The 2021 BMW M5 is associated with 2 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is EXTERIOR LIGHTING, accounting for 1 reports (50% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 6 certified vehicle configurations spanning 4.4l 8-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 17 to 20 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year. The 2021 BMW M5 belongs to the 6th generation (F90) M5 platform spanning model years 2018–2023.

Key Data Findings
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 2 reports
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 1 campaign
  • • Top Reported Defect Area: EXTERIOR LIGHTING (1 / 50%)
  • • Safety Incident Signals: 0 crash / 1 fire / 0 injury reports
  • • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Efficiency: 17–20 MPG (6 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
17–20MPG
6 EPA certified variants (4.4l 8-cyl powertrain configurations)
Reported Complaints
2
2 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
1
1 official NHTSA recall
NCAP Safety Rating
Not rated by NHTSA

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2021 BMW M5?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
M550i xDrive 4.4L 8-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 17 MPG 25 MPG 20 MPG — $3,800 / yr
X5 M50i 4.4L 8-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 16 MPG 22 MPG 18 MPG — $4,200 / yr
X6 M50i 4.4L 8-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 16 MPG 22 MPG 18 MPG — $4,200 / yr
X7 M50i 4.4L 8-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 15 MPG 21 MPG 17 MPG — $4,450 / yr
M5 4.4L 8-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 15 MPG 21 MPG 17 MPG — $4,450 / yr
M5 Competition 4.4L 8-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 15 MPG 21 MPG 17 MPG — $4,450 / 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.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2021 BMW M5?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR AWD —
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 BMW M5 models.
View complete 2021 BMW M5 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2021 BMW M5?

Summary of 2 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
2
Crash Reports
0
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
0
Total Injuries
0

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 complaint
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 complaint

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 2021 BMW M5 problems & component breakdown (2 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2021 BMW M5?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #20V598000 Active Recall
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Defect Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2021 BMW M5 recalls & campaign history (1 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.