restraint Failure intermittently and upon getting diagnosed is related to a faulty seat occupancy sensor. If this sensor can fail ~4yrs of ownership with < 30k miles driven and it is critical to passenger restraint, it would seem that this should be fixed by BMW. With quick search, the problem doesn't seem isolated: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11597615 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	0
Electrical System	1 ODI 11540031 Passenger side sensor is faulty. BMW has issued Technical Service Bulletin to repair when found in warranty. The sensor will errantly warn airbag disable when person is not in seat. Look up ODI 11540031 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11540031 Passenger side sensor is faulty. BMW has issued Technical Service Bulletin to repair when found in warranty. The sensor will errantly warn airbag disable when person is not in seat. Look up ODI 11540031 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	1 ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11495027 On vacation road trip driving for about 3 hours. Instrument cluster completely shuts off and goes to black. Screen, vehit speed and rpm and all adas systems stop working. Sometimes turning the car off and on will address the issue other times it will constantly restart the instrument cluster when driving. Look up ODI 11495027 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11610156 Excessive amounts of water accumulated at interior floors from the A/C drain unit. Water damage to all sensors and bad odor. Worried car may catch fire while driving. A/C will sometimes work. Look up ODI 11610156 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗
Seats	3 ODI 11586141 The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled. Look up ODI 11586141 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11591343 Passenger restraint system malfunction. I took it to the dealership and was told it will cost $3785.91 to replace the passenger seat mat. Looking online, this problem appears to be widespread with many individual car owners complaining of the issue. Given that this is a life safety system and its apparent prevalence, it seems appropriate to consider this for a mandatory recall. Look up ODI 11591343 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11597615 Vehicle reported a Passenger Restraint Failure intermittently and upon getting diagnosed is related to a faulty seat occupancy sensor. If this sensor can fail ~4yrs of ownership with < 30k miles driven and it is critical to passenger restraint, it would seem that this should be fixed by BMW. With quick search, the problem doesn't seem isolated: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11597615 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 11586141 The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled. Look up ODI 11586141 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11591343 Passenger restraint system malfunction. I took it to the dealership and was told it will cost $3785.91 to replace the passenger seat mat. Looking online, this problem appears to be widespread with many individual car owners complaining of the issue. Given that this is a life safety system and its apparent prevalence, it seems appropriate to consider this for a mandatory recall. Look up ODI 11591343 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11597615 Vehicle reported a Passenger Restraint Failure intermittently and upon getting diagnosed is related to a faulty seat occupancy sensor. If this sensor can fail ~4yrs of ownership with < 30k miles driven and it is critical to passenger restraint, it would seem that this should be fixed by BMW. With quick search, the problem doesn't seem isolated: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11597615 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	0	0	0	0
Engine	0	0	1 ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	0	0	1 ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control	0	0	1 ODI 11495027 On vacation road trip driving for about 3 hours. Instrument cluster completely shuts off and goes to black. Screen, vehit speed and rpm and all adas systems stop working. Sometimes turning the car off and on will address the issue other times it will constantly restart the instrument cluster when driving. Look up ODI 11495027 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—	1 ODI 11711486 To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Subject: Safety Complaint – 2018 BMW M550i Driver Assistance System I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous malfunction of the driver assistance systems in my 2018 BMW M550i. These systems behave unpredictably and cannot be reliably disabled, creating an unsafe driving condition. The vehicle’s driver assistance features (including steering and braking interventions) activate or restrict themselves unexpectedly while driving, sometimes without clear warnings. At ot… Look up ODI 11711486 at NHTSA ↗	0
Lane Departure: Assist	0	0	1 ODI 11610156 Excessive amounts of water accumulated at interior floors from the A/C drain unit. Water damage to all sensors and bad odor. Worried car may catch fire while driving. A/C will sometimes work. Look up ODI 11610156 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 11711486 To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Subject: Safety Complaint – 2018 BMW M550i Driver Assistance System I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous malfunction of the driver assistance systems in my 2018 BMW M550i. These systems behave unpredictably and cannot be reliably disabled, creating an unsafe driving condition. The vehicle’s driver assistance features (including steering and braking interventions) activate or restrict themselves unexpectedly while driving, sometimes without clear warnings. At ot… Look up ODI 11711486 at NHTSA ↗	—	0
Structure:Body	0	0	1 ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 11089242 ON 4/10/2018 VEHICLE WAS PARKED CAUGHT FIRE TOTTAL LOSE Look up ODI 11089242 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

2 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

2 mentions · 8.7% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11503861

Look up ODI 11503861 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11543378

Passenger Restraint Warning Light has been coming on off and on and now stays on all the time. Dealer has confirmed car needs to have the OC3 mat replaced at a very high price. Car is a 2018 BMW M550ix. Apparently this has been a common problem with the BMWs.

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Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b

Stalling or loss of power

1 mentions · 4.3% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11755556

Throughout my ownership, I have adhered to BMW’s recommended maintenance schedule, including routine oil changes and inspections. At no point was I advised of any engine issues, oil leaks, or conditions that could potentially lead to catastrophic engine failure. Most recently, the vehicle had change oil svc. at BMW of White Plains on June 25, 2026, at 69,456 miles. On July 17, 2026, while driving on the Bronx River Parkway, I unexpectedly noticed signs indicating that the vehicle was leaking oil. I was approximately three miles from BMW of Whit…

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Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b