BMW 550i
Registered from 2006 to 2017.
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
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash | ★★★★☆ |
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ |
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | Optional |
| Lane departure warning | Optional |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 448 hp · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway |
| 2016 | 443 hp · 2010 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2015 | 448 hp · 2010 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2014 | 448 hp · 2010 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2013 | 400 hp · 2050 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2012 | 400 hp · 2050 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 13.8 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2011 | 400 hp · 2050 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Sedan |
| 2010 | 400 hp · 2135 kg · 3070 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2009 | 1790 kg · 2900 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2008 | 1790 kg · 2900 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2007 | 1770 kg · 2900 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2006 | 1770 kg · 2900 mm wheelbase · 14.7 L/100km (EPA) · 16.8 L/100km city · 11.2 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
61% 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.
15V188000
The vehicle may be less visible to other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began July 28, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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.
16V746000
The loose wires may cause the connector to melt, resulting in a fuel leak. Additionally, the fuel pump may stop working, possibly causing an engine stall and increase the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. 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.
18V248000
If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
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.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.
Loss of power assist braking
Preliminary evaluation, opened September 2013, closed October 2013.
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 188 bulletins about the 2017 550i.
- Electrical system: 44
- Equipment: 44
- Engine: 17
- Engine and engine cooling: 17
- Equipment adaptive/mobility: 9
- Fuel system, gasoline: 8
- Structure: 7
- Visibility: 5
- Exterior lighting: 4
- Power train: 4
- Other: 29
- N63tu1 class action settlement svc campaign: oil consumption diagnosis/repair · February 2026
- Check Control message (CCM) indicates: (ID 213): Stop, exercising due care. Voltage supply The Service Engine Soon light is on with the following DME Fault Code: 21B209 - Starter alternator / belt… · April 2024
- One or more of the LED daytime running lights are dim or discolored. · April 2024
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. · February 2024
- The Central Information Display goes black intermittently due to resets of the Head Unit (HU-H3). FaultB7F8F9 ÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂàÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂHU-H: ResetÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂàwill… · 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
- At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be… · February 2024
- SITUATION Unusual noises occur only when operating the steering column in the axial direction. 1. A one-time thump sound at the start of movement Shortly after the steering column starts moving,… · February 2024
180 more.
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.