Introduced in model year 2004 and ending in 2010, the BMW e60 5-series included the popular sedan and station wagon models, as well the ultra-performance M5 and a variety of security vehicles. All vehicles tend to have inherent problems, and this Bimmer is no different. One such problem is the brake booster which can get filled with oil and begin to fail. This could be a dangerous issue and should be addressed by a trained German auto expert as soon as possible.
Some drivers have noted that it is hard to apply the brakes even when driving at low speeds. They have to push the pedal all the way to the floor just to get it to stop. They say it does not happen all the time but rather sporadically. Drivers complain that sometimes the brakes work just fine, but then out of nowhere they have to slam on the brakes even if they are just coasting toward a red-light. Again, this happens sometimes, but not always.
Drivers have noted that they have “fixed” this issue by turning off the engine and re-starting, or by putting the car in neutral for a minute. The car will then drive fine for a while, but the brakes then begin acting up again.
BMW has pinpointed the problem to a faulty hose to the vacuum pump in some models. The hose fails and begins to leak oil into the brake booster. The hose, booster and master cylinder are all part of a BMW recall (for some models with v8 engines). Contact an independent BMW service center to and see if your vehicle qualifies for the recall. It is not necessary to go to a dealership, a local BMW technician can assist you.
Search for a local, independent BMW repair shop with BMW mechanics that have dealer-level expertise at a fraction of the expense.