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2017 BMW 5 Series Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 2 NHTSA recalls and 38 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

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This is one of the better years for the BMW 5 Series

The 2017 model year shows below-average complaints compared to other years of this model — a good sign for reliability.

B
80/100

Moderate Reported Activity — 2017 BMW 5 Series

The 2017 BMW 5 Series shows moderate recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the recall campaigns and common complaints below before buying.

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2
NHTSA Recalls
2 recalls on record
38
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
2
Crash Reports
In NHTSA complaints
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NHTSA Recalls — 2017 BMW 5 Series (2)

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

🔧 Air Bags
In the event of a crash of sufficient severity, deployment of the head air bag may be impaired and/or the igniter could separate from the inflator, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left or right head air bag, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service…
NHTSA #20V243000
🔧 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
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Most Common Problems — 2017 BMW 5 Series

Based on 38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Air Bags
8
Electrical System
6
Seat Belts
4
Engine
3
Steering
3
Exterior Lighting
2
Seats
2
Unknown Or Other
2
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BMW 5 Series — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2017 model year is highlighted.

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 2021 28 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2017 BMW 5 Series

Is the 2017 BMW 5 Series reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2017 BMW 5 Series has 2 recall campaigns and 38 owner complaints. This model year shows relatively low recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data.
How many recalls does the 2017 BMW 5 Series have?
The 2017 BMW 5 Series has 2 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 2017 BMW 5 Series?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2017 BMW 5 Series are: Air Bags, Electrical System, Seat Belts, Engine. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2017 BMW 5 Series safe to buy?
The 2017 BMW 5 Series has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 2 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.