2010 BMW 5 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 5 Series years
- Not enough data 11th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 BMW 5 Series. That ranks 11th out of 19 5 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (1 complaints, 17%), typically at around 5,000 miles. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 6owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2010 BMW 5 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1 | 17% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 17% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 17% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 17% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 17% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 17% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 17% | 53,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2010 BMW 5 Series recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Risk: Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
Fix: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, model year 2004-2010 6-series, model year 2006-2010 m5, and model year 2007-2010 m6 vehicles. The insulated bulkhead connector for the positive battery cable may have been incorrectly attached to the trunk floor panel, which can lead to a loosening of the bolt connection. As it loosens, an increase in electrical resistance at this cable connection is possible and could cause the cable connection to overheat.
Risk: Overheating could lead to a fire, even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the battery bolt cable connection as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 30, 2012. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, 6-series, and model year 2002-2008 7-series vehicles. A check valve of the brake vacuum pump may leak a small amount of lubricating oil. Over time this could result in contamination of the brake booster.
Risk: Power assist braking performance could be adversely affected. In extreme cases there could be a complete loss of power assist braking. An unexpected reduction or loss in power braking assist may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on november 24, 2010. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417.
Fuel system, other:storage:fuel gauge system
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain 2010 and 2011 5-series and 5-series gran turismo passenger vehicles manufactured from january 12 through july 1, 2010. The vehicle's fuel level sensor within the fuel tank can become wedged against the tank.
Risk: 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.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on october 18, 2010. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Car stalls at high speed, fuel pump warnings light comes on. Car will reset after 30 mins but will continue to shut off during driving. Both fuel pumps have been replaced
On sunday 12/03 i suddenly heard a knocking noise while accelerating and immediately reached the dealership to have the car checked. The diagnosis i received is that there has been a fatal failure of bearing that cause the engine to get damaged and in need to be replaced. I looked up on the web and…
I was traveling on freeway to the airport when my wife and i heard a loud boom and suddenly heard loud airflow. I pulled off to side of road and inspected car. The sunroof had exploded and shattered. The car traveling behind me also stopped to inspect his vehicle because of flying glass. The cabin…
When the temperature hits 100 degrees as it does in the desert 5 months or so per year, the interior cabin fills up with very harmful gas fumes. We owned a 2008 and the same situation. As a result of this and problems with the fuel pump on the 2008, the dealership bought the car back. My husband…
This is the second time this particular problem happened. The first time the car lost power when revs went up above 3.5k rpm and recovered as soon as revs fell below this range. This almost resulted in an accident since the driver behind me was taken by surprise with the abrupt reduction in speed…
Other BMW 5 Series years
← 2009 5 Series · 2011 5 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 5 Series | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 5 Series | 81 | 4 |
| 2010 | 6 | 5 |
| 2009 5 Series | 8 | 3 |
| 2008 5 Series | 105 | 3 |
| 2007 5 Series | 13 | 3 |
| 2006 5 Series | 85 | 7 |
| 2005 5 Series | 21 | 4 |
| 2004 5 Series | 64 | 6 |
| 2003 5 Series | 15 | 0 |
| 2002 5 Series | 7 | 0 |
| 2001 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 5 Series | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 5 Series | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
See all BMW 5 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2010 BMW 5 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2010 BMW 5 Series?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2010 BMW 5 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 5 Series model years, the 2010 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.