Car · BMW problems

2011 BMW 5 Series problems

467 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 BMW 5 Series. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (34% of them). NHTSA also lists 66 service bulletins and 7 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 14. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 467 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling161 · 34%
• Fuel system87 · 19%
• Power train (transmission and drive)76 · 16%
• Tires74 · 16%
• Electrical system55 · 12%
• Other or unknown32 · 7%
• Steering31 · 7%
• Wheels28 · 6%

13 smaller areas not shown (104 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 66 repair bulletins from BMW for the 2011 BMW 5 Series. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. B110614Received April 3, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   This bulletin outlines the Customer Care Package program that has been designed exclusively for BMWvehicles with the N63 engine.

2. B650425Received February 25, 2025

   Air bags

   Vehicle has the air bag warning lamp on after a body shop has made repairs.

3. B131110Received September 29, 2024

   Fuel system

   Only fuel nozzles with the recommended "specified" diameter for diesel engine passenger vehicles can beinserted into the filler neck.

4. B510819Received February 1, 2024

   Electrical system

   The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

5. B611305Received February 1, 2024

   Electrical system

   The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years.

6. B160623Received January 3, 2024

   Fuel system

   Engine will crank but not start.

7. B653423Received December 6, 2023

   Electrical system

   Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle.

8. B660523Received November 1, 2023

   Speed control and throttle

   Various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (ADCAM system) can lead to customer complaints.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2011 BMW 5 Series. Recall repairs are free at a BMW dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 23V707000October 20, 2023

   Engine and engine cooling

   The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.

2. 18V248000April 18, 2018

   Engine and engine cooling

   The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.

3. 17V683000October 30, 2017

   Engine and engine cooling

   The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

See all 7 recalls for the 2011 BMW 5 Series, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your 5 Series will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 161 complaints · 34%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Fuel system 87 complaints · 19%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Power train (transmission and drive) 76 complaints · 16%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Tires 74 complaints · 16%

• Tire set (four tires installed)$550 to $1,475
• Tire rotation and balance$40 to $140
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2011 BMW 5 Series: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2011 BMW 5 Series?

Of the 467 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 BMW 5 Series, 161 (34%) name engine and engine cooling, and 87 (19%) name fuel system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2011 BMW 5 Series reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 9 of the 467 complaints as involving a crash and 20 as involving a fire. They also reported 14 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2011 BMW 5 Series have?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2011 BMW 5 Series. Recall repairs are free at a BMW dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 66 repair bulletins for the 2011 BMW 5 Series.

More

• 2013 5 Series problems
• 2012 5 Series problems
• 2011 recalls
• All BMW recalls
• BMW problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.