2011 BMW 528I problems
The 2011 BMW 528I has 167 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (40%) concerns engine. Next are drivetrain & axles (15%) and fuel system (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 167 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 40% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 6 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 59,000 miles 98 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 13 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 18 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 18 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 8 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 14 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 14 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 1 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 8 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Of the 98 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 59,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 93,000 miles (38 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 6 injuries reported. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 82% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2011 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 13 model years of the BMW 528I with enough data (75 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Purchased a brand new 528I BMW and within months I had a coolant signal indicating low coolant. Subsequently, the coolant signal came on every six weeks, despite having it topped off at dealership. Car had inadequate power and felt like it dragged. BMW service center repeatedly failed to identify a problem. Eventually, the signal came on and an intolerable fuel odor emerged upon turning on the car. Fuel and chemical odors remain.
The vehicle has an acceleration problem and hesitates and pauses when starting from a stop or while in low speed conditions. It is dangerous to, for example, pull out in traffic when one does not know if your vehicle is going to accelerate properly. There is a definite lag and pause that is a problem when accelerating.
When I press the accelerator to start driving, there is a very distinct and uncomfortable lag of about 2 seconds. This happened when I was making a right turn into a two-way divided road from a residential complex. The visibility to the left is limited to about 200 ft due to a curve in the divided road. When I start moving from the stop sign, I have to accelerate quickly in order to avoid any traffic that may be coming at speed behind me. This accelerator lag makes for a safety concern.