BMW 530i
Registered from 2001 to 2027.
About this model
The BMW 5 Series is an executive car manufactured and marketed by BMW since 1972. It is the successor to the BMW New Class sedans and is currently in its eighth generation. The car is sold as either a sedan or, since 1991, a station wagon. A 5-door fastback was sold between 2009 and 2017. Each successive generation has been given an internal G-code designation since 2017. Previously, a F-code designation was used between 2010 and 2016, while an E-code designation was used between 1972 and 2010. These are used to distinguish each model and generation from each other.
From the Wikipedia article BMW 5 Series, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it stands out against its peers
- Air bags: more complaints than 97% of 2018 cars — 45% of its 78 complaints, where an ordinary 2018 car has 6%.
- Seat belts: more complaints than 97% of 2018 cars — 31% of its 78 complaints, where an ordinary 2018 car has 2%.
- Seats: more complaints than 97% of 2018 cars — 18% of its 78 complaints, where an ordinary 2018 car has 2%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2027 | 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 9.0 L/100km city · 6.9 motorway |
| 2026 | 255 hp · 1886 kg · 3000 mm wheelbase · 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 8.7 L/100km city · 6.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2025 | 255 hp · 1886 kg · 3000 mm wheelbase · 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 8.7 L/100km city · 6.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2024 | 255 hp · 1886 kg · 3000 mm wheelbase · 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 8.7 L/100km city · 6.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2023 | 248 hp · 1680 kg · 2980 mm wheelbase · 9.0 L/100km (EPA) · 10.2 L/100km city · 7.4 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2022 | 248 hp · 1680 kg · 2980 mm wheelbase · 9.0 L/100km (EPA) · 10.2 L/100km city · 7.4 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2021 | 248 hp · 1680 kg · 2980 mm wheelbase · 8.7 L/100km (EPA) · 10.2 L/100km city · 7.4 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2020 | 248 hp · 1759 kg · 2980 mm wheelbase · 8.7 L/100km (EPA) · 9.8 L/100km city · 7.6 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2019 | 248 hp · 1759 kg · 2980 mm wheelbase · 8.7 L/100km (EPA) · 10.2 L/100km city · 7.1 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2018 | 248 hp · 1759 kg · 2980 mm wheelbase · 8.7 L/100km (EPA) · 10.2 L/100km city · 7.1 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2017 | 248 hp · 1670 kg · 2980 mm wheelbase · 8.7 L/100km (EPA) · 10.2 L/100km city · 7.1 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2007 | 1565 kg · 2900 mm wheelbase · 11.2 L/100km (EPA) · 13.1 L/100km city · 8.4 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
37% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.
18V465000
A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
19V684000
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
20V243000
In the event of a crash of sufficient severity, deployment of the head air bag may be impaired and/or the igniter could separate from the inflator, increasing the risk of injury.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left or right head air bag, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
20V598000
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
20V761000
Increased electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator assembly, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V046000
A broken output shaft can lead to a loss of drive power or a rollaway condition in a parked vehicle (if the parking brake is not engaged), increasing the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the output shaft(s), free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V096000
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V554000
During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).
4 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.
Regulator investigations
Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.
Bmw airbag light illumination
Engineering analysis, opened January 2008, closed December 2008.
Bmw airbag light illumination
Preliminary evaluation, opened September 2007, closed January 2008.
What the maker told its dealers
Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.
BMW filed 7 bulletins about the 2026 530i.
- Electrical system: 4
- Engine: 2
- Structure: 1
- Due to an implementation error in various OBD diagnostics in the vehicle's control units, in very rare cases itmay happen that stored fault memory codes (DTCs) and the MIL (warning light) are not… · July 2026
- BMW AG is conducting Voluntary Emissions Recall (effective March 11, 2026) on certain Model Year 2023 -2026 BMW vehicles that were produced between January 14, 2022, and September 16, 2025. · March 2026
- The hood is difficult to close, or may not close · February 2026
- The vehicle may experience various operational issues with the Multifunction Display such as: Intermittent black screen Permanent black screen Intermittent head unit functions not displayed (i.e.,… · January 2026
- The vehicle may experience various operational issues with the infotainment system such as: Resets of the head unit Delayed start-up of the head unit (longer than 30 seconds) Failed start-up of the… · January 2026
- Expansion Tank Return · December 2025
- RSU availability. The vehicle may experience various operation faults with the infotainment system such as: Resets of the head unit Delayed start-up of the head unit (longer than 30 seconds) Failed… · December 2025
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.