2011 BMW 535I Electrical Problems

My car suddenly shut off when I came to a stop at a red light while on a busy state route. The information cluster then began to read “Fuel supply” and “Battery Discharge” My car would not turn back on and still has not turned back on since and it's been over a month now. According to the OBD results, the fuel pump and injectors were somehow seized and therefore have caused the car to become inoperable. I was forced to spend over $1000 just to get my car out of the police tow yard and towed to my home because I could not afford the cost of the repairs needed. The NHSTA website states that there is a recall on both the fuel system and the electrical system for my exact vehicle, but according to my Vin search results, there are 0 recalls. That doesn't make sense. I had just got my new inspection done maybe a month prior to my car breaking down.

NHTSA ID

11651226

Incident

Feb 24, 2025

The contact owned a 2011 BMW 535i. The contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied and parked in a parking lot, it was brought to the attention of the contact that the vehicle caught on fire. The local fire department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire. The contact stated that it was unknown if a fire report was filed. A police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The origin of the fire was unknown. The contact stated that the fire damaged one other parked and unoccupied vehicle that was nearby. The vehicle was towed by the insurance and was deemed a total loss. The vehicle remained in the possession of the insurance provider for further investigation. The local dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11641786

Incident

Feb 4, 2025

Mileage

140,000 mi

The vehicle is having cooling/ heat problems. Does not overheat while driving but rather driving on high temp. Cools to norm temp here and there. My best thought is electrical. Also same vehicle rattles in rear center when going 65mph.. not sure the cause is.

NHTSA ID

11595837

Incident

Jun 16, 2024

The drivers headlight has developed significant condensation on its interior caused by a failed seal which in turn damaged or short-circuited the modules disabling my daytime running light, low beam, high beam, and turn signal

NHTSA ID

11524113

Incident

Mar 22, 2023

Wiring in the headlight assembly is losing its insulation, allowing wires to short and headlamps to fail to operate.

NHTSA ID

11518457

Incident

Apr 3, 2023

Driver side headlight has an extreme condensation issue. Especially after it rains or using a car wash. The condensation leaks into the control light module , which makes the turn signal, parking lamp and the adaptive light to all fail.

NHTSA ID

11507275

Incident

Feb 14, 2023

Passenger side door lock actuator has failed. Door lock actuators should not be failing on cars that are less than 10m years old. This causes a major safety issue when you are unable to open/unlock the door from the inside or outside because the lock can not be actuated (manually or with button). Given the vast amount of actuators failing, this should be addressed with BMW. This has become a common issue with BMW vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11436252

Incident

Sep 15, 2021

Car failed to start due fuel pump wires malfunction.

NHTSA ID

11430841

Incident

Aug 20, 2021

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

NHTSA ID

11429338

Incident

Jul 17, 2011

Rear driver windows fault. check engine light came on car scanned and got fault code 030115 " Rear door power window on driver side . invalid characteristics curve- no normalization present

NHTSA ID

11427226

Incident

Jun 26, 2021

While driving on the highway my car turned off suddenly. car was towed to home After checking possible causes we found out that even the fuel gauge in the instruments cluster was displaying a large amount of fuel ( 1/2 tank) actually it was empty. We put two gallons of gasoline then car start up again but fuel gauge still showing half of tank

NHTSA ID

11427066

Incident

Jun 26, 2021

I HAVE A 2011 BMW 535I THAT HAS FRONT AND REAR CAMERAS AND I HAVE RECORDINGS OF THE LIVE FOOTAGE OF MY INCIDENCE. I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL STREET IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO MY HOUSE. I APPROACHED THE GATE ENTRANCE FOR MY COMPLEX AND STOPPED ON THE RIGHT LANE OF THE ROAD TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS THE OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANE TO APPROACH THE GATE ENTRANCE. WHEN THERE WAS NO ONGOING TRAFFIC, I ACCELERATED TO CROSS THE LANE AND ONCE I HAD CROSS THE OPPOSING LANE AND ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY TO THE MY RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX'S GATE ENTRANCE, I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN TO ENTER THE KEY CODE TO OPEN THE GATE. THE CAR SLOWLY DOWN AFTER I PUSHED THE BRAKES, BUT THEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED IN A HERKY JERK MANNER FOR A 5 SECOND BURST FOR NO REASON (MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME AS MY CAR INITIALLY STARTED SLOWLY DOWN AFTER I MADE MY APPROACH TOWARDS THE GATE). THE CAR RAMMED THROUGH AND BROKE THE GATE AND ACCELERATED FOR A FEW SECONDS MORE BEFORE THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME AND KEPT DOWN ON THE BRAKE, WHICH WAS EVIDENT AS THE CAR WAS INITIALLY SLOWLY DOWN FROM AN ACCELERATION BEFORE THE SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, AS WELL AS EVENTUALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER THE ACCELERATION INCIDENT. MY BMW HAS BOTH FRONT AND REAR CAMERAS ON IT AND I WAS ABLE TO RECORD THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. I CAN PROVIDE THE FOOTAGE OF THE ACCIDENT. I HAVE A GREAT DRIVING RECORD AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS BEFORE. MY CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND SERVICED. THEREWERE NOT ANY CHECK ENGINE OR NOTIFICATION LIGHTS ON THE CAR BEFORE OR AFTER THE INCIDENT..

