BMW 550i
Owners filed 253 complaints across 11 model years of the BMW 550i. The 2011 drew the most (84).
Model years11
Complaints253
Recalls19
Fires16
Deaths0
Which BMW 550i years should you avoid?
Going by 253 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the BMW 550i years to avoid are 2011.
- 201184 complaints, 2.3× a typical 550i year, most often about the engine.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every BMW 550i model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 2 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | — | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2014 | 6 | 2 | — | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2013 | 15 | 1 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2012 | 36 | 2 | 1 | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2011Avoid | 84 | 3 | 11 | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2010 | 11 | 1 | — | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | — | — | Tires | Routine | |
| 2008 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2007 | 37 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2006 | 23 | 3 | — | 3 | Air Bags | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.