RoadVitals

2021 BMW M5

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
+1 complaint in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Sep 30, 2020
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 BMW M5, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and fuel system categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 114 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical120.0%
  • Engine120.0%
  • Fuel system120.0%
  • Exterior lighting120.0%
  • Powertrain (other)120.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
20V598000

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Sep 30, 2020
312 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Oct 15, 2026

BMW Federal Emissions Recall Campaign - Delivery Stop: Replace Coolant Expansion Tank [B170324] The manufacturer's recall remedy replaces a defective, heat-compromised plastic coolant reservoir with an identical plastic component that is subject to the exact same thermal fatigue and catastrophic failure. I had the dealer replace the tank in March 2024 under this recall. This week, however, I noted coolant residue from the horizontal seam of the expansion tank. Furthermore, the dealership's primary diagnostic criteria (a cold pressure test) FAILED to detect severe, ongoing coolant leakage that was actively drowning the fuel injectors, nearly resulting in catastrophic engine failure. I demanded the bulletin be followed by removing the expansion tank based on the visual evidence alone. I further demanded bore scope photos as stated in the recall bulletin. These support the above claims that ALL FOUR injectors are contaminated with gross amounts of coolant which could have led to a catastrophic engine failure. BMW replaced my expansion tank in 2024 when I first bought the car with 13k miles on it with a tank that suffers from exactly the same design flaw. It is therefore no fix at all and all of these cars are all ticking time bombs unless a permanent solution is mandated.

NHTSA ID
11771370
Incident
Oct 12, 2026
ElectricalFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 24, 2024
Fire reported

Car catch on fire and explode it with 2 ocupantes inside

NHTSA ID
11596199
Incident
Jun 23, 2024
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 1, 2021

THE REVERSE BACKUP LIGHTS AND CAMERA IMAGE IS SO DIM AND LIMITED AS BE UNUSABLE AND VERY UNSAFE WHEN BACKING UP AT NIGHT IN DARKNESS. DEALER SERVICE COULD NOT FIX AS DESIGNED IN! I BELIEVE SAME SYSTEM USED ON ALL 2021 SERIES 5 CARS. LEFT CAR AT DEALER WITH FOBS AS I AM REFUSING THE CAR CANCELLING SALE AS HIDDEN DEFECT UNSAFE AND NOT FIXABLE PER DEALER SERVICE MGR. ATTACHED PHOTOS ARE ACTUALLY BRIGHTER THAN WHAT DRIVER SEES. VIEW IS FROM MY GARAGE AND DRIVEWAY TO BACKUP. RED TINT IS BREAK LIGHTS STRONGER THAN WEAK BACKUP LIGHTS ALL VERY ABNORMALLY DIM WITH VERY RESTRICTED ILLUMINATED VIEW.

NHTSA ID
11385992
Incident
Dec 30, 2020
Mileage
400 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B170324

ENGINE

Under certain driving situations, coolant leaks onto the fuel injectors on cylinder bank (5-8).

B170324

ENGINE

Under certain driving situations, coolant leaks onto the fuel injectors on cylinder bank (5-8).

B170324

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop (effective April 15, 2024) on certain Model Year 2018 - 2023 BMW vehicles that were produced between November 7, 2017, and September 9, 2022.

B630418

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

One or more of the LED daytime running lights are dim or discolored.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

B611305

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW M5 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026010—
2025120—
2023000—
2022100—
2021Viewing310—
2020230—
2019830—
2018630—
2016120—
2015310—
2014210—
2013102046.2
2012000—
2010120—
2009020—
2008620—
2007610—
2006391038.9
2005000—
2004000—
2003310—
2002620—
2001430—
2000420—
1999000—
1998000—
1997000—
1996000—
1995010—
1994010—
1993011—
1992021—
1991031—
1990010—
1989010—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.