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BMW 545IModel year report

2004 BMW 545I Problems

Complaints
44filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
99,282miles, 38 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.4L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 BMW 545I (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 44 consumer complaints for the 2004 BMW 545I. The part named most often is air bags, with 18 complaints (41% of the total), followed by electrical system (12) and engine (10). 38 of the complaints include a mileage, and 5% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 99,282 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 48 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 27 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Engine cooling (2), Other or unknown (2), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Not too long ago I had my car parked on a street on a sunny day. I got in the vehicle and started it and received a message on my idrive saying that there is a passenger restraint system malfunction and a airbag light along with the seatbelt light lit up on the dash. Dealer says that there is no recall for this issue yet online I've read that my model does in fact have a recall for this issue.”

NHTSA complaint #10864301, filed 2016-05, 91,200 miles

Electrical system: “My I drive or ccc has malfunctioned. At first the screen would turn on and off or freeze up. Finally the screen went blank. This unit provide the safety information of the vehicle. This unit also provides the communications such as bluetooth and hands free functions. This unit also provides all the service information/ basically it like driving a vehicle with out a brain. This seems to be a recurring problem with other Bmw owner.”

NHTSA complaint #11018755, filed 2017-08, 174,250 miles

Engine: “When beginning to drive, the vehicle would slam to the point where I thought I was rear ended. I took the car to my mechanic and he said it was the transmission and the fix was costly. Continues to do this at times and will also do a smaller scale slam when slowing to a stop light or stop sign.”

NHTSA complaint #10486032, filed 2012-11, 65,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I purchased this vehicle thinking that it would be a safe car for my family and friends. The transmission seems to be slipping and an excessively harsh 2-1 downshift occurs when decelerating to a stop. Also, transmission bangs into gear when accelerating from a full or a rolling stop. This occurred several times on a daily basis. One time in specific I was driving with my 4 year old niece and it caused her to become alarmed as well as injure her neck. …”

NHTSA complaint #10632248, filed 2014-09, 113,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

5% of the 38 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 81,520 and 123,760 miles.

0%0–103%10–253%25–5013%50–7532%75–10032%100–15018%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (38 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 99,282 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

2011920132015201720192026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2004 BMW 545I version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
545i RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed automatic162419$4,350
545i RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed manual152318$4,550
545i RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed automatic152217$4,850

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2004 BMW 545I in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 48 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 48 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW 545I

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20057886,4000—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20044499,2820—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All BMW 545I model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 BMW 545I have?

NHTSA recorded 44 consumer complaints for the 2004 BMW 545I as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 BMW 545I is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 18 complaints (41% of the total), followed by electrical system with 12.

Has the 2004 BMW 545I been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2004 BMW 545I get?

The EPA rates the 2004 BMW 545I (545i, 4.4L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 BMW 545I reported?

Among the 38 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 99,282 miles and the middle half falls between 81,520 and 123,760 miles; 5% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.