Home › Reliability › BMW › 5 Series › 2016

2016 BMW 5 Series Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 4 NHTSA recalls and 83 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

C
60/100

Elevated Reported Activity — 2016 BMW 5 Series

The 2016 BMW 5 Series shows elevated recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Make sure any recall campaigns are resolved before purchase and have the vehicle inspected thoroughly.

Own or buying a 2016 BMW 5 Series?

Check your specific VIN free for recalls and specs. Full vehicle history report: one-time $4.99, no subscription, no auto-renewal.

4
NHTSA Recalls
4 recalls on record
83
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
1
Crash Reports
5 fire reports
⚠️

NHTSA Recalls — 2016 BMW 5 Series (4)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized BMW dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Seat Belts: Front: Retractor
In the event of a crash where heavy braking is applied, the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) may activate when the occupant is more forward in the seat, possibly increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA #16V747000
🔧 Air Bags
If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA #16V914000
🔧 Child Seat
If the child seat is not properly attached to the lower anchors, it can increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair the inboard lower anchor on the left rear seat, free of charge. The recall began on December 28,…
NHTSA #15V718000
🔧 Engine And Engine Cooling: Cooling System: Pump
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025….
NHTSA #24V608000
💬

Most Common Problems — 2016 BMW 5 Series

Based on 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Engine And Engine Cooling
26
Air Bags
11
Engine
10
Electrical System
7
Power Train
5
Unknown Or Other
5
Fuel/propulsion System
4
Fuel System
3
📊

BMW 5 Series — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2016 model year is highlighted.

2010 180 complaints 2011 480 complaints 2012 265 complaints 2013 194 complaints 2014 152 complaints 2015 100 complaints 2016 83 complaints 2017 38 complaints 2018 103 complaints 2019 39 complaints 2020 17 complaints

→ Decode a BMW VIN — free BMW VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.

⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2011, 2012 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2017, 2019, 2020 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

❓

Frequently Asked Questions — 2016 BMW 5 Series

Is the 2016 BMW 5 Series reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 BMW 5 Series has 4 recall campaigns and 83 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2016 BMW 5 Series have?
The 2016 BMW 5 Series has 4 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW 5 Series?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2016 BMW 5 Series are: Engine And Engine Cooling, Air Bags, Engine, Electrical System. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2016 BMW 5 Series safe to buy?
The 2016 BMW 5 Series has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 4 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year BMW 5 Series should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the BMW 5 Series are: 2017, 2019, 2020. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2011, 2012.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.