2011 BMW 550I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 550I years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 550I. That is the most of any 550I model year in the database (12 years). The most reported problem area is engine (32 complaints, 38%), typically at around 73,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 11 fires. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 84owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 BMW 550I 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 32 | 38% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 20 | 24% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 17% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 14 | 17% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 12 | 14% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 10% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 7% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 6% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 5% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 5% | 22,434 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 4% | 84,624 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 4% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 4% | 104,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 4% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 4% | 13,960 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 15,200 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 13,960 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 BMW 550I recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2011 BMW 528i, 528xi, 535i, 535xi, 550i and 550xi vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, through August 31, 2011. The affected vehicles may have received a replacement Sensor Cluster Unit (SCU) during a service visit. These SCUs have an acceleration sensor that may have been incorrectly programmed and, as a result, the SCU may not accurately determine if activation and deployment of the air bags, safety belt pre-tensioners and head restraints is necessary in the event of a crash.
Risk: Depending on the severity of the crash, inadequate activation of the driver and/or passenger air bags, safety belt pre-tensioners and active head restraints may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the SCU, free of charge. The recall began on December 16, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 BMW X5 3.0si, X5 4.8i, X5 M, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive50i, 2008-2011 X6 x Drive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 535i xDrive Gran Turismo, 535i Gran Turismo, 550i xDrive Gran Turismo and 550i Gran Turismo, 2011-2012 528i, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i and 550i xDrive and 2012 535i ActiveHybrid, 640i Convertible, 650i Convertible, 650i xDrive Convertible, 650i Coupe and 650i Coupe xDrive vehicles. The affected vehicles have in-tank fuel pumps that may have insufficiently crimped wire contacts.
Risk: The loose wires may cause the connector to melt, resulting in a fuel leak. Additionally, the fuel pump may stop working, possibly causing an engine stall and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. The recall began February 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
1. TICKING NOISE WHILE CORNERING WITHOUT THE BRAKES APPLIED: Ticking noise coming from front wheel while cornering without brakes applied, noticeable at low speeds. The vehicle must be moving. 2. CRACKING NOISES FROM THE FRONTAXLE AREA WHILE TURNING THE WHEELS, WHEN STATION: Cracking noises are…
My 2011 BMW 550i experienced an unexpected fire in my driveway while my wife and I were sleeping. The fire nearly caused our house to catch fire and also resulted in damage to my BMW Z4. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with someone regarding this matter. For your reference, the last…
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 550I. The contact stated that oil was leaking from the vehicle. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who declined to service the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and…
Vehicle displays Transmission Malfunction & DSC and xDrive malfunction, this vehicle is available upon request for inspection. Currently been to two dealerships and all I got from the first dealership is to replace transmission at 59k mile. I purchased a used transmission same problem exist in the…
Vehicle was parked while running errands, returned to leave and it would not start. Went to trunk to check battery connection and found that the positive battery cable had burnt in two where it connects to cable that runs to the engine compartment. Carpet cover and sound deadening coating had burnt…
Other BMW 550I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 550I | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 550I | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 550I | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 550I | 6 | 2 |
| 2013 550I | 15 | 1 |
| 2012 550I | 35 | 2 |
| 2011 | 84 | 3 |
| 2010 550I | 11 | 1 |
| 2009 550I | 2 | 1 |
| 2008 550I | 32 | 2 |
| 2007 550I | 37 | 2 |
| 2006 550I | 23 | 3 |
See all BMW 550I 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 550I?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 32 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 BMW 550I?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 BMW 550I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 550I model years, the 2011 has far more 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.