Vehicle report
2008 BMW 535XI
This model year
What the record shows
The 2008 Bmw 535xi is a midsize car, and the 2nd model year of a nameplate NHTSA records from 2007 to 2014.
The EPA rated two configurations: a single 3-litre six-cylinder engine, 4-wheel or all-wheel drive only, two transmissions and running on premium gasoline.
Combined fuel economy ranges from 19 to 20 mpg depending on which one you have.
The federal record holds 71 owner complaints and 5 service bulletins for it.
Counts are reports, not rates. A complaint is something an owner chose to file; it is unverified and unadjusted for how many of these cars were sold, so the useful comparison is against other model years of the same car. Recalls and investigations carry more weight because a manufacturer or regulator acted on them.
Reading this report
Complaint counts are reports filed with NHTSA, not failure rates. A common model collects more of them than a rare one that breaks more often.