BMW 5 Series recalls and safety
16 recalls · crash ratings 2016-2016 · 428 owner complaints
16
recalls
16
recalls
The BMW 5 Series has 16 recalls covering 1.95 million vehicles as reported; model year 2006 is covered by the most (7). The 2016 BMW 5 Series earned 5 of 5 stars overall in crash tests (best version). Owners filed 1 safety complaints in the 12 months to Sep 2026; air bags is named most over all years.
Updated Oct 11, 2026 · recalls to Oct 6, 2026
Recalls
16
Most for 2006: 7
Units affected
1.95M
As reported
Overall stars
5 of 5
Model year 2016
Complaints, 12 mo
1
To Sep 2026
Do-not-drive
0
None
By model year
Which model years are covered by the most recalls, and which get the most complaints
Recalls by model year
How many recalls cover each model year. Hover a year for the count.
Crash test star ratings
7 rated versions, model years 2008 to 2016
| Year | Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 DR · AWD | 9.3% risk | |||
| 2016 | 4 DR · RWD | 9.3% risk | |||
| 2010 | 4 DR · RWD/4WD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 10.5% risk |
| 2009 | 4 DR · AWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 10.5% risk |
| 2009 | 4 DR · RWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 10.5% risk |
| 2008 | 4 DR · AWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 10.5% risk |
| 2008 | 4 DR · RWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 10.5% risk |
5 stars is the best. Ratings before model year 2011 used older tests.
Owner complaints
Safety complaints about the BMW 5 Series, by the month they were received
Complaints per month
1 in the 12 months to Sep 2026.
Components named most
- Air bags95
- Electrical system67
- Engine and engine cooling47
- Fuel system, gasoline45
- Tires43
- Power train41
- Steering33
- Complaints
- 428
- Crashes reported
- 15
- Fires reported
- 19
- People injured
- 14
Counts only, as reported by owners and not verified.
Parts recalled
Recalls of the BMW 5 Series by component
- Engine and engine cooling4 · 1.11M units
- Power train3 · 4,894 units
- Suspension3 · 37K units
- Air bags1 · 200K units
- Electrical system1 · 368K units
- Fuel system, gasoline1 · 7,532 units
- Fuel system, other1 · 6,080 units
- Seats1 · 18K units
BMW 5 Series recalls
Newest first
Related pages
Questions and answers
Is the 2023 BMW 5 Series recalled?
Yes: 1 recall covers the 2023 BMW 5 Series. Check the recall pages below for what is wrong and the free fix; a dealer can tell if a single vehicle still needs the repair.
How many recalls does the BMW 5 Series have?
16 recalls cover the BMW 5 Series, for 1.95 million vehicles as reported. The most common problem is engine and engine cooling (4 recalls).
What is the safety rating of the 2016 BMW 5 Series?
5 of 5 stars overall (4 DR): frontal crash 4, side crash 5 and rollover 5 stars, with a 9.3% chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
What do owners complain about most on the BMW 5 Series?
Air bags: named in 95 of the 428 safety complaints about the BMW 5 Series, then electrical system (67). One complaint can name several components.
A recall means the maker found a safety problem and offers a free fix; it does not mean every unit has the problem. Units affected are as reported by the company. Popular models sell more and so have more recalls and complaints. Official public data, updated daily. Models are written as published, so a few versions of one model can be listed under slightly different names.