2006 BMW 5 Series Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 7about this part
- Share
- 8%of 85 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 82,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2006 BMW 5 Series, 8% of the 85 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 82,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was driving a new Bmw m5 in chicago on lower lake shore drive (the bridge over the chicago river.) at approximatly 30-35 miles/hour the car was not controllable and this resulted in to a major crash with significant injury, several devices were not functioning properly including the deployment of the air-bags. I have been driving for over thirty years and during this time I did not experience even a minor accident nor did I ever receive a ticket for a traffic violation.”
NHTSA complaint #10156087, filed 2006-04, 1,300 miles“A message on the vehicle display screen indicated that the right-side low beam headlight was malfunctioning. I removed the headlight assembly to replace the bulb and found the wiring insulation is crumbling to the touch, resulting in a short circuit. The headlight bulb is not actually burned out. There are many complaints about this on the Bmw forums but Bmw and the headlight manufacturer, hella, refuses to acknowledge the problem or do anything about it.”
NHTSA complaint #10683432, filed 2015-02, 138,570 miles“The panoramic sunroof on e60 Bmw wagons has a faulty design of the drains which re-directs water into the rear of the car (spare tire area) causing multiple electrical components to fail while driving: lights, windshield wipers, door locks, speedometer, etc. In my case, the failure occurred twice in a period of 18 months. The dealer and Bmw north america repaired the car at owners' expense although an extended warranty was in force. …”
NHTSA complaint #10278369, filed 2009-07, 74,000 miles“The contact owns a 2006 Bmw 535xi. The contact stated that the brake light assembly shorted out. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who decided to replace all three rear brake lights, rear driver side reverse light and both turn signals in the rear. In addition, the contact stated that the doors on the vehicle appear to close and latched and inadvertantly open. The contact was informed of recall NHTSA campaign id number: 12v504000 (latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch) but was informed it only affected the 2007 model. The vehicle had not been repaired. …”
NHTSA complaint #10482218, filed 2012-10, 82,000 miles“The taillights of bmws (made in about the last three years), some lexus (starting about two years ago) and some cadillacs (starting about a year ago) use leds that are modulated on and off. These can become a distraction at night when moving one's eyes quickly from side to side. It can give the illusion that there are more cars on the highway than there are.”
NHTSA complaint #10171166, filed 2006-10Related service bulletins
- 10040057Aug 1, 2011Bmw: wiring on the headlights may have deteriorated due to environmental conditions and the cover not being secured properly. E60/e92. *rm updated 9/30/11.
- 10035244Oct 1, 2010Bmw vehicle: adaptive headlights. A check control (cc) message is displayed for the adaptive headlights. The headlamps no longer turn with steering wheel movement. Fault code…
- 10037025Aug 1, 2010Bmw: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty.
- 10025983Jun 1, 2008Bmw: headlamp moisture: fault diagnostics. Water or condensation in one or both headlamps. Models 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, x5, x6, 1 series, and 3 series. Model years…
Exterior lighting: other model years
Other parts of the 2006 BMW 5 Series
36 complaintsElectrical system
19 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
8 complaintsBrakes
7 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
7 complaintsEngine
6 complaintsTires
4 complaintsWheels
4 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
3 complaintsSeats
3 complaintsBody and structure
3 complaintsSuspension
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2006 BMW 5 Series
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology