Car · BMW recalls
2021 BMW 5 Series recalls
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2021 BMW 5 Series, filed between September 30, 2020 and August 12, 2026. Each one is below with what is wrong and the free fix.
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| Part | Filed | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Power train: driveshaft | August 12, 2026 | Stall risk |
| Electrical system: starter assembly | January 31, 2026 | Fire risk |
| Seat belts | July 21, 2021 | Crash risk |
| Back over prevention: camera | February 19, 2021 | Crash risk |
| Power train: driveshaft | February 3, 2021 | Crash risk |
| Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery | December 9, 2020 | Fire risk |
| Back over prevention: camera | September 30, 2020 | Crash risk |
| Electrical system: traction batteryPlug-in hybrid only | September 30, 2020 | Fire risk |
Power train: driveshaftStall risk
Trims named in this campaign: 540i, M550i
What is wrong. The connection between the driveshaft and the rear differential may become damaged, possibly resulting in a loss of power to the rear wheels or a vehicle rollaway.
What could happen. An unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. In addition, a damaged driveshaft can result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix. Dealers will inspect the connection between the driveshaft and rear axle differential, and apply adhesive or replace the driveshaft and rear axle differential, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 8, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 2, 2026.
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2026 840i, 840i xDrive, 2021-2023 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, and 2024-2026 750e xDrive vehicles. The connection between the driveshaft and the rear differential may become damaged, possibly resulting in a loss of power to the rear wheels or a vehicle rollaway.
Electrical system: starter assemblyFire risk
Trims named in this campaign: 530i
What is wrong. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.
What could happen. Fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix. Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 24, 2026.
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Toyota Supra, 2022-2023 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2024 5 Series (xDrive), 2021-2022 Z4, 2022-2024 4 Series (Gran Coupe), 2021-2024 4 Series (Convertible and xDrive Convertible), 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe), 2021-2024 3 Series, 2021-2023 X4, 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.
Seat beltsCrash risk
Trims named in this campaign: 530i, 540i
What is wrong. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts.
What could happen. During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
The fix. Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Back over prevention: cameraCrash risk
Trims named in this campaign: 530e, 530i, 540i, M550i
What is wrong. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate.
What could happen. If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Power train: driveshaftCrash risk
Trims named in this campaign: 530i, 540i
What is wrong. The output shafts (left/right) which transfer power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels may break due to a heat treatment error during supplier production.
What could happen. A broken output shaft can lead to a loss of drive power or a rollaway condition in a parked vehicle (if the parking brake is not engaged), increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the output shaft(s), free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530i xDrive, 540i xDrive and 2021 740Li xDrive vehicles. The output shafts (left/right) which transfer power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels may break due to a heat treatment error during supplier production.
Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v batteryFire risk
Trims named in this campaign: 530i, 540i
What is wrong. The connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator may not have been assembled properly, which can cause increased electrical resistance at the connections.
What could happen. Increased electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator assembly, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 M340i xDrive, M440i xDrive Coupe, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 840i Gran Coupe, 840i xDrive Gran Coupe, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, and X7 xDrive40i vehicles. The connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator may not have been assembled properly, which can cause increased electrical resistance at the connections.
Back over prevention: cameraCrash risk
Trims named in this campaign: 530i, 540i, 550e, M5, M550i
What is wrong. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured.
What could happen. If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Electrical system: traction batteryFire risk
Trims named in this campaign: 530e
What is wrong. Debris may have entered one or more of the hybrid battery cells during their production.
What could happen. The debris could result in a short-circuit, increasing the risk of fire or injury.
The fix. BMW will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery module free of charge. Until the remedy is completed, drivers are instructed to not charge their vehicles. Drivers are instructed to not drive in manual mode, sport mode, and to not use the shift paddles. Owners were notified of the safety risk October 23, 2020. The recall began November 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 530e iPerformance and X3 xDrive30e and MINI Cooper Countryman All4 SE, 2020 BMW i8, and 2021 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le xDrive and X5 xDrive45e vehicles. Debris may have entered one or more of the hybrid battery cells during their production.
Check that your car is on the list
Most campaigns cover only cars built in a certain date range or at a certain plant, so a 2021 BMW 5 Series may or may not be included. The VIN is the only sure test. It is 17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield and on the driver door jamb sticker. Look up your VIN at NHTSA to see whether a campaign is open for your exact car.
How to confirm the repair is free
- Call any authorized BMW dealer service desk and give them the VIN and the campaign number from the list above.
- Ask them to confirm the campaign is open for your car. If it is, the parts and labor are covered.
- If the dealer says the part is not in stock, ask for a written note with the date, and ask about a loaner if the notice says not to drive the car.
- Keep the repair order. It shows the campaign number and proves the work was done.
If you already paid for a repair that a recall later covered, BMW may owe you a refund. Ask the dealer or BMW customer service about reimbursement, and keep your receipts.
Other model years of the 5 Series
- 2026 (1)
- 2025 (6)
- 2024 (7)
- 2023 (3)
- 2022 (3)
- 2020 (7)
- 2019 (4)
- 2018 (8)
- 2017 (2)
- 2016 (7)
- 2015 (5)
- 2014 (6)
- 2013 (4)
- 2012 (5)
- 2011 (7)
- 2010 (5)
- All years
More: all BMW recalls, check-engine codes, car repair costs.
2021 BMW 5 Series recall questions
How many recalls does the 2021 BMW 5 Series have?
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2021 BMW 5 Series. A campaign can cover only some cars of that model year, so check your VIN to see whether yours is included.
Is a recall repair on a 2021 BMW 5 Series free?
Yes. A safety recall repair is free at an authorized BMW dealer, whatever the age or mileage of the car and no matter who owns it now.
How do I know if my 2021 BMW 5 Series was already fixed?
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows whether a campaign is open for that exact car. You can also ask a dealer to run the VIN, or look at the service history paperwork for the campaign number.
Source: NHTSA recalls API, checked 2026-10-29. Text is NHTSA's wording of each campaign. New campaigns are added over time. Not a repair shop, estimates only.