BMW 5 Series Reliability by Year
Best & Worst Years, Problems & Recalls — NHTSA Data

Safety Recall

The recall 25V-636 remains unresolved after more than 6 month passed since the manufacturer issued the campaign regarding the engine starter. I would like to see the NHTSA to put the manufacturer on notice that this is unacceptable. We cannot park the vehicle outside of structures permanently as this devalues the vehicle and creates a loss of use.

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 540I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while in drive(D) or reverse(R). The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a driveshaft failure. The contact was informed that the driveshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V046000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,700.

I have a 2021 BMW 530i. VIN [XXX] . I brought my vehicle to Pompano Beach BMW and Coconut Creek BMW in Florida. They said both my motor mounts have collapsed. I have discussed the matter with other experts and mechanics, and been told the failure of motor mounts is a serious safety issue and vehicle defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 530I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

In November 2025 my breaks quit working. I had AAA haul my car to a repair shop. They ran the codes on the car and found that it was related to a recall on 2021 BMW 540i's for the oil vacuum pump assembly, pan and gasket. I then had it towed to BMW and found out that my vin was not in the recall. BMW quoted me $4587 to repair this on a car with 45,000 miles. I then had it towed to a repair shop that replaced the oil vacuum pump assembly, oil pan, gasket and bolts for about $3700. I think that my vin should have been included in the recall. It was a obviously a common problem with my model and I should not have to pay this much on a car with 45,000 miles. I also had to pay $283.81 for BMW to diagnose it.

Good afternoon, I am writing regarding the recall affecting my BMW 2021 530i, VIN [XXX] . While I understand the importance of safety recalls, this issue has had a direct and measurable impact on the market value of my vehicle. Due to the recall, I have received reduced trade-in and resale offers, with dealers explicitly citing the recall as a reason for depreciation. This loss in value persists regardless of whether the recall remedy has been completed. I am therefore requesting compensation ($6000) for the depreciation caused by this recall, or financial adjustment or trade in. Please open a case on my behalf and advise on the next steps. I would appreciate this matter being reviewed by a regional case manager if necessary. Thank you for your attention. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 530I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System). The contact called a local dealer several times and was advised that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 530I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the remote starter of the vehicle had failed to function as intended, and the key fob was inoperable. The contact replaced the key fob battery three times, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic to have the brakes replaced, the mechanic informed the contact of the remote starter failure. Additionally, the contact stated that the brakes had been replaced three times. The independent mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 530I. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with motor mount failure. There was an abnormal pulling sound detected. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact spoke with two experts and was informed that the failure should not have occurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

We notice the lose of braking power right after we started the car on 4/30 morning. The car was totally fine before that. took it to the BMW dealer they said the problem is "Vacuum/oil pump failing internally. fault for brake booster pressure switch, no brake boost" I find that there is a recall for the exact problem but it doesn't include my vehicle The "Part 573 Safety Recall Report 21V-598" stated that when It does happen it will cause damage to the oil/vacuum pump. I think recall 21V-598 should include my vehicle

I have a code Passanger restraint failure that will not come off unless I pay $2700 to fix. This coding came on after 3 months of getting the vehicle and I’m not the only with the same issue. This is a dangerous situation that Bmw is not recalling but putting this as the owners expense. If I were to get in an accident this will not deploy airbags or open the seat belt this can cause sever injuries or worst death.

Subject: Urgent Issue with EVAP System Failure Dear Safety Highway Control, I discovered that the EVAP system in my car has failed, confirmed by a computer diagnostic at the Body Shop. The dealer mentioned no recalls, so I contacted the recall department who advised me to contact you. The check engine light has been on, prompting this urgent report. Your prompt investigation is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I went to hospital several times - the car had defect of manufacture- gas fume released inside the car every time i drove the car I had nausea, drowsiness, vomiting because the car at the beginning was new I never assume the car was causing me illness which had a tremendously impact in to my health. I had to buy new cloth, new mattress and changed the carpet. My health was also impacted - I was diagnosed with granulomas on my lungs. the fume is clear, the cloth will smell gas, and particles of gasoline hazard will attached to the skin giving an allergic sensation. This almost killed and I was not aware that the car was causing this impact on my daily life.

