Head-to-head reliability
BMW 525xi vs Toyota Camry
How the BMW 525xi and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
BMW 525xi averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. BMW 525xi has 0 complaints and 4 recalls on record; Toyota Camry has 2,076 complaints and 28 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW 525xi | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 2,076 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 28 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 177 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 207.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 161 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
BMW 525xi
No component data available.
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN383
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER331
- 03ENGINE309
- 04SERVICE BRAKES288
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM232
“Was driving in a FastTrack/commuter lane on the Interstate at 65MPH, all of a sudden my car would not accelerate forward. It coasted a bit. I was able to stop between the Fastrack lane and an exit space, in the triangular median. I easily could have gotten hi…”
“I bought this car a couple of years ago. I didnt think much of it because I never owned a Toyota. I noticed that the transmission was doing some weird hesitation when going from 1st to 2nd gear. There is an intermittent lag on when the transmission kicks in.…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
BMW 525xi — 4 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 530xi Sports Wagon, 325i, 325xi, 325xi Sports Wagon, 330i, 330xi, Z4 3.0i and Z4 3.0si vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
The risk: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall is an expansion to recall 17V-683.
The defect: BMW of North America, Inc. (BMW) is recalling certain 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, and 550i vehicles equipped with the Sport Seat option and certain 2006 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i vehicles with standard seats. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that det…
The risk: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 1, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer servi…
The defect: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model ye…
The risk: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminat…
The defect: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model ye…
The risk: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminat…
Toyota Camry — 28 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements…
The risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is S…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Avalon, and 2017 Camry vehicles manufactured August 3, 2016, to September 12, 2016. The front passenger knee air bag module may have been attached to the lower instrument panel with incorrect fasteners.
The risk: If the air bag was installed with incorrect fasteners, the fasteners may become loose over time, affecting the air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fasteners, and if necessary, replace the instrument panel brace and body bracket and reattach the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 8, 2017. Owners may co…
The defect: Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated…
The risk: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's nu…
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific BMW 525xi or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW 525xi vs Toyota Camry
- BMW 525xi total complaints
- 0
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,076
- BMW 525xi total recalls
- 4
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 28
- BMW 525xi avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 207.6
- More reliable overall
- BMW 525xi
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN