BMW 535d
Registered from 2014 to 2016.
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
- Electrical system: more complaints than 95% of 2016 cars — 40% of its 83 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 17%.
- Engine and engine cooling: more complaints than 97% of 2016 cars — 33% of its 83 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 3%.
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.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 22 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
- AIR BAGS — 9 owners reported this
- ENGINE — 9 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 4 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 3 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 3 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 3 owners reported this
- TIRES — 3 owners reported this
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 2 owners reported this
- FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL — 2 owners reported this
Crash test
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | Optional |
| Lane departure warning | Optional |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 255 hp · 1930 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 9.0 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2015 | 255 hp · 1930 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 9.0 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2014 | 255 hp · 1930 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 8.1 L/100km (EPA) · 9.0 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Sedan |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
22% of 2016 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.
15V718000
If the child seat is not properly attached to the lower anchors, it can increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair the inboard lower anchor on the left rear seat, free of charge. The recall began on December 28, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
16V914000
If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
18V755000
The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the EGR cooler as necessary. If a leak has already occurred, the engine intake manifold will also be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V586000
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V907000
A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall. An interim owner notification letter was mailed on January 18, 2022. The remedy is expected to be available in June 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
24V527000
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury or death.
The driver's front air bag will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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.
High pressure fuel pump failure
Engineering analysis, opened March 2023, still open.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.
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 218 bulletins about the 2016 535d.
- Equipment: 47
- Electrical system: 40
- Engine and engine cooling: 30
- Engine: 17
- Fuel system, gasoline: 14
- Equipment adaptive/mobility: 13
- Power train: 7
- Service brakes, hydraulic: 7
- Structure: 7
- Service brakes: 4
- Other: 32
- The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cooler (with EGR Valve) and the Auxiliary Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cooler limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended… · September 2025
- N47/n57 diesel engine egr cooler revised ext ltd wty(elw) coverage/procedure · September 2025
- The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cooler (with EGR Valve) and the Auxiliary Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cooler limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended… · August 2025
- The vehicle demonstrates a power loss and the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) on. The following fault codes may be stored in the DDE: 24CE00 Hot film air mass meter: Ratio of measured to calculated… · February 2024
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. · February 2024
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers… · February 2024
- Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel… · January 2024
- Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicleâÂÂs equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation… · December 2023
210 more.
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.