2016 BMW 5 Series Problems & Owner Complaints

Electrical System 33 3 fire 1 injury

“My coolant line overheated. From the leaking water pump and pcv that exploded all over my engine causing it to overheat and now how has not turned back on. Ive been without a car for months and when I seen the recall and reached out to the dealer expressing my situation they said they would get back to me and have not called or emailed or even responded in months.”
NHTSA complaint #11697057, 2025 · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“The contact owned a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at 30 -35 MPH with the windows down, there was a smoke odor present. The contact pulled over into a parking lot and smoke was discovered coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle suddenly engulfed in flames as the contact was still seated in the vehicle. The contact was able to safely exit the vehicle. The fire department arrived on the scene and was able to extinguish the fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. It was unknown if a fire report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to an in…”
NHTSA complaint #11621539, 2023 · fire

“On January 29, 2020, while driving my 2016 BMW 5 Series under normal operating conditions, the engine compartment caught fire without warning. Smoke and flames originated from the engine bay while the vehicle was in motion. I was forced to pull over and exit the vehicle immediately. The fire spread rapidly, and the vehicle was declared a total loss. At the time, both my insurance carrier and BMW representatives inspected the vehicle, but no definitive cause was identified. In January 2026, I received notification that this same vehicle is subject to BMW Safety Recall Campaign No. 24V-608, whic…”
NHTSA complaint #11713522, 2020 · fire

Engine And Engine Cooling 27 1 fire

“The contact owned a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at 30 -35 MPH with the windows down, there was a smoke odor present. The contact pulled over into a parking lot and smoke was discovered coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle suddenly engulfed in flames as the contact was still seated in the vehicle. The contact was able to safely exit the vehicle. The fire department arrived on the scene and was able to extinguish the fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. It was unknown if a fire report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to an in…”
NHTSA complaint #11621539, 2023 · fire

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and running, the contact became aware of an abnormal burning odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
NHTSA complaint #11675593, 2025

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
NHTSA complaint #11671590, 2025

Engine 22 3 fire 1 injury

“My coolant line overheated. From the leaking water pump and pcv that exploded all over my engine causing it to overheat and now how has not turned back on. Ive been without a car for months and when I seen the recall and reached out to the dealer expressing my situation they said they would get back to me and have not called or emailed or even responded in months.”
NHTSA complaint #11697057, 2025 · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“Valve cover leak Oil filter housing leak Super common that these items leak in the bmw N57 diesel engines. Increased risk of fire. I am in the Facebook group with many other owners of the same engine, and almost everyone runs into the same problems by 100,000 miles.”
NHTSA complaint #11652697, 2025 · fire

“On January 29, 2020, while driving my 2016 BMW 5 Series under normal operating conditions, the engine compartment caught fire without warning. Smoke and flames originated from the engine bay while the vehicle was in motion. I was forced to pull over and exit the vehicle immediately. The fire spread rapidly, and the vehicle was declared a total loss. At the time, both my insurance carrier and BMW representatives inspected the vehicle, but no definitive cause was identified. In January 2026, I received notification that this same vehicle is subject to BMW Safety Recall Campaign No. 24V-608, whic…”
NHTSA complaint #11713522, 2020 · fire

Air Bags 12 1 crash 1 injury

“TAKATA RECALL,, 12-20-2017 I WAS IN A COLLISION. MY VEHICLE REAR ENDED A VEHICLE WHILE TRYING TO STOP. I WAS ALONE IN MY VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE STEERING WHEEL AND KNEE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AND REAR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BMW UPON MY REQUEST AND COMPLAINTS HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED MY ONE OF THEIR ENGINEERS. WHO I WAS TOLD SAID THAT THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHY WOULD THE PASSENGERS IF I WAS ALONE AND WAS TOLD OH THAT'S A SAFETY PRECAUTION DON'T W…”
NHTSA complaint #11083916, 2017 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact received a message displaying a hazard symbol for the driver restraint system. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the fault for the driver’s side air bag Intel Stage 2. The dealer confirmed that there was an internal disconnect with the air bag that needed…”
NHTSA complaint #11625951, 2024

“Passenger restraint system malfunction, available for inspection. Passenger side air bag will not work if in an accident Problem has been confirmed by dealer Warning lamp appeared approximately 4-5 weeks ago, prior to that no symptoms. Just happened all of a sudden.”
NHTSA complaint #11616563, 2024

