BMW · 5 Series · 2016
0
Recalls
81
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 BMW 5 Series has no recalls and 81 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: engine and engine cooling,electrical system (22 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
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9.3% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528i. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under an unknown recall, and after the recall repair, while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal oil-burning odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local Midas, where it was discovered that oil was leaking onto the engine. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,400.
A critical component failure has rendered my 2016 BMW 528xi inoperable and unsafe. The water pump failed, forcing the car into a safety "limp mode," limiting its speed to approximately 40 miles per hour. This issue mirrors NHTSA Recall 24V-608 regarding an electrical connector on the water pump that can short circuit, potentially causing a "thermal event or fire." The problem began with dashboard warnings about overheating, despite the coolant reservoir being full. Following these warnings, the vehicle entered "limp mode," posing a significant safety risk in normal traffic. The potential for fire is also a major concern. An independent service center has confirmed the water pump and its electrical connector as the point of failure. The failed component is available for inspection by a NHTSA investigator. I contacted BMW's customer relations line and was informed that no remedy is currently available. I must wait for an official letter before any action can be taken, including reimbursement. The representative did not provide a case number, making it impossible to track my complaint. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, or an insurance representative. I am unable to transfer the title because the car cannot pass a safety inspection in its current state. I am in a severe catch-22: I must receive a recall letter for a vehicle that I am unable to finalize ownership of. This failure to assist an owner with a known safety recall has left me stranded with a dangerous, undrivable vehicle.
My driver headlight is constantly getting moisture trapped in it. It’s been replaced twice and the seals were checked, but it keeps happening and shorting out my headlight. It’s $4000 to fix. Just had it replaced 1.5 weeks ago and it’s broken already. I took it to bmw the moment I noticed the moisture was back and they told me it was fine. This is a widespread problem and they are not fixing their product
Coolant pump failure engine failure also caused fire in engine bay. Insurance inspector. Pre shop inspection. No light were on prior to explosion.
Multiple critical BMW engine components are manufactured from plastic, including the oil pan, coolant expansion tank, valve cover, and turbo inlet pipe. These parts are prone to premature failure from normal heat & stress, as confirmed by independent mechanics. Failures can cause sudden loss of oil or coolant, persistent oil leaks, overheating, loss of power, and roadside breakdowns. The use of plastic for an oil pan is concerning. Plastic cannot withstand impacts with common road hazards such as tire fragments, etc. Striking a retread at highway speed could easily crack the pan, dump all engine oil, and lead to catastrophic engine seizure, endangering people. In my case (2016 BMW 528i), several plastic components have already failed, including the oil pan, turbo inlet pipe, coolant expansion tank, valve cover, and multiple coil packs. While BMW considers coil pack replacement a normal maintenance item, there are widespread complaints of premature failures. Most of the heat-related plastic failures occur above 70,000 miles. Despite several related breakdowns, the previous owner and I avoided dangerous situations. These failures are widely documented by other owners online and by independent mechanics, who often recommend aftermarket aluminum replacements for improved safety and reliability. BMW is aware of these issues but continues to use plastic for critical components--they recently lost a class-action lawsuit related to internal plastic engine parts that caused catastrophic engine damage, showing prior knowledge of the risks. These failures also create environmental hazards, as leaking plastic oil pans & valve covers contaminate roads and driveways. Because repairs are $$$, many consumers delay fixing the problems, increasing both safety and environmental risks. This design prioritizes cost savings over durability and safety. These parts should be made of metal to withstand normal use and protect drivers, passengers, and the public from unnecessary hazards.
During initial cold starts there is blue smoke billowing from the exhaust for approx 20 seconds. The odor is horrible.
