BMW · 5 Series · 2016
0
Recalls
83
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 BMW 5 Series has no recalls and 83 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 Aug 30, 2026
The 2016 BMW 5 Series page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is engine and engine cooling,electrical system with 22 reported complaints.
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.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
9.3% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
Vehicle: 2016 BMW 528i xDrive (VIN: [XXX]) Safety Issue / Defect Description: Strong, hazardous raw gasoline fumes began entering the passenger cabin and trunk area. On XXX, the vehicle was brought to an authorized dealership (BMW of Sterling) for diagnostic evaluation. The dea...
Preview excerpt
The vehicle developed a strong, toxic odor of raw gasoline inside the passenger cabin and trunk area. The vehicle was brought to an authorized franchise, BMW of Sterling, where technicians performed a multi-point inspection. The technician confirmed that the factory plastic fuel ...
Preview excerpt
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 loc...
Preview excerpt
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...
Preview excerpt
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 ...
Preview excerpt
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...
Preview excerpt
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 ...
Preview excerpt
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 Engi...
Preview excerpt
Showing 10 recent complaints from 83 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2016 BMW models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2016 BMW 5 Series has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 83 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), engine (9 reports), air bags (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.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
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.