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2011 BMW 535XI

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Power Train complaints

7 reports
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3 miles · Sep 29, 2018
Power Train

AFTER BRINGING MY CAR TO BMW OF BUENA PARK TO TAKE CARE OF A COUPLE OF RECALLS, A COUPLE OF MILES AFTER I GET ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH THE CAR LOST POWER AND I HEARD THE EMERGENCY SOUND ON MY DASHBOARD, THE EMERGENCY LIGHT CAME ON AND A MESSAGE ON MY SCREEN SAYING ' DRIVE MODERATELY, MAXIMUM DRIVE TRAIN OUTPUT NOT AVAILAB…

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AFTER BRINGING MY CAR TO BMW OF BUENA PARK TO TAKE CARE OF A COUPLE OF RECALLS, A COUPLE OF MILES AFTER I GET ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH THE CAR LOST POWER AND I HEARD THE EMERGENCY SOUND ON MY DASHBOARD, THE EMERGENCY LIGHT CAME ON AND A MESSAGE ON MY SCREEN SAYING ' DRIVE MODERATELY, MAXIMUM DRIVE TRAIN OUTPUT NOT AVAILABLE' THE CAR DID NOT STOP BUT LOST LOTS OF POWER

NHTSA ODI #11132255

73,000 miles · Oct 21, 2017
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING DRIVE TRAIN LIGHT COMES ON, MADE APPOINTMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEFT CV JOINT BOOT WAS TORN AND LEAKING. HAD IT FIXED ON OCTOBER 2016, PAID OVER $1700. IN SEPTEMBER 2017 DRIVE TRAIN LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN, WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT CV JOINT BOOTS WERE TORN/LEAKING HAD IT REPAIRED AND THIS TIME I…

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WHILE DRIVING DRIVE TRAIN LIGHT COMES ON, MADE APPOINTMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEFT CV JOINT BOOT WAS TORN AND LEAKING. HAD IT FIXED ON OCTOBER 2016, PAID OVER $1700. IN SEPTEMBER 2017 DRIVE TRAIN LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN, WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT CV JOINT BOOTS WERE TORN/LEAKING HAD IT REPAIRED AND THIS TIME IT COST $4094. NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE REAR CV JOINT AND WANT TO KNOW IF THE FRONT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #11035448

55,000 miles · Oct 21, 2017
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

IT HAS ACCELERATION ISSUES ALL OF THE TIME. DOES NOT ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD, INSTEAD IT JERKS. WHEN AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT AND LOOKING TO ACCELERATE IT WOULD JERK MAKING IT UNSAFE. I HAVE ALMOST HIT MULTIPLE VEHICLE ECAUSE OF THIS.

NHTSA ODI #11035341

55,000 miles · Oct 21, 2017
Power Train

DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION, ENGINE OVER HEATS AND DOES NOT FUNCTION THE SAME. THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN, SPUTTERS AND DOES NOT HAVE POWER. IT HAS DIED OUT ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE GOING 65MPH AND HAD TO PULL OVER SUDDENLY THROUGH 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI #11035340

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…

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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

900 miles · Aug 27, 2012
Power TrainSteeringSuspension

2011 BMW 535 X-DRIVE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AFTER GOING STRAIGHT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, VERY SIMILAR TO ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT 2011 5-SERIES BMW. ALSO JERKING FORWARD AFTER CRUISING AT A LOW SPEED WITH A SLIGHT ACCELERATION PEDAL MOVEMENT. 2 BMW DEALERSHIPS I VISITED ARE CLUELESS HOW TO FIX IT. ALTHOUGH SOME OWNERS (ACC…

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2011 BMW 535 X-DRIVE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AFTER GOING STRAIGHT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, VERY SIMILAR TO ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT 2011 5-SERIES BMW. ALSO JERKING FORWARD AFTER CRUISING AT A LOW SPEED WITH A SLIGHT ACCELERATION PEDAL MOVEMENT. 2 BMW DEALERSHIPS I VISITED ARE CLUELESS HOW TO FIX IT. ALTHOUGH SOME OWNERS (ACCORDING TO ONLINE FORUM DISCUSSIONS) WERE LUCKY TO FIX IT WITH A SPECIAL S/B PROCEDURE ISSUED BY BMW. BUT BMW DOES NOT INFORM ALL THEIR AUTHORIZED CENTERS PROPERLY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. AND IF YOU ARE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET INTO ONE OF THOSE UNINFORMED DEALERSHIPS YOU WILL GET A "NORMAL" EXCUSE ETC., MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO ALIGN THE CAR, REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM- ANYTHING BUT FIXING THE CAR PROPERLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10472662

200 miles · Oct 20, 2011
Power Train

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED ON 10/7/2011 AND WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK I REPORTED A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING STATING THE CAR SEEMS TO HAVE A LAG ON TAKE OFF FROM A STOP. SALESMAN STATED HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS. ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASE WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH ON A HIGHWAY, A WARNING STATEMENT WAS DISPLAYED 'MAXIMUM DRIVETRAIN NOT A…

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THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED ON 10/7/2011 AND WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK I REPORTED A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING STATING THE CAR SEEMS TO HAVE A LAG ON TAKE OFF FROM A STOP. SALESMAN STATED HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS. ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASE WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH ON A HIGHWAY, A WARNING STATEMENT WAS DISPLAYED 'MAXIMUM DRIVETRAIN NOT AVAILABLE' AND CAR IMMEDIATELY DECELERATED TO 30MPH...VERY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD. AFTER TAKING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THREE DAYS LATER I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM NOW GOING 60MPH. BACK INTO THE DEALER I ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CONTINUAL LAG IN ACCELERATION AFTER STOPS AND THEN LURCHING FORWARD. JUST RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT THEY WERE REPLACING THE MASTER AIR FLOW SENSOR. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND I WANT IT RETURNED TO DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10432198

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.