Research · complaint index
BMW 5 Series years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 15 model years of the BMW 5 Series by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2011, 2012, 2014, 2013 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 4 | 1.0 | 6 | 3 | Typical |
| 2021 | 28 | 5 | 1.1 | 2 | 2 | Typical |
| 2020 | 16 | 2 | 0.5 | 3 | 3 | Typical |
| 2019 | 40 | 5 | 1.2 | 2 | 7 | Typical |
| 2017 | 38 | 4 | 0.9 | 1 | 2 | Typical |
| 2015 | 100 | 8 | 1.9 | 4 | 2 | Typical |
| 2014 | 151 | 12 | 2.7 | 6 | 5 | Most complaints |
| 2013 | 127 | 9 | 2.1 | 4 | 2 | Most complaints |
| 2012 | 194 | 13 | 3.0 | 5 | 0 | Most complaints |
| 2011 | 479 | 30 | 6.9 | 7 | 9 | Most complaints |
| 2001 | 65 | 3 | 0.6 | 6 | 5 | Typical |
| 2000 | 75 | 3 | 0.6 | 4 | 3 | Typical |
| 1999 | 70 | 3 | 0.6 | 2 | 7 | Typical |
| 1998 | 59 | 2 | 0.5 | 3 | 2 | Fewest complaints |
| 1997 | 69 | 2 | 0.5 | 3 | 5 | Typical |
- 202413 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 202128 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 202016 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 201940 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 201738 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 2015100 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 2014151 complaints · 6 recallsMost complaints
- 2013127 complaints · 4 recallsMost complaints
- 2012194 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 2011479 complaints · 7 recallsMost complaints
- 200165 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 200075 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 199970 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 199859 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
- 199769 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 10, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 1998.
About this comparison
What BMW 5 Series years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2013 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 15 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.