Very often, when I change the gear to 'Drive' or 'Reverse' I get a message on the dashboard screen - "secure Vehicle against rolling" and the car DOES NOT move unless I shift the auto gear lever several times or sometimes shut off the engine to get back to normal driving. Once when I was in such a situation, no matter what I do, the error message would not go away and I had to call the tow truck to get home. And when tow truck person brought the car home, the problem fixed itself!! I only have 81000 miles on this car. It is a very serious safety issue as far as I am concerned. PLEASE HELP.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and running, the contact became aware of an abnormal burning odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
On [XXX], the coolant connector flange on my 2016 BMW 535d (VIN: [XXX] ) catastrophically failed, causing complete coolant loss. I immediately contacted BMW of Las Vegas and was instructed to drive it in despite fluid visibly leaking through the undercarriage. The next day, [XXX], BMW performed Recall 21V-907 (EGR cooler replacement), which involved draining and reconnecting the coolant circuit—but they left the failed flange in place. The failed flange connects directly to the new EGR coolant return hose installed under the recall. BMW had full access to the part but chose not to inspect or replace it. The dealer submitted a consequential damage claim to BMW North America, which was denied. The vehicle remains at the dealership unrepaired. This failure poses serious safety risks. Driving with active coolant loss could cause overheating, engine failure, or fire. Had I not stopped, this could’ve led to mechanical catastrophe. BMW re-pressurized the cooling system into a visibly broken flange, creating an unsafe condition. The failure was confirmed by BMW technicians and documented in a repair order. No warning lamps were active at the time of failure. I currently have an open case with BMW North America, but no contact has been made. I am requesting NHTSA review this matter as BMW failed to fully remedy a safety defect and ignored collateral damage tied directly to the recalled system. The failed part is available for inspection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My coolant line overheated. From the leaking water pump and pcv that exploded all over my engine causing it to overheat and now how has not turned back on. Ive been without a car for months and when I seen the recall and reached out to the dealer expressing my situation they said they would get back to me and have not called or emailed or even responded in months.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electrical connector on the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Due to the nature of the car potentially catching on fire and a remedy still not being available I am concerned about my safety and of those around me since the car is used to be operated daily for commuting to work.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Concern- smoke coming out of back exhaust at start up Cause - TAYLOR BMW (dealership) - possible needs updated oil line, turbo may be leaking internally Correction- dealership pulled faults to see if cat efficiency faults were present, saw none. Did verify smoke on startup. Doesn’t look like the turbo oil feed line has been changed (updated with check valve). There is some oil encrusted on the body of turbo. Would replace all lines since turbo removal is required for any of them; however once cat is off and if the chamber inside is wet with oil, at that point it would need a turbo as well as the lines. The above is the written diagnosis from dealership and I was quoted a price ranging from $2600- 4600- In 2016, NHTSA issued a notice for certain models/ years regarding the turbocharger feed lines (extending warranty for that part to 10 years / 120k miles). My 2016 was CPO and has only 84k (all maintenance performed by BMW) and I believe it should fall under eligible vehicles. I have reached out to BMW customer care, spoken with a case manager , all to no avail.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 535D. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with high-pressure fuel pump failure. The vehicle was left at the local dealer, where it remained for further repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Valve cover leak Oil filter housing leak Super common that these items leak in the bmw N57 diesel engines. Increased risk of fire. I am in the Facebook group with many other owners of the same engine, and almost everyone runs into the same problems by 100,000 miles.
I have an Issue with my car cause Engine Coolant smells like oil burning and smoke coming inside the car through AC and also having a recall issue but no remedy available with BMW so spend my money and get repaired from outside mechanic, BMW reported me that if there is no remedy available right now so we can't do anything so I get repaired outside and spend 1500$.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the "Coolant Low - Please Refill", message was occasionally displayed. The contact stated that after refilling the coolant reservoir and driving for a while, the coolant level would be low again. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2016 BMW 5 Series has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 81 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 BMW 5 Series.
The 2016 BMW 5 Series received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 BMW 5 Series are engine and engine cooling,electrical system (22 reports), air bags (9 reports), engine (9 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2016 BMW 5 Series. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.