2005 BMW 545I Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 10about this part
- Share
- 13%of 78 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 76,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 10 complaints about the brakes of the 2005 BMW 545I, 13% of the 78 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 76,500 miles.
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.
“Coming to a stop sign, had to exert an unusual amount of force to the brake pedal to stop. Going to the dealer to have my brakes checked under the Bmw brake recall, I was told I had no oil in my brake line, but the car was diagnosed with a vacuum pump oil leak. Remedy was to replace pump and clean, for $1300. If you look on the Bmw e60 forum, and others, there are numerous identical complaints. Something has to be done.”
NHTSA complaint #10407868, filed 2011-06, 83,000 miles“1. The events leading up to the failure - brake loss 2. The failure, how often it occurs, its consequences: this started about 3-4 months ago. I was driving about 25-30mph and had to stop because the light turned red. I stepped on the brakes but my car did not stopped. It felt like I was stepping on a brick but there was no brake pressure. I pulled the e-brake, turned off the car and turned it back on again and it was ok after that. I ignored that issue thinking it was just a phantom issue - just like most electrical issues with Bmw's. …”
NHTSA complaint #10326412, filed 2010-04, 43,000 miles“Tl- the contact owns a 2005 Bmw 545I. The contact stated while driving at speeds of 35 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes would not fully engage. The vehicle decreased in speed but would not stop. She was able to move the vehicle from the highway and engaged the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where the independent mechanic advised the brake booster and vacuum had failed. There were no repairs yet made to the vehicle. The manufacturer would not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was not available.”
NHTSA complaint #10328989, filed 2010-05, 60,000 miles“My passenger side air bag light and seat belt light are both on at all times. The on board computer says fault in passenger side seat belt or seat belt tensioner. Also the back brakes don't work at all but the front ones do. Was wondering if this was a recall matter before I spend thousands to fix the problem”
NHTSA complaint #10960117, filed 2017-03“The contact owns a 2005 Bmw 545I. While driving approximately 45 MPH and depressing the brakes, the brake pedal dropped to the floor board. The contact applied excessive pressure to the brake pedal in order for the vehicle to come to a stop. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics or repairs. The approximate failure mileage was 87,500.”
NHTSA complaint #10407674, filed 2011-06, 87,500 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10194296Apr 1, 2021Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles: 1. Visible cracks are caused by high thermal stresses during rapid heating and cooling of the brake discs. Braking…
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 10 | 13% |
| 2004 | 4 | 9% |
Other parts of the 2005 BMW 545I
34 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
15 complaintsElectrical system
14 complaintsSeat belts
9 complaintsSteering
5 complaintsSeats
4 complaintsWheels
4 complaintsEngine cooling
3 complaintsEquipment
3 complaintsExterior lighting
3 complaintsBody and structure
3 complaintsTires
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2005 BMW 545I
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