2013 BMW 535I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 535I years
- Fewer complaints than other years 6th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 BMW 535I. That ranks 6th out of 11 535I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (13 complaints, 33%), typically at around 11,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 fires, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 39owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 BMW 535I 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 13 | 33% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 10 | 26% | 3,550 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 21% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 13% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 8% | 3,100 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 8% | 102,750 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 8% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 5% | 3,100 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 5% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 5% | 4,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 3% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 BMW 535I recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, and ActiveHybrid 5 vehicles. The rear reflex reflectors may not reflect enough light. As such, the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: The vehicle may be less visible to other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began July 28, 2017. 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.
UKNOWN EXACT PROBLEM. 2013 BMW 535i with the same N55 motor with the [XXX] recall. Similar symptoms: Drivetrain malfunction and "camshaft stuck" code with loud metallic clanking in upper front of engine bay. Incident happened at rough 5-10mph pulling out of a parking lot just at 160,000 miles. Oil…
My 2013 BMW 535i (VIN [XXX] ) caught fire spontaneously while parked, turned off, and unoccupied on 11/18/2025 in Westbury, NY. A passerby saw smoke and called 911. Nassau County Police and the Westbury Fire Department responded. Firefighters informed me at the scene that the fire was mechanical in…
Heard a clicking noise behind the steering wheel for a few days then Iâll the sudden the horn stopped working and all the controls on the steering wheel stopped working. Iâm a mechanic so I took apart the clock spring stealing wheel compartment to find all of the wire broken and very very…
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 535I. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the engine was overheating. Additionally, the contact noticed an abnormal burning odor while driving, with smoke coming from underneath the hood while at a complete stop. The dealer and the manufacturer were not…
After the replacement of all 02 sensors and fuses, the fault code returns and was traced back to the integrated supply module/IVm
Other BMW 535I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 535I | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 535I | 12 | 2 |
| 2015 535I | 23 | 0 |
| 2014 535I | 30 | 2 |
| 2013 | 39 | 1 |
| 2012 535I | 54 | 1 |
| 2011 535I | 112 | 4 |
| 2010 535I | 58 | 1 |
| 2009 535I | 71 | 1 |
| 2008 535I | 74 | 1 |
| 1995 535I | 0 | 1 |
See all BMW 535I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 BMW 535I?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, exterior lighting problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 13 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 BMW 535I?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 BMW 535I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 535I model years, the 2013 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.