Bmw 5 Series
Owners filed 426 complaints across 24 model years of the Bmw 5 Series. The 2008 drew the most (105); the 2023 the fewest (0).
Model years24
Complaints426
Recalls76
Fires19
Deaths0
Every Bmw 5 Series model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2012 | 10 | 0 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2011 | 81 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Tires | Routine | |
| 2010 | 6 | 5 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 8 | 4 | — | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2008 | 105 | 4 | 3 | 1 | Fuel System, Gasoline | Routine | |
| 2007 | 13 | 4 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2006 | 85 | 8 | 2 | 4 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2005 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2004 | 64 | 8 | 9 | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2003 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2002 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Exterior Lighting › Headlights | Routine | |
| 2001 | 3 | 2 | — | — | Structure | Routine | |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | — | — | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1999 | 2 | 1 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module | Routine | |
| 1998 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1997 | 1 | 3 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 1996 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1995 | 3 | 3 | — | 1 | Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch | Routine | |
| 1994 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1993 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1992 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1991 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1990 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine |
Which Bmw 5 Series years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2008 is the weakest year on record, with 105 complaints concentrated in the fuel system, gasoline. It carries 4 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.