U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Bmw 5 SERIES problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

81 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

2,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 73 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 81 complaints (37.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	14	17.3%
Transmission and shifting	3	3.7%
Engine operation	3	3.7%
Braking behavior	3	3.7%
Fuel system concerns	3	3.7%
Electrical and battery issues	2	2.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Tires

Steering

Power Train

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine

Unknown Or Other

Vehicle Speed Control

Tires: 30; Steering: 20; Power Train: 8; Electrical System: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Engine: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 62; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (62). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2023

2010: 16; 2011: 42; 2012: 8; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 2; 2018: 3; 2019: 2; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Tires leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10346220 · 2010-07-29 (July 29, 2010)

I BOUGHT A 2011 BMW 535I 3 WEEKS AGO. UPON DRIVING ON LOCAL STREETS, THE CAR STOPPED ABRUPTLY FROM 30MPH TO 0MPH. MY CAR HAS UNDER 2000 MILES ON IT. STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, WITH "FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTION", AND "ENGINE MALFUNCTION" ON THE ONBOARD DASH. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I WAS ALSO CARRYING A 5 GALLON SQUARE CONTAINER OF WATER THAT WAS CAPPED AND SEALED IN THE TRUNK. DURING THE ABRUPT STOP OF THE CAR, ABOUT 1/2 A GALLON OF WATER SPILLED INTO THE TRUNK. AFTER BEING TOWED TO SHELLY BMW AND T…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10346220 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10348650 · 2010-08-11 (August 11, 2010)

I PURCHASED MY 2011 BMW 535I ON 06/23/10. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 1 MILE ON THE ODOMETER. AS I PULLED OFF THE DEALER?S LOT, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAD A HARD PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOOK IT IN THE NEXT DAY TO FIX IT. THEIR EQUIPMENT SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS, BUT WENT AHEAD AND DID AN ALIGNMENT ANYWAY (ACTUALLY 4 OF THEM) IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY ATTEMPTED ANOTHER SOLUTIONS (TIRE SWAPS, ETC.), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA AND SPOKE WI…

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10348650 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10359360 · 2010-10-05 (October 5, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHENEVER HE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL; HOWEVER, SHIFTING INTO SPORT MODE WOULD PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM OCCURRING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1575.

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10359360 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10397095 · 2011-04-22 (April 22, 2011)

TWO SAFETY ISSUES WITH MY 2011 BMW 535I: 1- STEERING: THE STEERING WHEEL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. IT ALSO CANNOT BE CONTROLLED IF ANY WIND IS BLOWING. I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN JUST TO KEEP IT CENTERED. 2- TRANSMISSION: THE THROTTLE IS INITIALLY NON-RESPONSIVE FROM STOP OR LOW SPEEDS, THEN SUDDENLY IT JERKS TO THE FRONT, ALMOST HITTING THE CAR INFRONT OF ME. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10397095 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10938827 · 2016-12-30 (December 30, 2016)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 5-SERIES. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10938827 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10393658 · 2011-03-29 (March 29, 2011)

WAS PARKING 2011 BMW 550 AUTOMATIC.CAR SUDDENLY TOOK OFF AND HIT VERY HARD ON STONE WALL.ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED INCLUDING LOWER PASSENGER WINDOWS.CAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAILED.LOTS OF DAMAGE TO CAR. ALSO TAKEN CAR TO DEALER BEFORE DUE TO PULLINGOF CAR ON RIGHT WHILE DRIVIG AND ON APPLYING BRAKES.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393658 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10418816 · 2011-08-06 (August 6, 2011)

THERE ARE 3 MAJOR ISSUES. 1. VEHICLE TENDS TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. FEELING IS QUITE LIKE A VEHICLE THAT HASN'T BEEN ALIGNED FOR A WHILE. 2. THE MOST DANGEROUS. UPON ACCELERATION AND/OR AT LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY JERKS FORWARD WITHOUT ANY NOTICE- MAKING IT TOO LATE FOR THE DRIVER TO SLAM THE BRAKES. IF YOUR VEHICLE IS STANDING THREE FEET BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, YOU CAN EASILY CRASH AND REAR END INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. AND OF COURSE, YOU WILL BE SUED FOR NOT KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE. THIS CAN EASILY CAUSE S…

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10418816 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10356826 · 2010-09-21 (September 21, 2010)

I TOOK DELIVERY OF A NEW 2011 535I ON 7/11/10. THE CAR WAS BUILT ON 6/1/10. ON 9/5/10 (ODOMETER READING LESS THAN 2000 MILES), I WAS DRIVING ON LOCAL STREETS AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE CAR REPORTED AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION ERROR AND THE CAR SHUTDOWN. I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND STEERING LOCKED UP. THE CAR WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN TOWED TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP. INITIAL ANALYSIS FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP WAS THAT THE ERROR RECORDED (FAULT STORED FOR VALVETRONIC SYSTEM. DEVIATION TOO GREAT. FREQUENCY 1 L…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,969 miles reported. Look up ODI 10356826 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11191722 · 2019-03-26 (March 26, 2019)

WHILE DRIVING WITH AC ON SMOKE STARTED COMING HEAVILY FOR THE INTERIOR AC VENTS. A VERY TOXIC SMOKE, WITH ELECTRICAL SMELL. I NOTICED THE BMW 3 SERIES HAS A RECALL ON ELECTRICAL BLOWER PROBLEM. I THINK MY CAR HAS THE SAME ISSUE.

Owner-reported narrative. 37,846 miles reported. Look up ODI 11191722 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11221190 · 2019-06-19 (June 19, 2019)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 5-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN WHICH THE VENT CONTROLS FAILED TO FUNCTION FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER. DUE TO THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. BMW OF WILMINGTON (4920 NEW CENTRE DR, WILMINGTON, NC 28403, [phone removed]) STATED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AND WAS TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TESTED AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE DETAILS WERE UNKNOWN. VOLVO CARS NEW BERN (3405 DOCTOR M.L.K. …

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11221190 at NHTSA ↗