2018 BMW 530I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 530I years
- More complaints than other years 7th of 25 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW 530I. That ranks 7th out of 25 530I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (14 complaints, 54%), typically at around 3,700 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 26owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 BMW 530I 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 | 14 | 54% | 3,700 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 27% | 3,700 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 19% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 15% | 9,200 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 8% | 840 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 8% | 84,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 4% | 5,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 BMW 530I recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle keeps saying that "passenger restraint system malfunction" and turns off air bags even when there is a passenger . A lot of people from BMW forums are reporting same issue
The oil filter housing has a plastic coolant passage that cracked. That lead to a complete loss of coolant, leaving my teenage daughter stranded. The problem seems pretty wide spread on these cars and happens right around the end of the warranty period. It could have been a more than $2500 repair…
It keeps coming up with the error message passenger restraint system malfunction
I was driving home after picking my son up from school and out of no where the vehicle temperature was in the red and a message popped up stating that vehicle coolant needed to be replenished but that continued driving of the vehicle was ok. It was not ok at all! The car started smoking and we were…
The contact's wife owns a 2018 BMW 530I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir, and the warning light turned off; however, the check engine light soon returned. The vehicle was towed to a…
Other BMW 530I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 530I | 1 | 4 |
| 2024 530I | 13 | 6 |
| 2023 530I | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 530I | 8 | 3 |
| 2021 530I | 17 | 7 |
| 2020 530I | 10 | 5 |
| 2019 530I | 15 | 1 |
| 2018 | 26 | 2 |
| 2017 530I | 18 | 1 |
| 2016 530I | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 530I | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 530I | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 530I | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 530I | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 530I | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 530I | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 530I | 73 | 2 |
| 2006 530I | 84 | 3 |
| 2005 530I | 58 | 0 |
| 2004 530I | 129 | 0 |
| 2003 530I | 46 | 2 |
| 2002 530I | 29 | 4 |
| 2001 530I | 25 | 4 |
| 2000 530I | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 530I | 5 | 2 |
See all BMW 530I 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 530I?
Owners most often report air bags, seat belts, seats problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 BMW 530I?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 BMW 530I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 530I model years, the 2018 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.