BMW · 5 Series · 2018
0
Recalls
78
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2018 BMW 5 Series has no recalls and 78 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: air bags (16 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.
My 2018 BMW 530e suddenly shut down while I was driving. I charged it overnight, but the next day it showed a check‑engine light and a drivetrain failure warning. I tried driving it again, and it drove for some distance and shutdown after few minutes. Luckily, i was able to park the car on the side of the road. I brought(towed) it to a mechanic, and he told me the issue was a CCU failure, which would cost about 12,000 to fix. I believe this should be covered by the manufacturer because this isn’t a normal wear‑and‑tear problem, and I can’t absorb such a high repair cost."
Passenger seat occupancy sensor faulty causing restraint system malfunction and seat belt warning
I got a "Drivetrain malfunction" error on my 2018 530e bmw, which is a hybrid plug-in model. I sent the car to the local dealer. They did all the diagnosis and concluded the high voltage battery needed to be replaced. However, they told me that the warranty (80K/8 years) will not cover it although my card is still in the warranty period. The dealer said that the BMW North America made the decision and there was nothing they could do. Without replacing the battery, the car could fail on the highway, which could be a huge safety concern. I called BMW North America and talked to the warranty department, the guy sounded stoned/disillusioned with his job/just woke up and said there’s nothing he can do and the dealership already talked to the warranty department/somebody the public doesn’t have access to and the dealership goes with whatever that department tells them.
Sunroof exploded, glass shards everywhere. This has to be a manufacturer defect
Infotainment System interplay through audio voices coming from place of employment this have been unusual to audio system in various of my vehicles this over the air bugs are safety concerns as well as frequent unexpected wiper blade activation without touching for auto movement complex to electrical issues uncommon to vehicle routing infotainment system leading to unexpected interruptions sending false signals to vehicle electrical system causing many interruptions. highlighting the growing complexity and potential risks associated with vehicle software.implications, and solutions for these complex symptoms.
I was driving home after picking my son up from school and out of no where the vehicle temperature was in the red and a message popped up stating that vehicle coolant needed to be replenished but that continued driving of the vehicle was ok. It was not ok at all! The car started smoking and we were left stranded on the side of the road. I’ve read numerous blogs showing that the same thing has happened to other people and that there have even been recalls on other bmw’s in regards to the engine coolant system.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 530E. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for water pump repairs, the wrench warning light was illuminated, and the message "Passenger Seat Restraint Sensor Failure" was displayed. The contact stated that the dealer inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the passenger's seat occupant weight sensor had failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to cost. The contact stated that the failure had persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
The seatbelt/passenger seat fails to recognize a passenger is occupying the seat and turns off the airbag. This issue has been reported many times to BMW and on vehicle forums. This is an expensive fix ($2800) that should be issued a recall by the manufacture and not passed onto the owner of the car.
i was just driving my bmw and a airbag light and a malfunction error popped up on my dashboard, that read that the Passenger restraint system has malfunctioned. and i was doing some research on what was wrong with my car, and all the forums are indicating that this is a very common issue on these cars due to a bad seat occupancy sensor mat. to fix this you either still have to have an extended warranty if you don’t have one you have to pay upwards of 3,000$ to get this part replaced at a dealer. and me personally i don’t have the money to just spend on car repair of that amount and im sure alot of the other people with this same problem are in the same boat as me. this could be very dangerous because it puts all my passengers at risk if i were to get in a auto collision it would be devastating. i mean this should 100% be a recall because of this is a wide spread problem that puts many many people at risk. i haven’t been to the dealer with it yet, but i can self diagnose because countless people have been reporting on forums and online the same issue with the same error on the dash. my car hasn’t been in an accident yet so i haven’t had it inspected by insurance companies or police. this problem first appeared today and my heart dropped.
The contact's wife owns a 2018 BMW 530I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir, and the warning light turned off; however, the check engine light soon returned. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where a diagnostic test discovered that coolant and freon had leaked from the turbo lines, causing damages to the oil housing and water pump. The dealer provided the contact with an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
1) Passenger restraint system malfunction. According to information on the web and several BMW forums, this is a common problem on these vehicles and it is a serious and inherently unsafe issue that should necessitate a recall from the manufacturer. The root cause is typically a malfunction of the passenger seat pad that is utilized by the passenger restraint system. BMW service repair cost is $2,700-$3,000. This is really outrageous given that it's part of the safety restraint system and many BMW 5 series (and likely others) have this problem.
The Passenger Restraint System Malfunction warning light comes on randomly. Also the passenger side seat belt light comes on even if I put my wallet or something very light on the seat. I previously replaced the driver side seat sensor because the restraint system error was coming on. It seems odd that this critical component would fail in both seats by year six.
