Model line

BMW M5

Every BMW M5 model year on file, 1989 to 2026. Pick a year for its recalls, investigations, service bulletins and the full text of owner complaints.

Owner complaints, all model years10510 involved a crash, fire, injury or death

Model years351989 to 2026

Recall campaigns23Distinct campaigns listing it

Service bulletins2,404Summed across model years

By model year

The 2006 model year drew the most complaints, 39, 37% of the model's total

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, all years filed, by model year.

Source: NHTSA ODI. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA, and NHTSA publishes no sales volumes, so counts are not rates.

Components

Airbags leads the BMW M5 complaint record

Owner complaints across all model years, by component.

Airbags

Engine and cooling

Powertrain

Electrical system

Seat belts

Seats

Fuel system

Brakes

Steering

Stability and traction control

Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.

Model years

The record for each BMW M5 model year

Peer index compares complaints with the median vehicle of the same model year and body class (100 is the median). It corrects for age, not for how many were sold.

BMW M5 by model year
Year	Body	Complaints	Severity index	Peer index	Recalls	Investigations	Bulletins
2026	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	11
2025	Sedan	1	0.0	25	2	0	42
2023	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	13
2022	Sedan	1	0.0	14	0	0	51
2021	Sedan	2	50.0	24	1	0	114
2020	Sedan	2	0.0	22	3	0	156
2019	Sedan	8	0.0	59	3	0	156
2018	Sedan	6	0.0	50	3	0	208
2016	Sedan	1	0.0	7	2	0	213
2015	Sedan	3	0.0	19	1	0	273
2014	Sedan	2	0.0	10	1	0	350
2013	Sedan	10	10.0	30	2	0	383
2012	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	18
2010	Sedan	1	0.0	5	2	0	55
2009	Not decoded	0	None	None	2	0	55
2008	Sedan	6	50.0	17	2	0	56
2007	Sedan	6	0.0	15	1	0	61
2006	Sedan	39	2.6	81	1	0	60
2005	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	22
2004	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	8
2003	Sedan	3	0.0	9	1	0	12
2002	Sedan	6	33.3	23	2	0	16
2001	Sedan	4	0.0	18	3	0	10
2000	Sedan	4	50.0	13	2	0	10
1999	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	2
1998	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	10
1997	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	10
1996	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	10
1995	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	2
1994	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	3
1993	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	1	3
1992	Not decoded	0	None	None	2	1	3
1991	Not decoded	0	None	None	3	1	3
1990	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	3
1989	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	2

Source: NHTSA ODI. Body class from NHTSA's VIN decoder where decoded.

Latest recalls

Recent campaigns covering the BMW M5

26V-096 Feb 19, 2026
Electrical wiring harness for the air conditioning system may become damaged during replacement of the cabin air filter
Electrical system · 59k vehicles
24V-104 Feb 12, 2024
Integrated brake (IB) system may malfunction and result in a loss of power brake assist or cause the Antilock Brake (ABS) and Dynamic Stability…
Stability and traction control · 267k vehicles
20V-598 Sep 30, 2020
Small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured
Back-over prevention · 312 vehicles
19V-883 Dec 11, 2019
Transmission wiring harness can become damaged, resulting in an electrical short circuit
Electrical system · 3,012 vehicles
19V-684 Sep 27, 2019
Back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the…
Back-over prevention · 257k vehicles
19V-513 Jul 3, 2019
High pressure fuel pump may not have been properly attached to the engine, which may cause the fuel pump flange to crack, resulting in a fuel leak
Engine and cooling · 115 vehicles
18V-473 Jul 17, 2018
Fuel level sensor in the fuel tank may become stuck against an in-tank fuel line, causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate and possibly…
Fuel system · 1,645 vehicles
18V-323 May 16, 2018
In certain driving conditions, the engine control unit software may cause the fuel pump to stop
Electrical system · 846 vehicles
17V-047 Jan 20, 2017
These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating…
Airbags · 230k vehicles
16V-914 Dec 20, 2016
Affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash
Airbags · 3,506 vehicles

Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.