Head-to-head reliability
BMW I5 vs Toyota Camry
How the BMW I5 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 I5 averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. BMW I5 has 26 complaints and 10 recalls on record; Toyota Camry has 2,128 complaints and 31 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 I5 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 26 Better | 2,128 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 10 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 4 Better | 181 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 8.7 Better | 212.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 2 Better | 163 |
| 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 I5
- 01SERVICE BRAKES11
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE5
- 04ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)5
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
“I was driving a brand-new 2025 BMW i5 electric car, just leased from dealer the day before. The car was at rest, waiting for traffic light to turn green. Then the car started to move forward, and suddenly hit the car in front with a big thrust. My foot was on…”
“While merging onto [XXX] from an on-ramp in [XXX] , I received a dashboard warning stating “Brake system and chassis stabilization – braking may require additional force.” This occurred during active acceleration and merging into highway traffic. At the time…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN391
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER340
- 03ENGINE312
- 04SERVICE BRAKES290
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM241
“My 2020 Toyota Camry SE suffered a sudden and premature transmission failure at only 114,000 miles. I am a college student and I cannot afford a major repair like this on top of my monthly car payment. The car began showing hesitation and sluggish acceleratio…”
“I purchased my vehicle from a certified used car dealership in Connecticut in 2020 with a little over 1800 miles. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has been very reluctant to down shift and had slight transmission whine. I was notified of a recall for I believ…”
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 I5 — 10 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2025 BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The integrated brake (IB) system may malfunction and result in a loss of power brake assist or cause the Antilock Brake (A…
The risk: A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle. Additionally, malfunctioning ABS and/or DSC systems can cause a loss of vehicle control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between June and December 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls Royce customer service at 1-877-877…
The defect: BMW of North America (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2024 X1, 2024-2025 X5, 2025 X6, 2023-2025 X7, 740i, 760i, 2024 XM, 530i, 540i, i7, 750e, X2, 2024-2025 i5, 2024 Rolls Royce Spectre, 2025 MINI Countryman S ALL4, JCW Countryman ALL4, and 2025 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, Cooper S) vehicles. Pleas…
The risk: A loss of brake power assist or rear brake function can result in extended stopping distance. A loss of ABS or DSC can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 13, 2024. Owners can contact BMW Customer Service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2025 Mini Cooper S, Mini Countryman S All4, X2, 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre, 2023-2025 i7, 7 Series, X7, 2024-2025 i5, 5 Series, 2023-2024 XM, X1, 2024-2025 X6, and X5 vehicles. The integrated brake (IB) system may malfunction and result in a loss o…
The risk: A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle. Additionally, malfunctioning ABS and/or DSC systems can cause a loss of vehicle control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: The Integrated brake system will be inspected and, if necessary, replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce custo…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2024 740i, 740i xDrive, 760i xDrive, i7 eDrive50, i7 xDrive60, i7 M70, 2024 750e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive, i5 eDrive40, and i5 M60 vehicles. The ground connection to the steering wheel may not have been attached correctly, resulting in an i…
The risk: An inoperative hands-on detection system may fail to detect when the driver's hands are not on the steering wheel and therefore not engage the emergency stopping assistant system, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reattach the ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to le…
The risk: A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may get damaged mechanically, possibly resulti…
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2…
The risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models wil…
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: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | BMW I5 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 116 |
| 2025 | 6 | 152 |
| 2024 | 20 | 47 |
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 I5 or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW I5 vs Toyota Camry
- BMW I5 total complaints
- 26
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,128
- BMW I5 total recalls
- 10
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- BMW I5 avg complaints/year
- 8.7
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 212.8
- More reliable overall
- BMW I5
- BMW I5 top complaint area
- SERVICE BRAKES
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN