There are 27 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2010 BMW 5 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
They lied to me made me buy a bad car and then didn't even give me a license plate of anything they stole my money
insulation on wiring is deteriorated leading to possible fire and or shorting out of electrical system
There seems to be a common problem with these vehicles according to similar complaints being discussed in forums. My steering wheel is malfunctioning and creating a safety concern. While driving straight my horn and electrical controls do not function. If I turn the steering wheel to one side then the horn and electrical components work. I am also afraid that the airbag may not function properly because of this.
I was told by BMW that the high pressure fuel pump for these vehicles are under warranty for 100,000 miles or 10 years. I just purchased the vehicle to not only drive from new jersey to New York and shut down. Since then it caused an accident and the used dealer is just ignoring everything. I was also told there’s an electric water pump class action suit and also something with the trunk leaking. Now I do know that a vehicle is not supposed to be sold without recalls being stated and fixed. I’m already paid 10k for the car and then 1k for a starter . The vehicle is in the body shop having body repair due to the engine shutting down. If the engine shuts down it displays fuel pump malfunction and within 20-30 mins will start again. The BMW 535i has 96,000 miles on it and I don’t think it’s fair that I should be penalized for someone not following thru with repairs let alone having an accident on my insurance now. I’m asking please just help get the vehicle running again and all future service will absolutely be done through BMW. That’s how I handled my Mercedes’ and plan so with this vehicle. I’m a single father that just took a severe beating financially and had to sell the Mercedes’ and thought buying a BMW was a good choice being I had a similar issue with Mercedes’ and they honored the repair due to the amount of time owned and still being in the mileage range of the defective part. Please help . Email-[XXX] Cell- [XXX] [XXX] Thank you in advance INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
THE INSULATON OF THE WIRING TO BOTH MY HEADLIGHT AND PARKING LIGHT LAMPS IS FLAKING OFF IN SMALL AND LARGE PIECES LEAVING THE COPPER WIRING EXPOSED.
THERE IS A RECALL ON ALL BMW N63 VEHICLES FOR EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BULLETIN B001314) CUSTOMERS CARE PACKAGE. MY BMW IS CONSUMING OIL AND WHITE SMOKE IS COMING OUT THE TAILPIPE. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO BMW AND THEY REFUSE TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY REPAIRS INCLUDED IN THE CCP MY CRANKCASE VALVES ALSO THE COOLING HOSES ALL THIS IS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT THEY CLAIM I HAVE A ENGINE LEAK. THE ENGINE IS LEAKING BECAUSE THE VALVES ARE WORN AND NEED TO BE CHANGED I NEED HELP GETTING THEM TO CONFORM TO THE CCP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE RIGHT AND LEFT TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS FAILED TO OPERATE AND THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OF THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT, A CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS; THEREFORE, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPS. I'VE ALREADY REPLACE THE SPARKPLUGS, COILS, & FUEL FILTER, BUT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT GO AWAY. THE SUDDEN STOPPING HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING OR WHEN I'M IDLE AT EITHER A STOP SIGN OR A LIGHT. THE VEHICLE SPUTTERS UNTIL IT COMPLETELY TURNS OFF FROM I'M IDLE AND THERE IS NO WARNING FOR WHEN I'M ACTUALLY DRIVING, IT JUST STOPS.
I WAS DRIVING 2010 BMW 528XI ON HIGHWAY @SPEED OF 65 MPH AND ELECTRIC SUPPLY DISCONNECTED IN THE CAR AND I LOST THE CONTROL. I COULD NOT CONTROL SPEED AND BRAKES. IT WAS A SERIOUS THREAT TO MY LIFE. FORTUNATELY, I LET CAR GO AND IT STOPPED BY ITSELF ON SHOULDER. I CALLED TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT THEY MENTIONED THAT BMW CANNOT HELP IN THIS CASE AND JUST NOTED THE COMMENTS. I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN BMW 5 SERIES AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY OF YOU EXPERIENCED SAME ISSUE.
UNDER NORMAL LOAD BATTERY CAN BECOME DISCHARGED EVEN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING TOTAL SHUT DOWN. THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON MY WHILE DRIVING IT DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN OF ALTERNATOR CLUTCH (EFFICIENT DYNAMICS) THERE ARE COUNTLESS REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE THROUGH BMW FORUMS FOR MODEL YEARS 2010 AND 2011 OF 550I GT. IN MY SPECIFIC CASE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING AFTER 20 MILES ON HIGHWAY. ALL WARNINGS WENT OFF AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE CAR WAS MOVING. BATTERY IS ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD AND TESTS TO HAVE NO TROUBLE. I AM AFRAID THIS COULD HAPPEN WHILE AT SPEED AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=672462
1. BATTERY/ALTERNATOR WHILE DRIVING CAR IT STARTED SLOWING DOWN SAYING BATTERY DISCHARGING AND FINALLY DIED ON THE ROAD. I HAD TO GET A NEW ALTERNATOR. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, MY BATTERY START DISCHARGING AGAIN AND NOW NEED A NEW BATTERY. BATTERY ONLY ONE YEAR OLD. 2. ENGINE- WITH A LITTLE OVER 81,000 MILES ENGINE WAS GETTING EXTREMLEY HOT AND COOLANT PIPES HAD TO BE REPLACED. USING COOLANT AND BURNING A QUART OF OIL EVERY 400 MILES WITH A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE. NEED VALVE STEM SEALS WHICH IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE $5,000.00. CAN'T AFFORD, SO CAR IS JUST SITTING. ANY HELP WILL BE A BLESSING.
PURCHASED CAR TWO YEARS AGO AND DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION CONTINUES TO LIGHT CONTINUALLY COMES ON, VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. I'VE HAD DRIVEN LEXUS VEHICLES FOR THE PRIOR 30 YEARS AND NEVER SPENT SO MUCH TIME AT THE DEALER TRYING TO RESOLVE THE SAME PROBLEM OR ANY MECHANICAL / ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. SWITCHING TO BMW WITHIN THESE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE LITERALLY INTERRUPTED MY LIFE, COST ME TIME AND MONEY AS THIS VEHICLE WAS IN THE REPAIR SHOP (DEALER) FOR MORE THAN 70 DAYS WITHIN TWO YEARS (DEALER SPENT JUST AS MUCH TIME WITH THE CAR AS I). AFTER ALL THE REPAIRS THE FAITHFUL DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION ENTERS MY LIFE YET AGAIN. CAN YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MAJOR COMPONENT IN THIS CAR. AFTER PURCHASING FOR CASH I THOUGHT I WOULD NOT NEED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR FOR AT LEAST 5-6 OR MORE YEARS BUT ONCE AGAIN I FIND MYSELF HAVING TO NOW BUY A RELIABLE CAR. IF I KNEW BMW VEHICLES WERE THIS MUCH TROUBLE, I WOULD HAVE SAVED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CASH BY FINANCING INSTEAD EXPENDING THAT AMOUNT UPFRONT ONLY TO FIND MYSELF "LIVING" AT THE DEALERSHIP. SADDEST PART IS YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT ONLY THE 2011-12 BMW 550I GRAN TURISMOS AND I HAVE THE 2010. I GUESS "AFTER" I PAY FOR THE REPAIR THEN YOU WILL INITIATE A RECALL TO INCLUDE THIS YEAR AS WELL (SAME CAR AS OTHERS, EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT ONE YEAR MAKING THE DIFFERENCE). CAN YOU PLEASE HELP.
BLOWER MOTOR SHORTED AND CAUSED WIDESPREAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING HEADLIGHTS AND THEIR CONTROL. A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE BLEW OUT OF THE VENTS AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING MOVED FROM THE GARAGE TO THE PARKING LOT AT A 3RD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDER.
I DROVE ACROSS TOWN TO MY PARENTS HOUSE AND WHEN I GOT THERE I TURNED THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF AND LOCKED IT. I VISITED WITH THEM FOR ROUGHLY 30 MINUTES BEFORE I HAD TO LEAVE AGAIN. I WAS APPROACHING MY CAR AND CLICKED THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON MY KEY FOB. ONCE THE CAR UNLOCKED I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I UNLOCKED TO HOOD TO RELEASE PRESSURE AND QUICKLY RAN TO GRAB A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE CAR WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. I PUT THOSE FLAMES OUT BUT AFTER TWO MINUTES MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED BY FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FINALLY ARRIVED TO THE SCENE AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. BY THE TIME THE FIRE WAS COMPLETELY PUT OUT MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. MY PARENTS HOUSE TOOK QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE AS WELL FROM THE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT OF MY CAR.
