"How reliable is the 2011 Bmw 528I?"

"Based on 164 NHTSA complaints, the 2011 Bmw 528I has a median complaint mileage of 59340 miles. The most common issue is Engine."

"What are common problems with the 2011 Bmw 528I?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2011 Bmw 528I is Engine, accounting for a significant portion of the 164 total complaints filed."

2011 Bmw 528I: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 164 complaints

164

Total Complaints

59,340mi

Median Mileage

Engine

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

35,036 25th Percentile

59,340 Median Mileage

100,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling

Power Train

Fuel/Propulsion System

Unknown Or Other

Fuel System, Gasoline

Electrical System

Vehicle Speed Control

Steering

Suspension

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THE VEHICLE HAS AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM AND HESITATES AND PAUSES WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP OR WHILE IN LOW SPEED CONDITIONS. IT IS DANGEROUS TO, FOR EXAMPLE, PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC WHEN ONE DOES NOT KNOW IF YOUR VEHICLE IS GOING TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THERE IS A DEFINITE LAG AND PAUSE THAT IS A PROB..."

"WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (50-80MPH), THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. I'VE HAD ALIGNMENTS PERFORMED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE DEALER SAID IT'S WITHIN SPECIFICATION, AND THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT IT. AFTER MORE PERSISTENCE, ..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Engine 33 complaints

25th: 24,000 mi Median: 42,500 mi 75th: 92,500 mi

Engine And Engine Cooling 31 complaints

25th: 100,286 mi Median: 113,500 mi 75th: 150,843 mi

Power Train 25 complaints

25th: 33,000 mi Median: 44,740 mi 75th: 70,000 mi

Fuel/Propulsion System 17 complaints

25th: 46,429 mi Median: 56,340 mi 75th: 71,420 mi

Unknown Or Other 10 complaints

25th: 71,250 mi Median: 87,000 mi 75th: 95,500 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 62 TX: 16 FL: 13 NY: 9 GA: 8 VA: 6 NJ: 6 NC: 5 SC: 4 MD: 4

Who Files Complaints?

1.2%

Original Owners

98.8%

Second+ Owners

Bmw 528I — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1997	49	109,234	Macpherson Strut	8
1998	39	96,500	Air Bags	2
1999	59	85,000	Vehicle Speed Control	6
2000	53	106,250	Air Bags	2
2008	181	90,000	Exterior Lighting	1
2009	33	111,150	Engine	1
2010	87	99,000	Engine And Engine Cooling	2
2012	145	68,750	Engine	0
2013	119	86,500	Engine	3
2014	89	77,500	Electrical System	0
2015	101	80,000	Electrical System	0
2016	103	80,000	Electrical System	2

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28