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 530I. The contact stated that the edge of the air bag leather cover was folding in, which enlarged the split between the air bag cover and the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was inspected, and the dealer informed the contact that the air bag leather cover was of poor quality. The dealer recommended the air bag replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

My family was driving home on California [XXX] approaching [XXX]. Suddenly we saw heavy white smoke coming from our vehicle. Vehicles behind us had to almost stop as the smoke was very thick and covered all lanes. We pulled over and turned off the car. I started checking the control panel for any issues or alerts and found none. We never received any indication of issues in the control panel or dashboard. My husband got out of the car and inspected the tires which were all ok. He opened the hood and immediately saw flames from the center bottom of the hood. We all got out of the vehicle immediately and called 911. California Highway Patrol arrived and soon after Cal Fire arrived. Within 10 minutes my car was engulfed in flames and only the trunk area was sparred. I believe this was a malfunction or defect in the battery or electrical as we did not get any warning of engine issues or overheating. There have been several recalls on this model for battery defects which can lead to fire. My family's safety was put at risk as these batteries are highly combustible and could have exploded with us in the car. We had no warning whatsoever to immediately get out of the car and we were sitting there for at least 5-8 minutes trying to figure out what the issue was and who to call. I don't know at what point the car locked itself as the firemen had to use the jaws of life to open a door for the VIN. What if the car would have locked when we were still inside. I filed a claim with my insurance and they are deeming it a total loss based on the photos. I contacted the BMW service center and they said they can't do anything and I have to go through the insurance to have the car inspected. I asked if BMW will be sending someone to determine the cause and the rep said no. I sense that BMW does not want to do a thorough inspection of what caused the fire as the vehicle is still under manufacturer warranty and they would have to replace the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The system does not provide any warning for rear cross traffic, visual or audio. The dealership that sold the car concluded on two occasions that the system was not working, but later said they were unable to find faults or fixes.

Unintended car acceleration, with complete brake failure. No software warning icons in dash, no collision avoidance or ABS triggered even though car so equipped. Crashed into rear end of stationery vehicle,. [XXX] , MN police were called. Incident report # attached. (1st image) Western National Insurance Co. notified.Claim # attached (2nd image) Car will be inspected @ BMW dealership in Bloomington, MN 7/25/23. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

RCTA system does not work (other than on rare, unpredictable occasions, and generally only when the alert is worthless) - when another vehicle or pedestrian is too close to the car to make any difference. I have had cars with RCTA for years and none of them failed to detect objects/vehicles/people at much greater distances from my vehicle that could reasonably be expected to collide with my vehicle if I continued to back up. All these other cars provided an adequate advance warning of an impending danger (another car, bike, pedestrian, etc. approaching my vehicle with which I might collide, etc.) allowing the driver to react and avoid the problem. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED REPEATEDLY STARTING IMMEDIATELY AFTER I TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CAR IN MARCH 2021. After repeated attempts to get BMW to fix the problem, I gave up. I will note the first serious occurrence of the issue below, but it has been repeated every time I use the car and pull out of a parking space in reverse. Probably 150 times? I can compensate for this failure somewhat, but it is vastly inferior to having a properly working RCTA. I have visited BMW dealerships on multiple occasions and each time asked that this issue be addressed. The car is reviewed, and I am told the system is working as designed. My response is that the car is therefore designed to be unsafe? However, on my latest visit for regular service (24 months since start of lease) I went to a different dealership, the service advisor told me that the problem was widespread in BMW 5 series sedans and SUVs. He indicated that there is no fix available at this time. It's been two years since I brought this to BMW's attention. Service Invoice that I am attaching is from March 3, 2022 - one of the trips to the dealership to get regular service where I asked again that this issue get addressed. See Item # 4 on pages 1 and 2.

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 540I. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, the front and rear passenger’s and driver’s side seat belts failed to detach after being connected. The contact stated that he forced the rear passenger’s side seat belt to detach with a screwdriver. No warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer stated that candy was lodged in the buckle. The contact stated that the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

Intermittent vibration at highway speeds. Brought to the BMW dealership and they stated the right front wheel was out of round. I never hit a pothole or anything that would cause damage. The dealer "repaired" the wheel, but the problem still exists. Brought the vehicle back and am now told that BMW has started offering non-run flat tires on new cars. I feel that the run flat tires coupled with the low-profile wheels could be the issue. Also, feel that the wheels are poorly made and are prone to being warped.