The 2018 BMW 5 Series is associated with 101 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 20 reports (20% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 8 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3l 6-cyl, 2L 4-Cyl plug-in hybrid, 2l 4-cyl, and 4.4l 8-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 30 MPG combined. Plug-in hybrid variants are rated up to 72 MPGe (28–29 MPG on gasoline) with up to 16 miles of electric driving range. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year. The 2018 BMW 5 Series belongs to the 7th generation (G30) 5 Series platform spanning model years 2017–2023.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 101 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Air Bags (20 / 20%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 5 crash / 1 fire / 4 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: Not rated by NHTSA
- • EPA Efficiency: 19–30 MPG (8 variants • PHEV up to 72 MPGe)
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 |
| 540d xDrive Diesel | 3L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 26 MPG | 36 MPG | 30 MPG | — | $2,650 / yr |
| 530e Plug-in Hybrid | 2L 4-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 70 MPGe (27 MPG) | 75 MPGe (31 MPG) | 72 MPGe (29 MPG) | 16 mi EV (370 mi total) | $2,600 / yr |
| 530e xDrive Plug-in Hybrid | 2L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 66 MPGe (27 MPG) | 68 MPGe (31 MPG) | 67 MPGe (28 MPG) | 15 mi EV (360 mi total) | $2,700 / yr |
| 530i | 2L 4-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 24 MPG | 34 MPG | 27 MPG | — | $2,800 / yr |
| 530i xDrive | 2L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 23 MPG | 33 MPG | 27 MPG | — | $2,800 / yr |
| 540i | 3L 6-Cyl | Rear-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 21 MPG | 30 MPG | 24 MPG | — | $3,150 / yr |
| 540i xDrive | 3L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 20 MPG | 29 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $3,300 / yr |
| M550i xDrive | 4.4L 8-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 16 MPG | 25 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 | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | — |
| 2018 BMW 5 PHEV Series 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | — |
| PHEV 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | — |
| 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | — |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 BMW 5 Series models.
View complete 2018 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 2018 BMW 5 Series problems & component breakdown (33 categories) →
Affected Component: AIR BAGS
Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2017 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i and 540i xDrive and 2017-2018 530e xDrive vehicles. Prior exposure to excessive levels of humidity within the driver and passenger head air bag inflators may affect the proper deployment of the head air bags.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles.
The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
View all 2018 BMW 5 Series recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →