← New search

2011 BMW 535XI

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 535XI 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

29 reports with mileage · 6 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 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Wheels. Review the 7 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 reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

5 reports
Clear category filter
90,000 miles · Sep 4, 2018
Engine

I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE RPMS FELL TO 0 AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. I PULLED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TRIED TO START THE CAR, NOTHING HAPPENED AND I HAD TO CALL THE TOW TRUCK. NONE OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON. EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE AND VERY MISTERIOUS. AFTER THE MECHANICS DISASSEMBLED THE ENGINE T…

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE RPMS FELL TO 0 AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. I PULLED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TRIED TO START THE CAR, NOTHING HAPPENED AND I HAD TO CALL THE TOW TRUCK. NONE OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON. EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE AND VERY MISTERIOUS. AFTER THE MECHANICS DISASSEMBLED THE ENGINE THEY SAID THAT APPARENTLY CYLINDER NUMBER SIX SEIZED. AT THE TIME WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE OIL WAS AT HE MAX LEVEL, AS WELL AS ANTIFREEZE, THE TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL. MY MECHANIC ASSUMES THAT IT SEIZED BECAUSE OF LOSS OF PRESSURE, WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE AS I WAS TOLD THERE ARE 2 PRESSURE SENSORS IN THIS TYPE OF ENGINE (N55). THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND PRICEY REPAIR, WHICH RAN OVER $7,000. MY CAR HAS 90K MILES AND I'VE BEEN TAKING VERY GOOD CARE OF IT. I HAVE SPOKEN TO EMPLOYEES OF BMW AND THEY SAID THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON DEFECT, WHICH IS VERY UPSETTING FOR THIS TYPE OF LUXURIOUS SEDAN. SHAME ON YOU BMW!!!

NHTSA ODI #11124363

85,000 miles · Feb 1, 2018
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535XI. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR THREE WEEKS, IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (ERHARD BMW BLOOMFIELD, 1845 S TELEGRAPH RD, BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302, (248) 834-7788) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VANOSE HOUSING BOLT FRACTURED INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE DEALER IND…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535XI. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR THREE WEEKS, IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (ERHARD BMW BLOOMFIELD, 1845 S TELEGRAPH RD, BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302, (248) 834-7788) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VANOSE HOUSING BOLT FRACTURED INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED IN 2016 BY BMW OF ANN ARBOR (501 AUTO MALL DR, ANN ARBOR, MI 48103, (734) 663-3309) AND PROVIDED NO SOLUTION OTHER THAN ADVISING THAT THE PART BE REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ODI #11066435

82,000 miles · Jan 13, 2018
Engine

MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP, RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. INDICATING A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND I ALMOST GOT IN A REAR END CRASH. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THE FAILED COMPONENTS RESU…

Read full complaint

MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP, RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. INDICATING A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND I ALMOST GOT IN A REAR END CRASH. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THE FAILED COMPONENTS RESULTING IN A $2,200 BILL.

NHTSA ODI #11062578

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2016
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE TURNED ON, THE ENGINE BELT IDLER PULLEY BOLT FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO MALFUNCTION AND THE ALTERNATOR TO STOP WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE REMEDY FOR N…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE TURNED ON, THE ENGINE BELT IDLER PULLEY BOLT FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO MALFUNCTION AND THE ALTERNATOR TO STOP WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE REMEDY FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V550000 (ENGINE, STEERING) WAS PERFORMED IN DECEMBER OF 2012. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MAY 12, 2014 AND WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FEBRUARY 15, 2016. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10837195

44,000 miles · Jun 10, 2013
EngineEquipment Adaptive/mobilityPower Train

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THERE IS A VERY NOTICEABLE THROTTLE RESPONSE LAG OF OVER 1 SECOND BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS MOVING . IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS BEHAVIOR WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD WHEN PULLING INTO OR OUT OF INTERSECTIONS. IT IS AS IF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT KNOW WHICH GEAR TO USE AND TRI…

Read full complaint

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THERE IS A VERY NOTICEABLE THROTTLE RESPONSE LAG OF OVER 1 SECOND BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS MOVING . IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS BEHAVIOR WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD WHEN PULLING INTO OR OUT OF INTERSECTIONS. IT IS AS IF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT KNOW WHICH GEAR TO USE AND TRIES TO START OUT IN SECOND GEAR, THEN WHEN THE CAR DOESN'T START MOVING THE DRIVER PRESSES THE ACCELERATOR DOWN FURTHER UNTIL FINALLY THE SOFTWARE IN THE COMPUTER DECIDES TO DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR AND THEN THE CAR TAKES OFF LIKE A ROCKET, WHICH IS ALSO VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE NOT EXPECTING IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10516068

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.