← New search

2013 BMW 535I

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all 535I years →

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

22 reports with mileage · 16 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

5 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2025
Air BagsElectrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

Heard a clicking noise behind the steering wheel for a few days then I’ll the sudden the horn stopped working and all the controls on the steering wheel stopped working. I’m a mechanic so I took apart the clock spring stealing wheel compartment to find all of the wire broken and very very brittle. Cause for concern due to airbag…

Read full complaint

Heard a clicking noise behind the steering wheel for a few days then I’ll the sudden the horn stopped working and all the controls on the steering wheel stopped working. I’m a mechanic so I took apart the clock spring stealing wheel compartment to find all of the wire broken and very very brittle. Cause for concern due to airbag malfunction and is no longer connected properly!!!I’ve been hearing a clicking noise behind the steering wheel for a few days. Then, suddenly, the horn stopped working, and all the controls on the steering wheel stopped working as well. Since I’m a mechanic, I disassembled the clock spring and the steering wheel compartment to find that all the wires were broken and extremely brittle. This is concerning because it could cause an airbag malfunction, and the wires are no longer connected properly.

NHTSA ODI #11675261

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2021
Air BagsElectrical System

Seat belt my driver restraint light has come on on my car there is a known safety recall on BMW takeda airbags second issue my horn has suddenly stopped working is this related to my airbag as they are in the same area of components basically I don't know if my airbag will work in a collision and I am no longer able to honk my h…

Read full complaint

Seat belt my driver restraint light has come on on my car there is a known safety recall on BMW takeda airbags second issue my horn has suddenly stopped working is this related to my airbag as they are in the same area of components basically I don't know if my airbag will work in a collision and I am no longer able to honk my horn

NHTSA ODI #11429530

58,000 miles · May 7, 2018
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 535I. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEITH BMW (5603 CAPITAL BLVD, RALEIGH, NC 27616, (919) 882-2420) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 535I. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEITH BMW (5603 CAPITAL BLVD, RALEIGH, NC 27616, (919) 882-2420) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

NHTSA ODI #11092205

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2017
Air Bags

TAKATA INFLATORS- BMW HAS FAILED ON SOLVED THIS RECALL IN A TIMELY MANNER EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A POTENTIALLY SAFETY RISK RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. ITS BEEN A YEAR AND NO FIX HAS BEEN AVAILABLE EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN ZONE A (PUERTO RIO), ZONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOST AT RISK VEHICLE PER NHTSA WEBSITE.

NHTSA ODI #10981683

10,000 miles · Apr 26, 2014
Air BagsElectrical SystemEquipment Adaptive/mobilityCrashInjury

DRIVING NEW 2013 535I (HEAVILY EQUIPPED) ABOUT 50 MPH IN 55 MPH ZONE ON A CLEAR EVENING W/LOW TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BMW COLLIDED INTO REAR-END OF ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLE LACKING ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR FLARES. BMW RAMMED ADVERSE PARKED VEHICLE APPROX. 16' BEFORE PULL APART. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON STEERING WHEEL A…

Read full complaint

DRIVING NEW 2013 535I (HEAVILY EQUIPPED) ABOUT 50 MPH IN 55 MPH ZONE ON A CLEAR EVENING W/LOW TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BMW COLLIDED INTO REAR-END OF ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLE LACKING ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR FLARES. BMW RAMMED ADVERSE PARKED VEHICLE APPROX. 16' BEFORE PULL APART. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON STEERING WHEEL AND KNEE. STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO LEFT ARM ETC.. BOTH LEGS IN SIMILAR TRAUMA POST-CRASH AT KNEE TO FOOT EQUALLY. FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED INWARDS (NOT OUTWARD) ABOVE STEERING WHEEL. FORCE OF IMPACT TO RT. FOOT/HEEL TO PEDAL/FLOOR CAUSED MULTIPLE FRACTURES REQ. 10 SCREWS WITH PLATE AND OTHER INJURIES. TEMPORARY TOTAL DISABILITY AND PARTIAL PERMANENT DISABILITY. OUT OF POCKET MEDICAL COSTS, AND OTHER SPECIALS EXCEED $100,000.00 EXCLUDING VALUE OF VEHICLE. (DAMAGE TO VEHICLE ESTIMATED TO EXCEED $42,000.00) BMW STALLED AND ROLLED TO A REST IN LEFT LANE. BMW ASSIST COULD NOT SPEAK TO ME, BUT COULD HEAR FROM WITHIN VEHICLE. BMW ADMITTED ITS BMW ASSIST SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND MAY NOT HAVE PROPERLY AND/OR TIMELY NOTIFIED 911. PERSONAL INJURIES FROM AIRBAG DESPITE SEAT AND STEERING WHEEL FULLY RETRACTED. BMW PROMISED, BUT FAILED TO PROVIDE AUDIOTAPE AND TRANSCRIPT, DESPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS. MOREOVER, BMW WON'T PROVIDE COMMON COURTESY OF A RESPONSE TO SAID FAILURE EVEN THOUGH PROOF OF SERVICE EXISTS. UNUSUAL PARTICULARLY SINCE NO THREAT OF LITIGATION HAS BEEN OR WILL BE MADE. AIR BAGS DO NOT SHOW AS BEING DISCONNECTED FROM CRASH ON THIS SITE. PERSONAL INJURIES E.G. MEDICAL BILLS, PAIN AND SUFFERING ETC. INTO SIX FIGURES. BMW HAS ALSO REFUSED TO INSPECT VEHICLE TO REBUT ANY QUERIES AS TO VEHICLES' PERFORMANCE AT MOMENT OF IMPACT. BMW NOR SELLING DEALER NEVER INFORMED ASSIST PACKAGE FOR ABOUT $1,300 WOULD HAVE PREVENTED OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE OUTCOME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10585071

Official recalls

1

15V188000 · Exterior Lighting

Mar 31, 2015

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, and ActiveHybrid 5 vehicles. The rear reflex reflectors may not reflect enough light. As such, the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The vehicle may be less visible to other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began July 28, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

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

1

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.