2020 BMW M5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 29, 2026 · 2 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other M5 years
Not enough data 13th of 21 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 BMW M5. That ranks 13th out of 21 M5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (2 complaints, 100%). There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.

BMW M5
BMW M5 (G90) in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2020 BMW M5 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine2
Electrical System1
Power Train1
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine2100%———
Electrical System150%———
Power Train150%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2024, with 1 complaints
2024: 1202412026: 120261

n = 2 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2020 BMW M5 recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Back over prevention: sensing system: cameraSep 30, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V598000 · 312 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Electrical system:wiring; power train:automatic transmissionDec 11, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V883000 · 3,012 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 M5 and 2020 M8 Gran Coupe, M8 Coupe, and M8 Convertible vehicles. The transmission wiring harness can become damaged, resulting in an electrical short circuit.

Risk: An electrical short circuit can cause the transmission to shift to neutral resulting in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace any damaged transmission harnesses. All harnesses will be rerouted and secured. These repairs will be performed, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 3, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Back over prevention: sensing system: cameraSep 27, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V684000 · 257,473 vehicles

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.

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.

2020 BMW M5 a metal-shavings engine failure at highway speed is a safety event. I had total catastrophic engine failure at less than 50,000 miles. No warning lights, found metal shavings in the engine system and engine needs complete replacement. I discovered that the very first and most important…

Engine · received Aug 29, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11760549

Coolant expansion tank is leaking on fuel injectors, coils and plugs on engine below causing ‘drivetrain malfunction’ which puts vehicle into Limp Mode. Car can begin to shudder, misfire and stall. BMW has an SIB on the expansion tank, but has done nothing to address the components underneath…

Engine · received May 31, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11591756

Other BMW M5 years

← 2019 M5 · 2021 M5 →

See all BMW M5 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.

Similar BMW models

Embed this 2020 BMW M5 badge on your site

Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 BMW M5?

Owners most often report engine, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 2 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2020 BMW M5?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2020 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 2020 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.