The 2016 BMW 5 Series is associated with 83 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 7 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, accounting for 22 reports (27% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 11 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3l 6-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, 3L 6-Cyl hybrid, and 4.4l 8-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 30 MPG combined. The 2016 BMW 5 Series belongs to the 6th generation (F10) 5 Series platform spanning model years 2015–2016.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 83 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 7 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (22 / 27%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 1 crash / 5 fire / 2 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 19–30 MPG (11 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| 535d Diesel | 3L 6-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 26 MPG | 38 MPG | 30 MPG | — | $2,650 / yr |
| 535d xDrive Diesel | 3L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 26 MPG | 37 MPG | 30 MPG | — | $2,650 / yr |
| 528i | 2L 4-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 23 MPG | 34 MPG | 27 MPG | — | $2,800 / yr |
| 528i xDrive | 2L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 22 MPG | 33 MPG | 26 MPG | — | $2,900 / yr |
| ActiveHybrid 5 Hybrid | 3L 6-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 23 MPG | 30 MPG | 26 MPG | — | $2,900 / yr |
| 535i | 3L 6-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 20 MPG | 30 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $3,300 / yr |
| 535i xDrive | 3L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 20 MPG | 29 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $3,300 / yr |
| 535i Gran Turismo | 3L 6-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 19 MPG | 27 MPG | 22 MPG | — | $3,450 / yr |
| 535i xDrive Gran Turismo | 3L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 18 MPG | 26 MPG | 21 MPG | — | $3,600 / yr |
| 550i | 4.4L 8-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 17 MPG | 25 MPG | 20 MPG | — | $3,800 / yr |
| 550i xDrive | 4.4L 8-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 16 MPG | 24 MPG | 19 MPG | — | $4,000 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| 4 DR AWD | | | | | 9.3% |
| GT 5 HB AWD | | | | | 9.3% |
| PHEV 4 DR RWD | | | | | 9.3% |
| 4 DR RWD | | | | | 9.3% |
| GT 5 HB RWD | | | | | 9.3% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 BMW 5 Series models.
View complete 2016 BMW 5 Series crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2016 BMW 5 Series problems & component breakdown (30 categories) →
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:PUMP
Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2016 BMW 5 Series recalls & campaign history (7 campaigns) →