Unknown Or Other 8 1 fire

“CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS OFF FOR 2.5 HOURS. IT HAPPENED WHILE PARKED, IN MY APARTMENT COMPLEX PARKING LOT AND NO ONE WAS INSIDE THE CAR AT THE TIME.”
NHTSA complaint #11407469, 2021 · fire

“Due to the nature of the car potentially catching on fire and a remedy still not being available I am concerned about my safety and of those around me since the car is used to be operated daily for commuting to work.”
NHTSA complaint #11657941, 2025

“This recall campaign begins Aug 2024. As of today 11-15-24, the dealership still stated, "remedy is unavailable". This is not acceptable. What should I do next?”
NHTSA complaint #11625556, 2024

Fuel/Propulsion System 6

“Vehicle: 2016 BMW 528i xDrive (VIN: [XXX]) Safety Issue / Defect Description: Strong, hazardous raw gasoline fumes began entering the passenger cabin and trunk area. On XXX, the vehicle was brought to an authorized dealership (BMW of Sterling) for diagnostic evaluation. The dealership's technician conducted a multi-point inspection and produced video evidence documenting fluid leaking from the top of the plastic fuel tank. The dealership issued Repair Order Quote #$4,824.92 to "REPLACE FUEL TANK DUE TO FUEL LEAK" and declared the vehicle unsafe. Despite diagnosing a structural fuel tank lea…”
NHTSA complaint #11753570, 2026

“The vehicle developed a strong, toxic odor of raw gasoline inside the passenger cabin and trunk area. The vehicle was brought to an authorized franchise, BMW of Sterling, where technicians performed a multi-point inspection. The technician confirmed that the factory plastic fuel tank assembly is structurally defective and leaking raw fuel from the top weld seams. The dealer provided an official invoice quoting $4,824.92 to replace the tank due to the fuel leak, noting it is an active hazard, but refused to cover the failure under BMW’s active 15-year/150,000-mile extended warranty for N20 plas…”
NHTSA complaint #11751663, 2026

“Concern- smoke coming out of back exhaust at start up Cause - TAYLOR BMW (dealership) - possible needs updated oil line, turbo may be leaking internally Correction- dealership pulled faults to see if cat efficiency faults were present, saw none. Did verify smoke on startup. Doesn’t look like the turbo oil feed line has been changed (updated with check valve). There is some oil encrusted on the body of turbo. Would replace all lines since turbo removal is required for any of them; however once cat is off and if the chamber inside is wet with oil, at that point it would need a turbo as well as…”
NHTSA complaint #11655918, 2025

Power Train 5

“A critical component failure has rendered my 2016 BMW 528xi inoperable and unsafe. The water pump failed, forcing the car into a safety "limp mode," limiting its speed to approximately 40 miles per hour. This issue mirrors NHTSA Recall 24V-608 regarding an electrical connector on the water pump that can short circuit, potentially causing a "thermal event or fire." The problem began with dashboard warnings about overheating, despite the coolant reservoir being full. Following these warnings, the vehicle entered "limp mode," posing a significant safety risk in normal traffic. The potential for…”
NHTSA complaint #11683511, 2025

“Very often, when I change the gear to 'Drive' or 'Reverse' I get a message on the dashboard screen - "secure Vehicle against rolling" and the car DOES NOT move unless I shift the auto gear lever several times or sometimes shut off the engine to get back to normal driving. Once when I was in such a situation, no matter what I do, the error message would not go away and I had to call the tow truck to get home. And when tow truck person brought the car home, the problem fixed itself!! I only have 81000 miles on this car. It is a very serious safety issue as far as I am concerned. PLEASE…”
NHTSA complaint #11676315, 2025

“Driveshaft dampener (Guibo) is cracking with 57k miles on the vehicle. This may be the result of poor manufacturing quality. This problem was identified by the BMW dealership while performing a routine service inspection.”
NHTSA complaint #11595922, 2024

Fuel System 3

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW 535D. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with high-pressure fuel pump failure. The vehicle was left at the local dealer, where it remained for further repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure m…”
NHTSA complaint #11654425, 2025

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW 535D. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
NHTSA complaint #11448370, 2022

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW 535D. The contact stated that the engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11477184, 2020

