Selling a dead or junk BMW 6 Series
Most of the 6 Series complaints on file come from one stretch of cars. The 2004 to 2010 coupes and convertibles hold 125 of the 214 complaints owners filed with NHTSA, and the 2005 alone has 40, more than any other year.
- Model years (EPA)
- 1984-2019
- Generations
- E24, E63/E64, F06/F12/F13, G32
- Complaints to NHTSA
- 214
- Year with the most complaints
- 2005 (40)
- Component named most
- Air bags (35)
- Recall campaigns
- 21
- Fires reported
- 15
Whether yours is a 1980s coupe that has sat for years or a 2012 with an engine problem, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
Generation by generation
Wikipedia lists four generations. The model years under each are our grouping of NHTSA's data.
| Generation | Sold | Body styles | Model years counted | Complaints | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E24 | 1976-1989 | 2-door coupe, M30 straight-six (M635CSi/M6 aside) | 1984-1989 | 5 | 0 |
| E63/E64 | 2003-2010 | Coupe and convertible | 2004-2010 | 125 | 11 |
| F06/F12/F13 | 2011-2018 | 4-door Gran Coupe, convertible, coupe | 2012-2019 | 84 | 4 |
| G32 | 2017-2023 | 5-door 6 Series Gran Turismo | shares the 2018-2019 rows |
The 6 Series came back in January 2003, 14 years after the E24 ended, according to Wikipedia. When the F-generation cars ended, the coupe, convertible and Gran Coupe moved to the 8 Series name.
E24 (1984-1989 in the data): five complaints, two brake recalls
Old 6 Series cars barely show up in the complaint file: one complaint each for 1984, 1985 and 1988, and two for 1989. Recall 84V006000 dealt with a power brake booster that may have been machined wrong, putting stress and possible cracks into the master cylinder; its campaign is 1,612 vehicles. Recall 86V151000 replaced a brake light switch that could overheat and melt inside, across 97,300 vehicles that are not all 6 Series cars.
E63/E64 (2004-2010): air bags, then electrical
Of the 2005's 40 complaints, 14 are about air bags. The 2006 is led by seats, tires and service brakes, 4 apiece. On the 2007 and 2008, the electrical system leads (6 and 4). These years also hold 11 of the 15 fires reported, and the only death in the file, on a 2007.
The recalls tie in. Recall 12V126000 covers 2004-2010 cars: the insulated bulkhead connector for the positive battery cable may not be secured, and dealers inspect and secure it. Recall 10V446000, same years, deals with oil seeping from a check valve on the brake vacuum pump. Both campaigns are large (367,682 and 198,352 vehicles) because they include 5 Series and other models.
V8 cars had their own. Recall 07V479000 added two ground cables in the engine bay of 2006-2007 cars, because static could discharge at the fuel rails in cold, dry weather. Recall 04V303000 installed a missing retention clip on the fuel supply line of some 2004 8-cylinder cars. Recall 05V504000 replaced a transmission parking pawl guide plate on 240 vehicles from 2005-2006.
F06/F12/F13 (2012-2019): the engine shows up
The 2012 has 23 complaints and 11 name the engine. The 2013 has 22, with 9 for the engine. NHTSA shows no complaints filed under 2011.
Recall 12V161000 replaced the auxiliary water pump on 2012 6 Series Convertibles with turbo 8-cylinder engines, a 2,846-vehicle campaign shared with the 5, 7, X5 and X6. Recall 14V176000 replaced VANOS housing bolts, in a campaign of 156,137 across many BMW models. Later, 16V914000 replaced air bag modules on 2017 640i, 650i and M6 cars, and 24V527000 replaced the driver air bag on 2015 Gran Coupe, convertible and coupe models.
