2011 BMW 5 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 5 Series years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 5 Series. That ranks 3rd out of 19 5 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is tires (30 complaints, 37%), typically at around 3,350 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 81owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 30 | 37% | 3,350 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 25% | 73 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 12% | 200 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 7% | 37,846 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 5% | 2,985 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 4% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 4% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 4% | 500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 4% | 78,800 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 1,810 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 2% | 2,950 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 650 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 28,647 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | 50,400 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 50,400 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 375 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 BMW 5 Series recalls (4)
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:engine:other fuel types:turbo/supercharger
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2011 5-series, 5-series gran turismo, model year 2012 6-series convertible, 7-series, x5 sav, and x6 sav vehicles equipped with 8- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat.
Risk: This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The safety recall began on april 30, 2012. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:other fuel types:turbo/supercharger
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2011 5-series, model year 2010-2011 5-series gran turismo, model year 2009-2011 7-series, model year 2010-2011 x5 sav, and model year 2008-2011 x6 sav vehicles equipped with 8- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat.
Risk: This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The safety recall began on december 19, 2011. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services 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.
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 5 Series. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed as a camshaft failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number- 14V176000…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 5-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN WHICH THE VENT CONTROLS FAILED TO FUNCTION FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER. DUE TO THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. BMW OF WILMINGTON (4920 NEW CENTRE DR…
While driving with ac on smoke started coming heavily for the interior ac vents. A very toxic smoke, with electrical smell. I noticed the bmw 3 series has a recall on electrical blower problem. I think my car has the same issue.
While make turns while driving the vehicle axel makes popping noise and steering wheel jerks violently. Took to shop they said nothing found wrong with car. Cv axel replaced on both sides problem still persists.also not even 10k miles the car went thru 2 belt tensioner causing the drive belt to…
A few days back my steering wheel started making a squeaky noise like one of the rubbers have gone bad in the steering column. My car has approximately 55k miles on it and is majorly garage kept. I researched online and there are numerous complains of the same issue. You can see an example at…
Other BMW 5 Series years
← 2010 5 Series · 2012 5 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 5 Series | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 | 81 | 4 |
| 2010 5 Series | 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 2011 BMW 5 Series?
Owners most often report tires, steering, power train problems. The top one, tires, accounts for 30 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 BMW 5 Series?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 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 2011 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.