NHTSA ID

11399867

Incident

Mar 7, 2021

Mileage

98,000 mi

LIGHTING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD DURING 1ST WEEK OF APRIL 2020. IT AFFECTED BATTERY CONSUMPTION, TURN INDICATORS, WINDOW CONTROLS, HEADLIGHT CONTROLS, LOCK/UNLOCK CONFIRMATION... THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED FAULTY FOOTWELL MODULE NEEDS REPLACEMENT, COST APPROX. $1323+TAX. A WARRANTY EXTENSION DOCUMENT FOUND ON THE INTERNET FOR FOOTWELL MODULE LISTS ALL MODELS EXCEPT MINE. HTTPS://BIMMERSCAN.COM/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2018/09/B012016-1.PDF

NHTSA ID

11323203

Incident

Apr 2, 2020

Mileage

63,700 mi

THE SRS PASSENGER MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS TURNING ON. I'VE NOTIFIED BMW AND HAVE SHOWN THEM THAT THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON MY CAR BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY CAR HAS BEEN AFFECTED.

NHTSA ID

10944203

Incident

Jan 8, 2017

Mileage

101,400 mi

WHEN TRYING TO EXIT THE CAR AND PULLING ON THE DOOR HANDLE, THE DOOR DOES NOT UNLOCK, THE LOCK STAYS IN A LOCKED POSITION EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE PULLES. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU ARE UNABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE MANUAL UNLOCK BUTTON TO OPEN THE DOOR.

NHTSA ID

10915084

Incident

Sep 24, 2016

Mileage

62,000 mi

BMW HAS DISABLED THE SAFETY AND SECURITY FEATURES OF THE MODEL YEAR 2013 AND OLDER. MY VEHICLE NO LONGER HAS AN ACTIVE SOS BUTTON. AMONG OTHER FEATURES, THE COLLISION NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND STOLEN VEHICLE RECOVERY SYSTEM ARE NO LONGER OPERATIONAL. BMW HAS CHANGED SOFTWARE FROM 2G TO 3G WHICH MAKES MY DASHBOARD HARDWARE INCOMPATIBLE AND, THEREFORE, INOPERABLE. I PAID FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY FEATURES WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AND NOW THEY HAVE BEEN DISABLED. IN THE EVENT OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR BREAKDOWN, THE SOS BUTTON CANNOT BE USED. AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016, BMW ASSIST SAFETY PLAN IS NON-OPERATIONAL. I HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH VARIOUS DIVISIONS OF BMW, AND THIS IS THEIR REPLY: "WE DO NOT HAVE A RETROFIT OPTION IN ORDER TO UPGRADE EARLIER HARDWARE TO NEWER HARDWARE." RATHER THAN RUN OLD SOFTWARE AND NEW SOFTWARE SIMULTANEOUSLY SO THAT OUR HARDWARE IS OPERATION, BMW WAS DISABLED THE SAFETY AD SECURITY FEATURES. MY DEALER BMW OF SPRINGFIELD NJ (FORMERLY JMK) WAS UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I AS AN OWNER WAS ALSO UNAWARE THAT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY FEATURES WERE DISABLED UNTIL I TRIED TO USE THE SOS BUTTON. I HAVE ONLY 36,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND CANNOT PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. BMW MADE AN IRRESPONSIBLE DECISION TO DISABLE VERY IMPORTANT FEATURES AND NEGLECTED TO INFORM THE OWNERS.

NHTSA ID

10871452

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

36,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH AND MY CAR JUST DIED ON THE STREET AND CHASSIS STABILIZATION LIGHT CAME ON.. HAD TO RESTART CAR 7-8 TIMES TO BE ABLE TO MOVE INSIDE PARKING LOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10614653

Incident

Jul 14, 2014

Mileage

69,000 mi