BMW 5 Series problems and complaints, 2011 to 2012

91 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recalls across 2 model years, 2011 to 2012. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.

91complaints
4recalls
2reported crashes
2reported fires
1reported injuries

Which BMW 5 Series years should you avoid?

We cover 2 model years of the BMW 5 Series, too few to say which stand out.

NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.

Every model year

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Crashes	Injuries	Our read	Most reported
2012	10	0	0	0	Few red flags	Tires
2011	81	4	2	1	Few red flags	Tires

Most reported problem areas

Share of the 81 complaints sorted by system, all years together.

Steering, suspension & tires52 (64%)
Engine & powertrain20 (25%)
Other systems4 (5%)
Electrical & infotainment2 (2%)
Structure & body2 (2%)

Recalls (4)

Engine · 23V707000 · Oct 2023 · model year 2011
Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Engine · 12V161000 · Apr 2012 · model year 2011
THIS COULD LEAD TO A SMOLDERING OF THE PUMP OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR VEHICLE FIRE.
Engine · 11V521000 · Oct 2011 · model year 2011
THIS COULD LEAD TO A SMOLDERING OF THE PUMP OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR VEHICLE FIRE.
Fuel system · 10V331000 · Jul 2010 · model year 2011
IF THIS OCCURS, THE FUEL GAUGE IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD DISPLAY A LARGER AMOUNT OF FUEL THAN WAS ACTUALLY IN THE TANK. AS A RESULT, IF THE TANK BECAME EMPTY, THE VEHICLE COULD STALL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.