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2011 BMW 535I Us

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

32 reports with mileage · 4 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Tires. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Wheels. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine complaints

6 reports
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74,943 miles · May 29, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineExterior Lighting

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS. 1. BOTH HEAD LIGHTS BECAME FILLED WITH CONDENSATION/WATER. I TOOK IT TO A BMW DEALERSHIP. THEY PERFORMED A BMW DIAGNOSIS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MOST LIKELY CASE WAS THE COLD AIR. THEY CHECKED FOR EXCESS AIR LEAKS IN BOTH HEAD LIGHTS BUT DID NOT FIND EXCESS AIR LEAKS. (SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT) THEY ALSO …

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I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS. 1. BOTH HEAD LIGHTS BECAME FILLED WITH CONDENSATION/WATER. I TOOK IT TO A BMW DEALERSHIP. THEY PERFORMED A BMW DIAGNOSIS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MOST LIKELY CASE WAS THE COLD AIR. THEY CHECKED FOR EXCESS AIR LEAKS IN BOTH HEAD LIGHTS BUT DID NOT FIND EXCESS AIR LEAKS. (SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT) THEY ALSO REPLACED A GASKET, OIL FILTER HOUSING. THE OIL FILTER HOUSING WAS ALLOWING OIL TO LEAK OUT FROM THE ENGINE 5.8. THEY PERFORMED REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKET AND WASHED DOWN THE ENGINE OF THE OIL RESIDUE. THE INCIDENTS WERE DIAGNOSED AND REPLACE ACCORDINGLY ON JAN. 24. 2019. JUST RECENTLY, ABOUT 5 DAYS AGO TODAY, MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD LOUD NOISE LIKE A GARBAGE TRUCK MAKES WHEN IT GOES FROM STOP TO STOP. IT MADE THAT SOUND WHEN DRIVING, AS WELL AS WHEN PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO OPEN MY TRUCK WITH NEITHER THE INSIDE BUTTON OR MY KEYS. I TOOK MY CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT WAS CLOSE BY. THE OWNER USED TO WORK FOR BMW SERVICE CENTER AS A MECHANIC BEFORE STARTING HIS OWN BUSINESS. STRANGELY, THE CAR DID NOT MAKE THE SOUND IN HIS PRESENCE ALTHOUGH IT WAS LEFT RUNNING. I LEFT HIS SHOP AND WAS HEADING HOME WHEN SUDDENLY I GOT A RED ERROR MESSAGE WARNING ME THAT THE ENGINE HAD OVER HEATED AND THAT I SHOULD DRIVE SLOWLY AND/OR PULL OVER AS OVER HEATING COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE MESSAGE ALSO SAID THE VEHICLE NEEDED COOLANT. I PURCHASE THE COOLANT ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL, BUT THE CAR OVERHEATED ONCE AGAIN WHEN I BEGAN TO DRIVE IT. I ALLOWED IT TO COOL DOWN AND DROVE IT HOME. I POPPED THE HOOD AFTER IT COOL DOWN AGAIN AND NOTICED A GREASY/OILY DARK BROWN SUBSTANCE IN COOLANT/RADIATOR HOLE. FROM WHAT I READ, IT'S A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I ONLY HAVE 74963 MILES ON MY 2011 535I BMW. ALL SERVICES ARE UP TO DATE. MY NEXT SERVICE ISN'T DUE FOR 4000 MILES 03/2020 *AS INVALID VIN *JB

NHTSA ODI #11210575

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2017
Engine

THERE ARE WIRES ON THE ENGINE THAT ARE CRACKING AND WAS TOLD BY THE BMW DEALER THAT THIS CAN CAUSE A FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #11043149

106,908 miles · Dec 18, 2016
Engine

CONTACTED THE LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP REGARDING THE "FAULTY VANOS BOLTS" THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE FAULTY BOLTS WEEK LATER CAR BROKE DOWN DUE DEFECTIVE VANOS BOLT

NHTSA ODI #10936091

24,000 miles · Aug 18, 2015
EngineUnknown Or Other

STARTED ENGINE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES BEFORE IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. EACH TIME IT WAS RELATED TO FUEL CAP/O2 SENSOR.

NHTSA ODI #10749602

5 miles · Sep 21, 2012
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IDLED SPORADICALLY WHEN FIRST STARTED. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ENGINE WOULD REV EXCESSIVELY AND ATTEMPT TO SURGE FORWARD. THE FAILURE WOULD LA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IDLED SPORADICALLY WHEN FIRST STARTED. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ENGINE WOULD REV EXCESSIVELY AND ATTEMPT TO SURGE FORWARD. THE FAILURE WOULD LAST FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A NORMAL OPERATION AND WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

NHTSA ODI #10476641

15,000 miles · Jun 19, 2012
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, LIQUID SPILLED ON THE ENGINE COMPUTER THAT WAS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK AND CAUSED THE COMPUTER TO SHORT CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED FROM 70 MPH TO 3 MPH ALMOST INSTANTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED,…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, LIQUID SPILLED ON THE ENGINE COMPUTER THAT WAS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK AND CAUSED THE COMPUTER TO SHORT CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED FROM 70 MPH TO 3 MPH ALMOST INSTANTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE COMPUTER WAS LEFT UNPROTECTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 15,000.

NHTSA ODI #10462286

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.