I contacted the dealership where I purchased my vehicle called Global Imports on December 6 because the car was running hot. I arrived on Saturday morning was informed that the radiator was leaking and a water pump was leaking that they both needed to be replaced and I would be charged around $3000 to replace it. There were no recalls the service bulletins that I mentioned they advised me were only repair notifications. They said there were no other notifications regarding the radiator only to have the check engine light come back on a week later I took it to a different dealership and I was advised that the 15 year warranty on the flaps which the flaps are not functioning properly. I was advised to take it back to Global Imports .
The car's hood sensor did not alert us to the fact that the hood was not properly closed. This resulted in the car's hood opening while being driven, causing the driver to lose sight of the road and crashed into a guardrail in a canyon road (see photo). The car is currently being evaluated by the insurance company for a total loss, and the car may be available for inspection currently, although it may also be taken apart by the auto collision company for their estimate evaluation. The failure of the hood latch mechanism to properly and conspicuously notify us prior to driving the car put us at severe risk of being in a life threatening accident as well as potentially imperiling the lives of other drivers or pedestrians. The vehicle was inspected by BMW after I reported the incident to them, and I have a written report from them. BMW concluded they are "technically confident that no manufacturing defects, faults or malfunctions were present in the vehicle that could have contributed to this incident." There were no warning messages of the problem prior to the hood opening. We also provided BMW with a video taken after the crash whereby the hood latch on the right side of the car was intentionally left open, and the hood latch on the left side of the car was closed, and demonstrated in this situation that there was no indication on the BMW i drive screen of any notifications to alert the driver of the hood not being completely closed. Despite asking numerous times for BMW to address the findings in that video, which we shared with them at their request, they never provided any response to the video. I would like to share the video with you but am unable to upload MP4 files onto your platform.
On September 11, 2024, I took my vehicle to BMW of Great Neck for a tire and rim job under insurance. BMW failed to return my lug nuts, leaving my vehicle in an unsafe condition. It took nearly a month for them to provide the missing lug nuts. Upon inspection, each wheel had fewer than the required 5 lug nuts, creating a serious safety risk. On September 24, 2024, I had to return to BMW due to a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) sensor issue, which should not have occurred after their September 11th service. Instead of addressing the issue, BMW dismissed it and suggested I get it fixed elsewhere. BMW’s own manager confirmed my vehicle was returned in this unsafe condition. If I hadn’t noticed, this could have resulted in wheel detachment, loss of control, or a crash. Additionally, after a routine oil change on December 27, 2024, BMW’s Multi-Point Inspection (provided January 12, 2024) revealed: •A missing stiffening plate, which supports chassis integrity. BMW stated this could cause chassis damage. •Coolant expansion tank & vent hose leaks, affecting vehicle cooling. •Fluid leaks, which could worsen over time. Contradiction in BMW’s Diagnostics & Evidence of Negligence: •The 1/12 Multi-Point Inspection contradicts the 12/27 diagnostic image I captured from service advisor Kevin Guo. •BMW failed to identify these issues on 12/27, despite servicing my vehicle that day. •This suggests either a misdiagnosis, negligence, or an attempt to cover up damages. Safety Concerns & Inspection Status: •The wheel issue put my safety at risk, and BMW has not taken accountability. •The stiffening plate issue affects vehicle stability, which could lead to handling problems or structural failure. •These issues were confirmed by BMW’s own inspection report on 1/12/25, contradicting the 12/27 diagnostic. BMW of Great Neck’s negligence directly compromised my vehicle’s safety. I request an investigation into their repair practices to prevent this from happening to others.
i have read all the forums and there are many complaints on this same safety issue and why hasn't a recall been issued? Passenger restraint system light stay on !
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 530I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a coolant level message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test determined that there was a coolant leak inside the engine. The contact was informed that the vehicle was covered under warranty and that an undisclosed part inside the coolant system was replaced. The contact stated that one week after the repair, the message returned, and the contact was informed that the upper coolant hose was defective. The contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty and the contact paid for the repair. After the second repair, the contact stated that the failure retuned and there was coolant leaking from the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
The occupant sensor in the driver seat has failed, triggering an airbag warning. This car is only 6 years old, and the cost of the part/labor to repair it is $2500.
I parked my car and there were not any lights on the showing. When I returned to my car about an hour later 2 lights were shown (1) 4 wheel drive and (2) Passenger restraint system. I am concerned about the passenger restraint system because until I can get this repaired, no one can use the passenger seat because of this safety issue.
Passenger restraint system Malfunction. L
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2018 BMW 5 Series has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 78 owner-reported complaints for the 2018 BMW 5 Series.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2018 BMW 5 Series.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2018 BMW 5 Series are air bags (16 reports), air bags,seat belts,seats (7 reports), electrical system (7 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2018 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.