2010 BMW 535XI, CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN MAINTAINED AT BMW DEALERSHIP, AND CURRENT ON ALL INSPECTIONS, REPAIRS, AND MAINTENANCE. FIRE OCCURRED IN DUNCAN DOUGHNUTS DRIVE THROUGH, SLIGHT SMELL OF SMOKE WHILE AT DRIVE THROUGH LINE. WHILE RECEIVING FOOD AT WINDOW LESS THAN A MINUTE OR TWO LATER, AND WHILE IN PARK. FLAMES SHOT THROUGH HOOD AT MIDDLE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT BY WINDSHIELD AND REAR 1/3 OF THE MIDDLE OF THE HOOD WITH INTENSE SMOKE. IMMEDIATEL REACTION WAS TO PUT IN DRIVE AND MOVED FOREWORD TO GET AWAY FROM BUILDING TO GET OUT OF DOOR AS ENGINE DIED, WE SCRAMBLED OUT OF VEHICLE. 2 EMPLOYEES IMMEDIATELY ASSISTED WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, BUT ENGINE COMPARTMENT QUICKLY ENGULFED 1ST IN THE MIDDLE HOOD THEN LEFT HOOD AND EVENTUALLY THROUGH THE WHEELWELL. I HAVE ALL SERVICE RECORDS, AND HAVE HAD ALL REQUIRED REPAIRS, RECALLS AND MAINTENANCE PERFORMED EXCLUSIVELY AT BMW DEALERSHIP. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT JUST CATCH FIRE AND BURN FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WITHOUT AND WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATORS. CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE HERE THAT REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION. I'M REALLY LUCKY THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THAT THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND NOT IN MY GARAGE, OR GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY FROM THE BUILDING FAR ENOUGH TO PREVENT IT FROM CATCHING ON FIRE ALSO AND CAUSING ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE. THIS 2010 BMW 535XI HAS ADMITTEDLY BEEN A FREQUENT FLIER AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP. IT HAS HAD THE VALVE COVERS REPLACED, CV JOINT REPLACED, , VANOS SOLENOID VALVES REPLACED, SHAFT SEAL REPLACED, REAR DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED, COOLANT PUMP REPLACED, OIL FILTER HOUSING REPLACED, FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED TWICE, BULB HOLDERS REPLACED, SIDE LIGHTS REPLACED, REPROGRAMMED ECT.
MANY TIMES DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DOES NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE LEVER WAS PULLED TWICE. IT ONLY UNLOCKS WHEN THE ELECTRIC UNLOCK BUTTON IS PUSHED. IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS DURING AN ACCIDENT IF POWER IS LOST AND I COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOOR. THIS PROBLEM HAS STARTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TOO.
I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO BMW IRVINE IN CALIFORNIA FOR A RECALL ON MY TAIL LIGHTS, THEY STOP WORKING, THE RECALL WAS TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES AND THEY ONLY DID ONE. THE SIDE THAT BURN OUT BUT THEY LEFT THE SAME CONNECTOR WHICH WAS BURNT AND WITH THE WIRES LOOSE AND I WASNT EVEN NOTIFY WHEN I PICK THE VEHICLE UNTIL WHEN I START DRIVING THE LIGHT STOPWORKING AGAIN. THEY ANSWER IS NOT T HEIR FAULT DONT CARE. NOW MY VEHICLE DOESN'T RUN AND I GOT ALL KINDS OF WIRED MESSAGES ON MY IDRIVE. HALF WAY DONE RECALLS??? BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 550I. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. BEFORE THE FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PANEL AND ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
MY CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO TWO BMW SHOPS AND IT'S THE SAME THING EVERY TIME. THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. PLUS, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS IN ALL THE TIME. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THE SAME THING THAT CAN'T FINE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, MY HEADLIGHTS HAS A MALFUNCTION PROBLEM, IT WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO WORK.
IGNITION COIL MALFUNCTION RECURS AFTER DEALERSHIP REPAIRS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. CAUSES ENGINE SPEED TO VARY AND BE OUTSIDE THE DRIVERS CONTROL. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 27 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026