2018 BMW M5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other M5 years
- Not enough data 4th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW M5. That ranks 4th out of 21 M5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (3 complaints, 50%). There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.

- 6owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 BMW M5 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 | 3 | 50% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 17% | 750 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 17% | 750 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 BMW M5 recalls (3)
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.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW M5 vehicles. The fuel level sensor in the fuel tank may become stuck against an in-tank fuel line, causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate and possibly larger amount of fuel than is actually available.
Risk: An incorrect fuel reading may lead to the vehicle stalling and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will secure the in-tank fuel line to keep the fuel line from contacting the fuel level sensor, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical system:software; fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW M5 vehicles. In certain driving conditions, the engine control unit software may cause the fuel pump to stop.
Risk: If the fuel pump stops, the vehicle will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on June 25, 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.
The passenger seat occupancy sensor, an electrocapacitive mat (ecm), is defective on a large number of cars on the g30/fop platform including mine. This leads to intermittent sensor faults which cause an airbag warning.
I had gotten into a head on collision in January. My insurance had refused to cover me because I had only been insured for a month. Now Iâm trying to get it fix out of pocket. Iâm finding out about more repairs needed ASAP. My engine might be gone.
BMW issued a stop sale on 2017-2023 bmw F90 M5 chassis regarding the expansion tank failure. All vehicles should be affected by the recall. My current vehicle is experiencing the issues stated on the recall notice. Expansion tank is failing and causing coolant to seep into engine bay
The coolant tank on my 2018 M5 failed causing a coolant leak. This is a highly documented problem on the forums and mine needed replacement at 22k miles. The bigger issue is the location of the tank because the coolant leaks on the ignition coils and fuel injectors causing failures later. My coils…
This is for the front passenger seat only.The idrive system will give an error for the passenger restraint system and will mention there is a seat belt issue and turn off the airbag. This is intermittent and will happen with or without a passenger. I contacted BMW about it but because it is not…
Other BMW M5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 M5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 M5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 M5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 M5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020 M5 | 2 | 3 |
| 2019 M5 | 8 | 3 |
| 2018 | 6 | 3 |
| 2016 M5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 M5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2014 M5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2013 M5 | 10 | 2 |
| 2010 M5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2009 M5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2008 M5 | 6 | 2 |
| 2007 M5 | 6 | 1 |
| 2006 M5 | 39 | 1 |
| 2003 M5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2002 M5 | 6 | 2 |
| 2001 M5 | 4 | 3 |
| 2000 M5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1995 M5 | 0 | 1 |
See all BMW M5 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 M5?
Owners most often report engine, air bags, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 BMW M5?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 BMW M5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other M5 model years, the 2018 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.