2018 BMW 530E Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 530E years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW 530E. That is the most of any 530E model year in the database (7 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (9 complaints, 32%), typically at around 79,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 28owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 BMW 530E 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 | 9 | 32% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 32% | 8,700 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 29% | 14,800 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 7% | 5,350 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 4% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 BMW 530E recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module; air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2017 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i and 540i xDrive and 2017-2018 530e xDrive vehicles. Prior exposure to excessive levels of humidity within the driver and passenger head air bag inflators may affect the proper deployment of the head air bags.
Risk: In the event of a crash of sufficient severity, deployment of the head air bag may be impaired and/or the igniter could separate from the inflator, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left or right head air bag, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Equipment:electrical
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire.
Risk: An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440i xDrive Gran Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, 740i, 740i xDrive, MINI Cooper, Cooper S, JCW, MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), and MINI Clubman (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, JCW All4) vehicles.
Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
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 2018 BMW 530E. The contact vehicle was left outside due to not being able to store the vehicle in the garage, and the front windshield cracked. The dealer was contacted, but no assistance was provided.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 530E. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle was shaking abnormally, with electrical system failures. The âDriving Assistanceâ, TPMS, Emergency Call Service, check engine, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact…
My 2018 BMW 530e suddenly shut down while I was driving. I charged it overnight, but the next day it showed a checkâengine light and a drivetrain failure warning. I tried driving it again, and it drove for some distance and shutdown after few minutes. Luckily, i was able to park the car on the…
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 530E. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for water pump repairs, the wrench warning light was illuminated, and the message "Passenger Seat Restraint Sensor Failure" was displayed. The contact stated that the dealer inspected the vehicle and…
Passenger seat occupancy sensor faulty causing restraint system malfunction and seat belt warning
Other BMW 530E years
See all BMW 530E 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 2018 BMW 530E?
Owners most often report air bags, seat belts, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 9 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 BMW 530E?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 BMW 530E a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 530E model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.