BMW 850 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints across the 1 model years of the BMW 850 (1997–1997) that have at least 5 complaints. 1997 has the most, with 7. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (3 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All 850 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 7 | 118,000 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system3 43%
- Air bags2 29%
- Other or unknown1 14%
- Engine cooling1 14%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1997: “Consumer's vehicle was pulling out of a parking lot and another vehicle hit it head on. Driver of the other car was traveling about 40 MPH. Upon impact, none of the airbags deployed.”
NHTSA complaint #10072034, filed 2004-05, 118,000 milesOther BMW models
3,165 complaintsBMW 328I
2,576 complaintsBMW X3
2,016 complaintsBMW 325I
1,377 complaintsBMW Z4
1,271 complaintsBMW 3 Series
832 complaintsBMW 528I
830 complaintsBMW 330I
813 complaints
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. Methodology