TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 5-SERIES. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE…

12/30/2016 · NHTSA ODI #10938827.0

2011 528i · other

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR.…

12/30/2016 · NHTSA ODI #10938862.0

2011 528i · powertrain

NO ACCELERATION TO VERY DANGEROUS FAST ACCELERATION WITHOUT ANY SIGN. DETAILS: STEPPED ON GAS SOFTLY, SLOWLY ACCELERATED, VERY SLOW. KEPT SAME PRESSURE, SUDDENLY, THE CAR RUSHED... FORTUNATELY, NO CAR AHEAD OF ME. COULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL! SAME TRIP AS ABOVE. AFTER…

12/29/2014 · NHTSA ODI #10668914.0

2011 528i · engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL…

12/28/2017 · NHTSA ODI #11057091.0

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

0 mi 200k mi

At 80,000 miles

Likely repair cost in next 24 months

Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 16V832000 17/11/2016

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2011 BMW 528i, 528xi, 535i, 535xi, 550i and 550xi vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, through August 31, 2011

Depending on the severity of the crash, inadequate activation of the driver and/or passenger air bags, safety belt pre-tensioners and active head restraints may increase the risk of injury.

Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the SCU, free of charge. The recall began on December 16, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Common questions

Is the 2011 BMW 528i reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 198 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 BMW 528i is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

What's the most common problem on the 2011 BMW 528i?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 55 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my BMW 528i has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2011 BMW 528i?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 198 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 9 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with bmw. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.