2011 BMW 535I problems
NHTSA has received 156 complaints about the 2011 BMW 535I, and 26% of them involve engine. After that come fuel system (22%) and drivetrain & axles (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 156 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 26% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 8
- Injuries and deaths
- 12 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 77,000 miles 91 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 | 11 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 5 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 5 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 27 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 14 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 10 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 12 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 91 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 77,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 92,000 miles (26 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 8 complaints mention a fire; 12 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2011 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the BMW 535I with enough data (43 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.
In may, 2014 I was driving at approximately 50 miles per hour on the old valdosta highway when a school bus ran a stop sign and t-boned me on the drivers side and none of the airbags deployed.
Flame erupted out the top of Passenger seat, sitting cushion. Moms butted blistered, used personal health insurance for medical care. I do have pics in other phone. I will resubmit claim
Drivetrain malfunction -driving on hwy when error was displayed and car shutdown in on me and would not start back up -dealership stated they replaced the fuel pump -issue happened again -while driving - under 3000 miles later - same error codes of low pressure - car hesitant to crank and studdering on low speeds- towed to dealer was told no issue found and they reprogrammed the fuel pump -same issue again - fuel line and sensor replaced -ran fine for another 1000 miles or so -while driving the car jerked really…
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the bolts used to secure the housing for the camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit had loosened over time, causing the vehicle to stall. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V176000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which he linked to the failure.