BMW 528I Problems by Year
BMW 528I years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical 528I year: 2008, 2011. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2008 528I: 118 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2011 528I: 117 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2012 528I: 90 complaints, 4 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2007 528I: 1 complaint, 1 recall
- 2001 528I: 2 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2009 528I: 23 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common BMW 528I problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 204 | 11 | 1 |
| Electrical System problems | 186 | 13 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 180 | 13 | 0 |
| Power Train problems | 106 | 11 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 81 | 10 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 79 | 14 | 12 |
| Exterior Lighting | 62 | 13 | 0 |
| Steering | 28 | 11 | 1 |
| Structure | 27 | 12 | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 | 11 | 3 |
| Seat Belts | 25 | 11 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 21 | 9 | 0 |
| Suspension | 20 | 4 | 3 |
| Seats | 15 | 8 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 9 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| Tires | 9 | 5 | 1 |
| Wheels | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1 | 0 |
All BMW 528I model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 528I | 59 | 4 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2015 528I | 65 | 1 | 5★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 528I | 57 | 3 | 5★ | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2013 528I | 73 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2012 528I | 90 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2011 528I | 117 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2010 528I | 65 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 2009 528I | 23 | 2 | — | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 528I | 118 | 2 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 528I | 1 | 1 | — | Engine | |
| 2001 528I | 2 | 0 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2000 528I | 42 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1999 528I | 46 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1998 528I | 33 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1997 528I | 41 | 0 | — | Suspension | Fewer complaints than other years |
More from BMW: all BMW models · BMW VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which BMW 528I years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2008 (118), 2011 (117) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical 528I year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the BMW 528I?
Engine, with 204 complaints across 11 model years.
How many recalls does the BMW 528I have?
14 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.