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2011 BMW 528I Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2011 BMW 528I, and owners have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
117
owner complaints to NHTSA
1 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire

4 safety recalls for the 2011 BMW 528I

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Crankcase (pcv) (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 17V683000 Reported 740,561 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may…

  2. Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive

    NHTSA 16V832000 Reported 91 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2011 BMW 528i, 528xi, 535i, 535xi, 550i and 550xi vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, through August 31, 2011. The affected vehicles may have received a replacement Sensor Cluster Unit (SCU) during a service visit. These SCUs have an acceleration sensor that may have been…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the SCU, free of charge. The recall began on December 16, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  3. Fuel pump (fuel system)

    NHTSA 16V746000 Reported 136,188 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 BMW X5 3.0si, X5 4.8i, X5 M, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive50i, 2008-2011 X6 x Drive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 535i xDrive Gran Turismo, 535i Gran Turismo, 550i xDrive Gran Turismo and 550i Gran Turismo,…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  4. Engine (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 14V176000 Reported 156,137 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2012 BMW vehicles…

117 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2011 BMW 528I have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 3 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 76,453 miles. Complaints peaked in 2024 with 30 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“I am filing a complaint regarding the recall work performed on my 2011 BMW 528i for the VANOS bolt safety recall. The recall notice stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive until repaired. I arranged to”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 17, 2025 · Electrical system

“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Th”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 22, 2025 · Engine and engine cooling

Compare BMW 528I model years

Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 528I model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1979 BMW 528I01
1980 BMW 528I02
1997 BMW 528I041
1998 BMW 528I033
1999 BMW 528I046
2000 BMW 528I142
2001 BMW 528I02
2007 BMW 528I11
2008 BMW 528I2118
2009 BMW 528I223
2010 BMW 528I265
2011 BMW 528I4117
2012 BMW 528I490
2013 BMW 528I473
2014 BMW 528I357
2015 BMW 528I165
2016 BMW 528I459

Checking a specific 2011 BMW 528I

How do I know if my 2011 BMW 528I has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2011 BMW 528I; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 14V176000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other BMW models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.