2021 BMW 5 Series problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 26 owner complaints about the 2021 BMW 5 Series, or 4.6 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.11, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #9 for fewest complaints per year. Against other BMW models its rate is 61% lower; against other Luxury sedans it is 10% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Limited data: fewer than 30 complaints, so shares and indexes are unstable.
Complaints filed between 2021-09-12 and 2026-07-10. Median delay from incident to filing: 14 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 2.2 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 3.4 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 7 complaints, 89% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Electrical (30.8% of complaints), followed by Brakes (15.4%) and Engine (11.5%). Electrical complaints are 2.0 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Electrical reports, owners most often mention “notification electrical”, “electrical system”, “recall available”, “received” and “occasions”. 3 reports (11.5%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 48 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (42% of incidents). 9 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.11
- vs. other BMW models0.39
- vs. other 2021 models0.12
- vs. other Luxury sedans0.9
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (7)0.11
- #9 of 85 · 2021Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Electrical · Common terms in reports
- notification electrical3
- electrical system3
- recall available3
- received4
- occasions3
- amount recall3
Problem areas: Airbags & seat belts
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 2
- Fires reported: 1
- Injuries: 0
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 48 months
What owners report
My family was driving home on California [XXX] approaching [XXX]. Suddenly we saw heavy white smoke coming from our vehicle. Vehicles behind us had to almost stop as the smoke was very thick and covered all lanes. We pulled over and turned off the car.
Unintended car acceleration, with complete brake failure. No software warning icons in dash, no collision avoidance or ABS triggered even though car so equipped. Crashed into rear end of stationery vehicle,. [XXX] , MN police were called.
Starter engine failure. Car failed to start multiple times. Major safety hazard that can cause a short circuit, melt wiring harnesses, and spark an engine bay fire posing an immediate threat to life. Problem was inspected and confirmed by a dealer.
The recall 25V-636 remains unresolved after more than 6 month passed since the manufacturer issued the campaign regarding the engine starter. I would like to see the NHTSA to put the manufacturer on notice that this is unacceptable.
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 540I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2021 · Luxury sedans
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Audi A4 | 12 | 2.1 | 0.05 |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 15 | 2.6 | 0.06 |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 20 | 3.5 | 0.08 |
| 2021 BMW 5 Series | 26 | 4.6 | 0.11 |
| 2021 BMW 3 Series | 33 | 5.8 | 0.14 |
| 2021 Lexus ES | 35 | 6.2 | 0.15 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2021 BMW 5 Series?
26 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2021 BMW 5 Series, or about 4.6 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2021 BMW 5 Series?
The most common category is Electrical, accounting for 30.8% of complaints.
Does the 2021 BMW 5 Series have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Is the 2021 BMW 5 Series still generating complaints?
9 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
How does the 2021 BMW 5 Series compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 26 owner complaints about the 2021 BMW 5 Series, or 4.6 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.11, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #9 for fewest complaints per year. Against other BMW models its rate is 61% lower; against other Luxury sedans it is 10% lower.