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BMW 535xiYears to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 143 owner complaints and 1 safety recall on record for the BMW 535xi.

BMW 535xi
Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints143Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls12008–2014 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0.

Best & worst years

BMW 535xi years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 535xi median. Tap a year for its full report.

'08'10'11'12'13'14
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2014Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2013Not rated–/1004 complaints · 1 recall2012Not rated–/10018 complaints · 0 recalls2011Not rated–/10035 complaints · 0 recalls2010Not rated–/10015 complaints · 0 recalls2008Not rated–/10071 complaints · 0 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common BMW 535xi problems

All model years combined: 143 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system306
Engine261
Fuel/propulsion system241
Tires180
Power train180
Air bags170
Exterior lighting140
Wheels130
Seats93
13 other systems443
1 recall

BMW 535xi recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

69%Exterior lighting15V-188 · 2013–2014 · Mar 31, 2015 · 13,443 vehicles
1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the 535xi

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2014 · still open
    Open