Complaints and recalls by model year
6 Series figures from NHTSA as of October 10, 2026. The last F-generation 6 Series cars are the youngest here, so their owners have filed for the fewest years. Where rows are grouped, the recall column gives the smallest and largest count for a single year in that span.
| Model year | Complaints | Fires | Recall campaigns | Most-named component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-1989 | 5 | 0 | 0-1 a year | Air bags or steering (1-2) |
| 2004 | 14 | 0 | 4 | Air bags (4) |
| 2005 | 40 | 4 | 3 | Air bags (14) |
| 2006 | 26 | 2 | 6 | Seats, tires, service brakes (4 each) |
| 2007 | 24 | 4 | 4 | Electrical system (6) |
| 2008 | 12 | 1 | 2 | Electrical system (4) |
| 2009-2010 | 9 | 0 | 2 a year | Engine (3, all on the 2010) |
| 2012 | 23 | 3 | 4 | Engine (11) |
| 2013 | 22 | 1 | 0 | Engine (9) |
| 2014 | 13 | 0 | 0 | Structure and tires (2 each) |
| 2015 | 9 | 0 | 1 | Wheels (3) |
| 2016-2017 | 2 | 0 | 0-1 a year | One each |
| 2018 | 11 | 0 | 2 | Air bags, unknown or other (2 each) |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 1 | One each |
Repair it or sell it?
- Check the 6 Series VIN for open recalls at NHTSA. On a 2004-2010 car, ask a BMW dealer about the battery cable and brake vacuum pump campaigns.
- 2012-2013 with a bad engine? Compare the written quote to what a running one from that year sells for. The blown engine guide helps with that call.
- An E24 that has sat for decades? The old project car guide covers what to expect when you sell one.
Selling the 6 Series whole
- Note which body you have (coupe, convertible, Gran Coupe or Gran Turismo), plus the VIN, mileage and the problem.
- Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
- Explain where it is parked. A convertible with a stuck top or an E24 in a barn can still be loaded, as long as the driver knows ahead. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- Leave it whole. Tell us about anything removed.
- Your 6 Series title and your ID are needed when we load it. Plates and insurance rules by state are in after you sell.
Other BMWs: the 5 Series, 7 Series and M5, or every BMW we cover.
Questions people ask
- Which 6 Series years have the most NHTSA complaints?
- The 2005 has 40. Behind it in NHTSA data from October 10, 2026 come the 2006 (26), 2007 (24), 2012 (23) and 2013 (22). The 2018-2019 6 Series are the newest and have been out the shortest.
- Does the 2004-2010 battery cable recall cover my car?
- It may. Recall 12V126000 names 2004-2010 6 Series models, and a BMW dealer checks that the positive cable is fastened at its bulkhead connector, at no charge. Those 367,682 vehicles include the 5 Series, M5 and M6 too, so only a VIN check at nhtsa.gov/recalls tells you for sure.
- Will you buy an old E24 6 Series that has been sitting?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, old ones included, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Say how long the 6 Series has sat and if its wheels turn.
- Is a 2018 or 2019 6 Series a Gran Coupe or a Gran Turismo?
- It can be either. Wikipedia says the Gran Coupe was available for the 2019 model year, and the 5-door 6 Series Gran Turismo went on sale in 2017. EPA lists both a 640i Gran Coupe and a 640i xDrive Gran Turismo.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- EPA fuel economy data: BMW 6 Series model years and versions fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- Wikipedia: BMW 6 Series (generations, body styles, end of production) en.wikipedia.org
- NHTSA recall 84V006000: brake booster and master cylinder, 1984 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 86V151000: brake light switch, 1986-1987 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 04V303000: fuel line retention clip, 2004 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 04V344000: engine management control unit, 2004 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 05V504000: transmission parking pawl guide plate, 2005-2006 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 07V479000: fuel rail ground cables, V8, 2006-2007 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 10V446000: brake vacuum pump check valve, 2004-2010 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 12V126000: battery cable connector, 2004-2010 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 12V161000: auxiliary water pump, 2012 6 Series Convertible nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 14V176000: VANOS housing bolts nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 16V914000: air bag modules, 2017 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 24V527000: driver air bag, 2015 nhtsa.gov