BMW M5 Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability
Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.
Own a BMW M5? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.
BMW M5 — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison
| Year | Verdict | Recalls | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths | Top Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Best | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2025 | Good | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | Forward Collision Avoidance | Full report → |
| 2024 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2023 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2022 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2021 | Good | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2020 | Good | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2019 | Good | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2018Worst | Avoid | 2 | 26 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2017 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2016 | Good | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2015 | Good | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2014 | Excellent | — | 1 | — | — | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2013 | Caution | 1 | 13 | — | — | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2012 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2011 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2010 | Good | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2009 | Good | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2008 | Good | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2007 | Good | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2006 | Caution | 1 | 12 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2005 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2004 | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2003 | Good | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2002 | Good | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2001 | Good | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2000 | Good | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
27 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.
Most Common BMW M5 Problems
Based on 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.
Recent Safety Recalls — BMW M5 (2022–2026)
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2025 BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The integrated brake (IB) system may malfunction and result in a loss of power brake assist or cause the Antilock Brake (ABS) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) systems to not function properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between June and December 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls Royce customer service at 1-877-877-3735.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2025 M5 Sportswagon, 2025-2026 M5, 2024-2025 750e xDrive, 2025-2026 550e xDrive, 2023-2025 I7, 2023-2025 7 Series, 2024-2026 i5, and 5 Series vehicles. The electrical wiring harness for the air conditioning system may become damaged during replacement of the cabin air filter.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the air conditioning system’s electrical wiring harness and add a retaining strap/bracket to the harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 13, 2026.
Showing 2 recalls from 2022–2026 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.
Recent Owner Complaints
Direct reports filed with NHTSA by BMW M5 owners — 2022–2026 model years.
The front windshield cracked in the middle from the top without any impact. It made a butterfly shaped crack going both sides symmetrically from the middle. I took it to BMW Casey in Newport News, Virginia. They looked at it and agreed that there was no impact. They kept the car for 5 days and then reported that BMW North America is not aware of any defect and that they would not cover the replacement. However, this problem seems to exist in multiple BMW vehicles reading the online forum. This is a big safety issue since this problem could have happened while on a highway and impairing driving vision, and worse shattering of the glass.
I have had two separate incidents of cracked wheels. I drive the vehicle on normal roadways and have had no impacts with curbs, debris or significant road hazards. The wheels show no signs of any impact or damage, just a crack. Of course the cracked wheels result in a rapid loss of tire pressure. BMW will not warranty the wheels and replacement of each has cost me $800. I feel the wheels were obviously not engineered properly to withstand the load and forces of normal highway driving. The First cracked wheel was in November of 2023 - right front. The most recent was August 2024, left rear. The vehicle had approx 30,000 miles at the first incident and most recently 38,000 miles for the second incident.
2 total complaints retrieved from NHTSA for 2022–2026. For older model years, see individual year pages.
M5 Years to Avoid
Best M5 Years to Buy
BMW M5 Problems by Year
Frequently Asked Questions — BMW M5 Reliability
What year M5 has the most problems?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 BMW M5 had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 26 complaints and 2 safety recalls. See the full 2018 report for specific defects.
Is the BMW M5 reliable?
The BMW M5 has accumulated 83 owner-filed complaints and 27 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. The 2026 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used M5.
What are the most common M5 problems?
The most frequently cited problem areas are: Air Bags (25 reports), Engine (10 reports), Seat Belts (8 reports), Electrical System (7 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.
How do I check if my M5 has an open recall?
Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
Check a Specific BMW M5 VIN
Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
Run a Free BMW M5 VIN Report →No account required · Instant results · Updated daily