Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
17–27 mpgcombined; city 15–24, highway 22–33; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,910–$23,670U.S. average; Ohio $14,050–$22,310 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
Owners have filed 188 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 5 Series. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
89
1
2
2
Electrical system
41
1
2
1
Power train
36
0
0
0
Air bags
21
2
0
4
Engine and engine cooling
18
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
18
0
0
0
Unknown or other
18
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
10
0
1
0
Seat belts
6
0
0
0
Steering
6
0
0
0
Service brakes
5
1
0
1
Structure
5
1
0
3
11 more parts
Suspension
5
0
0
0
Tires
5
0
0
0
Seats
4
0
0
1
Vehicle speed control
3
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
1
0
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2013 5 Series over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Electrical system: wiring; Engine and engine cooling: cooling system
NHTSA campaign 24V608000 · reported Aug 13, 2024 · 720,796 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
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. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
NHTSA campaign 15V188000 · reported Mar 31, 2015 · 13,443 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began July 28, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, and ActiveHybrid 5 vehicles. The rear reflex reflectors may not reflect enough light. As such, the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: The vehicle may be less visible to other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist; Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist
NHTSA campaign 14V627000 · reported Oct 7, 2014 · 8,988 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V-454.
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist; Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist
NHTSA campaign 13V454000 · reported Sep 26, 2013 · 76,191 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 514 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 5 Series, the latest on Jan 21, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (156), equipment (142), engine (98), engine and engine cooling (66), fuel system (46).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2013 5 Series.
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
528i Rear-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
24 / 33 / 27
528i xDrive All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
22 / 32 / 26
535i Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
20 / 30 / 24
535i Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
20 / 29 / 23
535i Gran Turismo Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
20 / 30 / 24
535i xDrive All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
21 / 29 / 24
535i xDrive Gran Turismo All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
18 / 26 / 21
550i Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
17 / 25 / 20
550i Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 22 / 17
550i Gran Turismo Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
16 / 24 / 19
550i xDrive All-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
16 / 24 / 19
550i xDrive Gran Turismo All-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
16 / 24 / 19
ActiveHybrid 5 Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
23 / 30 / 26
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data