NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 38 owner complaints for the 2017 BMW 5 Series. Most complaints involve air bags (9) and seat belts (8). The EPA rates it 18–27 mpg combined.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each 5 Series model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 69 |
| 1998 | 59 |
| 1999 | 70 |
| 2000 | 75 |
| 2001 | 65 |
| 2011 | 479 |
| 2012 | 194 |
| 2013 | 127 |
| 2014 | 151 |
| 2015 | 100 |
| 2017 | 38 |
| 2019 | 40 |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 28 |
| 2024 | 13 |
“Seatbelt alarm goes off on passengers seat and no one is seated in the seat. Received a notification from BMW that the warranty was extended to cover this problem with this model but the BMW dealership says my VIN number is not covered. They confirmed that it did need replacing but They quoted me a price of more than $2500 to fix it and claimed nothing could be done about it unless it’s paid out of pocket.”
“The contact owns a 2017 BMW 530I. The contact stated that while driving with the front passenger's side seat unoccupied, a message that the front passenger's side seat belt was not ON was displayed. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received a related limited extended warranty coverage letter from the manufacturer and contacted the manufacturer for assistance; however, the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.”
“1.) The Steering Column 2.) The Column will get stuck and cannot be adjusted. 3.) Dealer has confirmed the problem & BMW USA has confirmed the problem 4.) No 5.) No Warnings BMW USA has offered a Fix for this issue and free fix if the car is under 50k miles however this is more of a safety issue as you cannot properaly adjust the steering wheel to the height needed to operate the car in a safe manner.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 530i Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Rear-Wheel Drive | 24 | 34 | 27 | $2,850 | 326 |
| 530i xDrive Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 23 | 33 | 27 | $2,850 | 335 |
| 540i Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo · Rear-Wheel Drive | 20 | 30 | 24 | $3,200 | 374 |
| 540i xDrive Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 29 | 23 | $3,350 | 380 |
| 535i Gran Turismo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo · Rear-Wheel Drive | 19 | 27 | 22 | $3,500 | 405 |
| 535i xDrive Gran Turismo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $3,700 | 419 |
| 550i xDrive Gran Turismo Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.4 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 15 | 24 | 18 | $4,300 | 486 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
1 safety recall as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 38 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (9), seat belts (8), electrical system (6). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2017 BMW 5 Series at 18–27 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (7 versions rated).