general problems of the 2008 BMW 528

Ten problems related to power train have been reported for the 2008 BMW 528. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2008 BMW 528 based on all problems reported for the 2008 528.

1 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 12/16/2022

Transmission system is not functioning properly. The shifter automatically shifts into "n" or "p" when shifting into "d" or "r". The instrument cluster displays "transmission malfunction". Check engine light comes on. The code is p17e1 "ratio monitoring clutch "a".

2 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 03/29/2022

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact stated while driving at 30 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lunged forward and jerked significantly. The contact released the accelerator pedal and the failure stopped temporarily. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The contact stated that whenever the failure occurred, she would veer to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle would restart on some occasions and would fail to restart on other occasions. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence where the battery was replaced. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic on two occasions. The independent mechanic replaced the battery and fuses. However, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she smelled a strong burning odor and she noticed smoke in the rear of the vehicle. The contact veered to the side of the road, where she noticed flames on the rear driver side of the vehicle where the gas tank was located. The contact immediately exited the vehicle. The contact also saw flames underneath the hood. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of fire extinguishers and the fire department. A file department was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to the an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic jumpstarted the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her residence. The contact later received recall notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v119000 (engine and engine cooling), which she associated with the failure. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

3 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 02/14/2019

When at a stoplight or stop sign, the car will shut off and the transmission goes into neutral.

4 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 11/26/2018

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528xi. The contact stated that the vehicle independently shifted into neutral at any rate of speed while the gear was in drive or reverse. In addition, the vehicle lost power. The failures occurred without warning. The dealer (BMW of towson, 700 kenilworth dr, towson, MD 21204, (410) 317-2237) was notified, but could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact also noticed excessive smoke entering the vehicle through the air vents and thick, white smoke coming from the tailpipe. In addition, the vehicle stalled several times without warning. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the failures. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was not available.

5 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 11/08/2018

In my 2008 528i I was experiencing the same as many others where if you are at a complete stop and you go to accelerate the car doesn't respond right away and you naturally apply more gas and then the car jumps ahead of you. If you were to move to the d/s position, the car was perfect and you didn't experience any lag in acceleration, seems pedal has to be pressed more than it should before getting an immediate throttle response. Like a small dead spot, I suppose. Only in normal mode. No lag in sport mode. Response is immediate. It has scared me a few times when pulling out from a stop sign into traffic, thinking you have plenty of time and ease onto the accelerator only to find yourself moving like a snail, then having to stomp on it to get moving as traffic nears.

6 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 10/03/2018

I have a hard time accelerating.

7 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 02/23/2015

I live in the state of virginia. I have been experiencing the same issues with my 2008 BMW for about a month now. My coworker has the same year make and model, and is also experiencing or has experienced the same issues. We both have had our cars in the shop at the same time and the vehicles are now repaired. The issue with the vehicle is it begins to stall as driving which is dangerous in our area for traffic. The car will not pick up speed while driving and you can not go over 10 miles per hour. The car also jerks. The problems with both our vehicles were the same ; oil leak, a transmission leak, and a problem with the cylinders not working as connected to the spark plugs. As I previously stated this is an extremely dangerous driving conditions. And times when you need to accelerate the car stalls which almost causes the car behind you to run into you. The maintenance for my car was 3200 dollars at the dealership. My coworker took her car to an import repair shop and over the course of 2 times, she ended up spending about 1200 plus dollars. Please look into this matter as I don't think people are reporting it to the right authority.

8 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 01/15/2014

For the past month, my car, a 2008 BMW 528 I (automatic) would slip out of reverse (r) into park (p) as I was accelerating backward from a dead stop. The steptronic gear shift mechanism would do this approximately 30% of the time, and cause the car to jerk to a stop. It would require me to put it back into drive and start again. Eventually as I keep driving and I'm at a stop light or sitting idle, the "transmission malfunction" message would pop up on my lcd and then the gear would go into neutral and stop driving all together. This created a dangerous situation, as sometimes I was in an intersection when this occurred. The gear shift mechanism is faulty!.

9 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 01/13/2014

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact stated that while in reverse, the vehicle stalled and the vehicle independently shifted into park. The contact took the vehicle to a mechanic for diagnostic testing and was advised that there was a leak and crack in the transmission oil pan and the electronic sleeve. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 65,000.

10 Power Train problem

Failure Date: 05/13/2013

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528i. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was overheating. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road for a moment. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. However, the failure recurred and the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where the battery, the spark plugs were replaced. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer several times. The solenoid and the pcv valve were replaced. The contact stated that the seat belt and driver's side headlight harness connector were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact depressed the accelerator all the way to the floorboard and the vehicle surged. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed to shift into drive and there was smoke coming out from the hood of the vehicle. The check engine warning light and the warning message "transmission malfunction" illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, hendrick BMW certified pre-owned south charlotte (9029 south blvd, charlotte, nc 28273) where the gear shifter was replaced. However, the failure persisted. The second dealer informed the contact that the transmission, the solenoid and the mechatronics unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later received NHTSA campaign number: 22v119000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.


Other Power Train related problems of the 2008 BMW 528


528 Service Bulletins
528 Safety Recalls
528 Defect Investigations