There are 3 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2011 BMW 5 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 16V-746 WAS ISSUED 13 OCT 2016. TO DATE BMW HAS YET TO TO NOTIFY US TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIR OF THE DEFECT - NEARLY 6 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. WE BELIEVE THIS AN UNACCEPTABLY LONG WAIT FOR WHICH WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ACTION FROM NHTSA OR OTHER FEDERAL AUTHORITIES TO COMPEL BMW TO ACCELERATE COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECALL ORDER. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO DIE IN A FIERY MADE FOR TV NEWS ACCIDENT BEFORE THIS IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY??? FIX MY CAR!!
WAS PARKING 2011 BMW 550 AUTOMATIC.CAR SUDDENLY TOOK OFF AND HIT VERY HARD ON STONE WALL.ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED INCLUDING LOWER PASSENGER WINDOWS.CAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAILED.LOTS OF DAMAGE TO CAR. ALSO TAKEN CAR TO DEALER BEFORE DUE TO PULLINGOF CAR ON RIGHT WHILE DRIVIG AND ON APPLYING BRAKES.
THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, MY WIFE DROVE OUR 2011 BMW 535I TO WORK AND THE FUEL GAUGE WAS READING HALF TANK. IT'S ONLY APPROX. 20 MILES TO WORK ROUND TRIP TO OUR HOUSE BUT WHEN SHE CAME BACK HOME THE FUEL GAUGE WAS ALMOST EMPTY AND FLASHING WARNING LIGHT FUEL REFILL IS SHOWING. I DROVE THE CAR FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS AND I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR SEEMED TO BE STAYING ALL THE TIME AT HALF TANK READING. I DROVE IT THIS MORNING TO OUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND TO THE MALL AND I STILL NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR IS NOT MOVING AND WAS READING HALF TANK. WHEN I WENT TO THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE TO BUY BOTTLED WATER, I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CAR IDLE AND THE ENGINE ON. WHEN I DROVE IT AGAIN, THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE MOVED SLOWLY BUT STEADILY FROM HALF TANK READING TO ALMOST 1/4 TANK. THEN MY WIFE DROVE THE SAME VEHICLE AGAIN TO WORK WITH THE FUEL GAUGE READING 1/4 TANK. 10 MINUTES LATER SHE CALLED BACK BY PHONE BECAUSE FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS WAS SHOWING THAT THE CAR NEEDS TO REFUELED AND SHE SAID THE FUEL GAUGE IS READING ALMOST EMPTY. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026