Vehicle report
2005 BMW 545I
This model year
What the record shows
The 2005 Bmw 545i is a midsize car, and the 2nd model year of a nameplate NHTSA records from 2004 to 2005.
The EPA rated three configurations: a single 4.4-litre eight-cylinder engine, rear-wheel drive only, two transmissions and running on premium gasoline.
Combined fuel economy ranges from 17 to 19 mpg depending on which one you have.
The federal record holds 78 owner complaints and 44 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.