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BMW 645CIModel year report

2005 BMW 645CI Problems

Complaints
33filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
74,115miles, 22 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 2005 BMW 645CI (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 33 consumer complaints for the 2005 BMW 645CI. The part named most often is air bags, with 10 complaints (30% of the total), followed by brakes (6) and seat belts (5). 22 of the complaints include a mileage, and 14% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 74,115 miles. Of all complaints, 4 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 47 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin 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: Body and structure (2), Suspension (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “I was driving on the autobahn and my Bmw 645 and all fault message were displayed. After that, the car speed abruptly,then just cut off!I it restarted with codes and all then shut off again. This continued five times until I reached my destination. I restart the car,and it started, but the radio and door siren was not working with no fault messages;no service engine light; and drove fine for a few min. And then did the same thing again!! I took the car to a Bmw repair shopped to have the fault codes read, which end up being a long list of codes.”

NHTSA complaint #10808701, filed 2015-12, 102,000 miles

Brakes: “My car a 645CI 2005 started making a squeaking noise and I replaced the brakes and disc after spending $800 my car was having the same problem. I run the machine and said that it was the brake booster. I took my car to my local mechanic and bought a compatible piece for this car and got worse. Then after spending over $400 I realized that there was a recall for these piece where Bmw my local dealer in ny wanted to charged $2500 for the job. I told them about my local mechanic and they would not touch the car because the original piece was removed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10443770, filed 2012-01, 67,000 miles

Seat belts: “I placed an item in the front passenger side seat without fastening the seatbelt and the airbag light came on and stayed on... This is the first time this has ever happened. The car was stationary but the engin was running.”

NHTSA complaint #11152082, filed 2018-11, 65,000 miles

Electrical system: “I own a Bmw 645CI 2005 convertible I have issues yes isssues with this vechile, first issue is the infamous idrive that never really worked properly since I purchased the car, it blinks on and off for 30mins then it would magically come on until one day it just didn't come back on this was after a trip to the dealer to get the convertible top lock reprogrammed.. …”

NHTSA complaint #11088512, filed 2018-04, 105,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

14% of the 22 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 65,000 and 98,345 miles.

5%0–105%10–255%25–5036%50–7527%75–10023%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (22 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 74,115 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.

2007201120137201520172021
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 2005 BMW 645CI 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
645ci RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed automatic162419$4,350
645ci RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed manual152318$4,550
645ci RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed automatic152217$4,850
645ci Convertible RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed automatic162419$4,350
645ci Convertible RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed manual132116$5,150
645ci Convertible RWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed automatic132116$5,150

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 2005 BMW 645CI 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. 47 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 47 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW 645CI

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20053374,1150—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20041175,0000—18—Not enough data

All BMW 645CI model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 BMW 645CI have?

NHTSA recorded 33 consumer complaints for the 2005 BMW 645CI as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2005 BMW 645CI is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 10 complaints (30% of the total), followed by brakes with 6.

Has the 2005 BMW 645CI 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 2005 BMW 645CI get?

The EPA rates the 2005 BMW 645CI (645ci, 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 2005 BMW 645CI reported?

Among the 22 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 74,115 miles and the middle half falls between 65,000 and 98,345 miles; 14% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 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.