Suspension 3

“I've gotten my car fixed multiple times and nothing has worked. My car is leaking coolant severely it overheats constantly I get the red and the yellow message. My heater is self stopped working and my car on the freeway has stopped from going 75 to 80 miles dropping all the way to 20 miles.”
NHTSA complaint #11653684, 2024

“The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle while at a stop. The contact detected fumes underneath the hood and there was oil on the alternator. The contact stated that the tires were replaced, but the vehicle was not aligned. The contact stated that the driveshaft had dropped and was making an abnormal rubbing sound. The oil light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contac…”
NHTSA complaint #11634664, 2023

“MY PEOPLE IS MAKING A TAPPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION AREA I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THE LAST TIME WAS ON 6 9 2011 I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR BACK WHEN THE NOISE IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING SO THE LEAD MECHANIC ASKED YOU ROLL WITH ME AND HEARD THE NOISE AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM I DROPPED THE CAR OFF AFTER TWO DAYS I WAS TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM DIRECTLY CONTRADICTING WHAT THE LEAD MECHANIC HAD TOLD ME I'M NOT SURE I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON I'M ACTUALLY AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE THIS NEWS HAS ACTUALLY GOTTEN WOR…”
NHTSA complaint #11339545, 2020

Tires 3

“I OWN A 2016 BMW 550I EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS2 RUN FLAT TIRES. THE VEHICLE HAS 24,000 MILES AND THE TREAD IS SEPARATING ON THE TIRES.”
NHTSA complaint #11217379, 2019

“TIRES ARE COMING APART AND UNSERVICEABLE AT 19000 MILES OF NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE TIRE SHOP TELLS ME THEY ARE CLEARLY DEFECTIVE”
NHTSA complaint #11079721, 2018

“1 ST TIRE BLOWN 13000 MILES AT 45 MPH ON LAKE HAVASU CITY,AZ 2ND TIRE BLOWN 16000 MILES AT 65 ON 5FWY LOS ANGELES,CA AT 14 000 MILES HAD TO REPLACE A TIRE FOR A PUNTURE SO NO BIG DEAL BUT 3 GOODYEAR EAGLE LS 245/45R18 RUN ON FLAT BEFORE 20 000 MILES THATS A CONCERN SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR”
NHTSA complaint #11076396, 2018

Exterior Lighting 2

“My driver headlight is constantly getting moisture trapped in it. It’s been replaced twice and the seals were checked, but it keeps happening and shorting out my headlight. It’s $4000 to fix. Just had it replaced 1.5 weeks ago and it’s broken already. I took it to bmw the moment I noticed the moisture was back and they told me it was fine. This is a widespread problem and they are not fixing their product”
NHTSA complaint #11682405, 2025

“I have 2016 BMW 5 series car, for past two to three years headlights are getting condensation inside on colder months. Dealer is not able to fix the condensation, they are advising to replace the headlights. Some of my friends replaced OEM headlights, but after few years they are started condensation, it’s looked like defect from manufacturer, I had few Honda vehicles older than my BMW car, they never had any condensation complaints. It’s look like manufacturer used cheap materials causing condensation, it is causing low light at night times may lead to accidents. Please look at this issue and…”
NHTSA complaint #11716890, 2024

Seat Belts 2

“1 .Panoramic sunroof curtain has been repaired twice at the dealer and now it broke for the third time 2. the controls to the panoramic sunroof do not work at all 3.Passenger restrain system malfunction”
NHTSA complaint #11582125, 2024

“I got a notice from the car that the restraint system was malfunctioning. It said to go ahead and wear my seatbelt and go to the nearest repair shop. This is distressing and should not have happened. I’m afraid to drive it. I have no other means of transportation. My life was destroyed by a near fatal car accident in 1994 as I was enrolling in medical school. An 18-wheeler pulled out on narrow 2-lane Hwy with no shoulder. It ran through a very dense pine forest in east Texas. The trailer had only a bicycle sized reflector, and it was caked with mud. He was invisible. I couldn’t see him until m…”
NHTSA complaint #11529362, 2023

Vehicle Speed Control 2

“A critical component failure has rendered my 2016 BMW 528xi inoperable and unsafe. The water pump failed, forcing the car into a safety "limp mode," limiting its speed to approximately 40 miles per hour. This issue mirrors NHTSA Recall 24V-608 regarding an electrical connector on the water pump that can short circuit, potentially causing a "thermal event or fire." The problem began with dashboard warnings about overheating, despite the coolant reservoir being full. Following these warnings, the vehicle entered "limp mode," posing a significant safety risk in normal traffic. The potential for…”
NHTSA complaint #11683511, 2025

