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2011 BMW 535I Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2011 BMW 535I, and owners have filed 112 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
112
owner complaints to NHTSA
5 / 6
complaints citing a crash / fire

4 safety recalls for the 2011 BMW 535I

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

  1. Constant velocity joint (power train)

    NHTSA 17V067000 Reported 8,752 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 1 Series M Coupe and 135i Convertible vehicles, 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i, 335i, 335d, 335i Coupe, 335is Coupe, 335i Convertible, 335is Convertible, 535i, 535i xDrive, 535i Gran Turismo and 550i xDrive Gran Turismo vehicles and 2012 740i and 740Li vehicles. The rear…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear driveshaft CV joint and, based on its production date, will replace it, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service…

  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…

112 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2011 BMW 535I have filed 112 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 8 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 84,462 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 19 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“ValveTronic motor and eccentric shaft is a very common issue that my specific car has. Affects the timing and makes a loud sound. Dangerous to drive in this condition.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 20, 2026 · Power train

“The contact owned a 2011 BMW 535I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 3, 2026 · Vehicle speed control

Compare BMW 535I model years

Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 535I model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1986 BMW 535I01
1988 BMW 535I01
1989 BMW 535I16
1990 BMW 535I22
1991 BMW 535I35
1992 BMW 535I33
1993 BMW 535I10
1994 BMW 535I12
1995 BMW 535I10
2008 BMW 535I174
2009 BMW 535I171
2010 BMW 535I158
2011 BMW 535I4112
2012 BMW 535I154
2013 BMW 535I138
2014 BMW 535I230
2015 BMW 535I023
2016 BMW 535I212
2017 BMW 535I10

Checking a specific 2011 BMW 535I

How do I know if my 2011 BMW 535I 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 535I; 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.