2013 Bmw 535I: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
38 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
47,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 38 complaints (34.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 5 | 13.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 10.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 7.9% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 7.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 5.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 2.6% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 13 |
| Engine | 9 |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 |
| Suspension | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Power Train | 2 |
Electrical System: 13; Engine: 9; Exterior Lighting: 8; Air Bags: 5; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Suspension: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Power Train: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 16 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 4 |
2013: 5; 2014: 5; 2015: 2; 2017: 2; 2018: 3; 2019: 1; 2020: 5; 2021: 3; 2022: 2; 2023: 3; 2024: 3; 2025: 4
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10496937 · 2013-02-08 (February 8, 2013)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREE WAY MY BRAND NEW 535I HAD A DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE LOSING POWER AND SLOWING DOWN ALL WHILE SHAKING. PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD NOT GAIN SPEED. WHEN I CALLED BMW THEY SAID TO STOP AT THE NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP WHICH I DID. AFTER EXITING THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND REFUSED TO GO FASTER THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR SHAKING THE WHOLE WAY TO THE DEALER. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR A WEEK BEFORE SAYING THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP THEN RUN MORE TEST…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10499268 · 2013-02-19 (February 19, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH DOWNHILL, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499268 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10503756 · 2013-03-20 (March 20, 2013)
ONCE AGAIN NEARLY A MONTH AFTER MY 2013 535I HAD ITS HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP REPLACED BY BMW. THE CAR DECIDES TO LOSE ALL POWER AND NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE AGAIN WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING AND SPUTTERING. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE AT ALL. THE SERVICE ADVISOR IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM AND KIND OF BLEW IT OFF BY JOKING ABOUT HOW HE THOUGHT BMW CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL OF THEIR 135, 335, AND 535, WHICH IS DISTURBING TO NOW BMW HAS THIS PRO…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503756 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10525178 · 2013-07-16 (July 16, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH THROUGH TWO INCHES OF WATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD HYDRO-LOCKED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,900.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10525178 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10532440 · 2013-07-29 (July 29, 2013)
GOODYEAR EAGLE LS2 ROF TIRES. ONLY 4700 MILES ON MY 2013 BMW 535 ACTIVEHYBRID. BUBBLE ON RF TIRE, I AM THE ONLY DRIVER. NO POTHOLES EVER HIT OR CURBS RUBBED INTO. I AM IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY. CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE TIRE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF IMPACT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE OR THE WHEEL. NO DAMAGE TO THE INSIDE EITHER. OBVIOUS DEFECT IN THE TIRE. LOOKING AT THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TIRE ONLINE THERE IS A PROBLEM. IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE KILLS THEMSELVES WITH A BLOWOUT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10532440 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10575561 · 2014-03-29 (March 29, 2014)
AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE I WAS TOLD THAT THE FIRST TUNE UP WOULD BE DUE AT 10,000 MILES. THEREFORE I SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE, HOVER WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN THE FIRST TIME AT 10,000 MILES I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO NEED FOR TUNE UP THAT THE COMPUTER WOULD DISPLAY A MESSAGE TELLING ME WHEN TO SERVICE IT. ONE WEEK LATER IT WAS DISPLAYING THAT IT NEEDED OIL, SO I BROUGHT IT IN. ONE QUART OF OIL WAS ADDED ON THE SPOT. AFTER 11,000 IT WAS TELLING ME TO SERVICE THE CAR IN 1200 MILES SO AT 12200 I BROUGHT IT IN. ONCE AGING I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT TI…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10575561 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10585071 · 2014-04-26 (April 26, 2014)
DRIVING NEW 2013 535I (HEAVILY EQUIPPED) ABOUT 50 MPH IN 55 MPH ZONE ON A CLEAR EVENING W/LOW TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BMW COLLIDED INTO REAR-END OF ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLE LACKING ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR FLARES. BMW RAMMED ADVERSE PARKED VEHICLE APPROX. 16' BEFORE PULL APART. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON STEERING WHEEL AND KNEE. STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO LEFT ARM ETC.. BOTH LEGS IN SIMILAR TRAUMA POST-CRASH AT KNEE TO FOOT EQUALLY. FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED INWARDS (NOT OUTWARD) ABOVE STEERING WHEEL. FORCE OF I…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10585071 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10629238 · 2014-08-28 (August 28, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 535I. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING DOWN A HILL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10629238 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V188000 · Exterior Lighting
Reported: 2015-03-31 (March 31, 2015)
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."
Consequence: The vehicle may be less visible to other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