“Coolant pump failure engine failure also caused fire in engine bay. Insurance inspector. Pre shop inspection. No light were on prior to explosion.”
NHTSA complaint #11681035, 2025

Wheels 2

“THE CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CV JOINTS, THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR IN 10/19 - IF I TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING IT WON'T TURN. THE BMW CERTIFIED DEALER STATES IT IS BOTH CV JOINTS AND BMW HAS BEEN RECALLING THEIR VEHICLES SINCE 2013 FOR CV JOINTS”
NHTSA complaint #11355391, 2020

“CAR SOLD IN MINNEAPOLIS, MN WITH "SUMMER" TIRES. DISCLOSURE ON STICKER = "WHEEL & TIRE SET STYLE 464M GR." NO DISCUSSION FROM SALESPERSON ON RISKS OF SUMMER TIRES IN WINTER CONDITIONS. CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON ANY FORM OF ICE / SNOW, WHICH IS OFTEN HALF THE YEAR IN MN.”
NHTSA complaint #10937467, 2016

Forward Collision Avoidance 1

“THE HEAD UNIT OR THE CAR STOPPED WORKING. AS A RESULT, REAR VIEW CAMERA, ALL WARNING SYSTEMS OR THE CAR INCLUDING WARNINGS FOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE, WARNINGS FOR DISTANCE FROM OBJECTS IN FRONT, SIDE AND REAR ALL STOPPED WORKING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH ALL SAFETY FEATURES OF THE CAR WERE DISABLED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME HEAD UNIT HAS STOPPED WORKING ON THE SAME CAR AND THE SECOND TIME WHEN THE HEAD UNIT NEEDED A REPLACEMENT. SEEMS LIKE A SYSTEMIC ISSUE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED WITH BMWS.”
NHTSA complaint #11391051, 2020

Service Brakes 1 1 crash 1 injury

“TAKATA RECALL,, 12-20-2017 I WAS IN A COLLISION. MY VEHICLE REAR ENDED A VEHICLE WHILE TRYING TO STOP. I WAS ALONE IN MY VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE STEERING WHEEL AND KNEE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AND REAR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BMW UPON MY REQUEST AND COMPLAINTS HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED MY ONE OF THEIR ENGINEERS. WHO I WAS TOLD SAID THAT THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHY WOULD THE PASSENGERS IF I WAS ALONE AND WAS TOLD OH THAT'S A SAFETY PRECAUTION DON'T W…”
NHTSA complaint #11083916, 2017 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Steering 1

“THE CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CV JOINTS, THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR IN 10/19 - IF I TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING IT WON'T TURN. THE BMW CERTIFIED DEALER STATES IT IS BOTH CV JOINTS AND BMW HAS BEEN RECALLING THEIR VEHICLES SINCE 2013 FOR CV JOINTS”
NHTSA complaint #11355391, 2020

Structure 1 1 fire

“On January 29, 2020, while driving my 2016 BMW 5 Series under normal operating conditions, the engine compartment caught fire without warning. Smoke and flames originated from the engine bay while the vehicle was in motion. I was forced to pull over and exit the vehicle immediately. The fire spread rapidly, and the vehicle was declared a total loss. At the time, both my insurance carrier and BMW representatives inspected the vehicle, but no definitive cause was identified. In January 2026, I received notification that this same vehicle is subject to BMW Safety Recall Campaign No. 24V-608, whic…”
NHTSA complaint #11713522, 2020 · fire

Visibility/Wiper 1

“THE HEAD UNIT OR THE CAR STOPPED WORKING. AS A RESULT, REAR VIEW CAMERA, ALL WARNING SYSTEMS OR THE CAR INCLUDING WARNINGS FOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE, WARNINGS FOR DISTANCE FROM OBJECTS IN FRONT, SIDE AND REAR ALL STOPPED WORKING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH ALL SAFETY FEATURES OF THE CAR WERE DISABLED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME HEAD UNIT HAS STOPPED WORKING ON THE SAME CAR AND THE SECOND TIME WHEN THE HEAD UNIT NEEDED A REPLACEMENT. SEEMS LIKE A SYSTEMIC ISSUE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED WITH BMWS.”
NHTSA complaint #11391051, 2020