The 2011 BMW 528i has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,032,977 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 164 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING17V6830002017-10-30740,561 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
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 contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
AIR BAGS16V8320002016-11-1791 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
Depending on the severity of the crash, inadequate activation of the driver and/or passenger air bags, safety belt pre-tensioners and active head restraints may increase the risk of injury.
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.
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…
Consequence
The loose wires may cause the connector to melt, resulting in a fuel leak. Additionally, the fuel pump may stop working, possibly causing an engine stall and increase the risk of a crash.
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.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING14V1760002014-04-10156,137 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
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 equipped with inline 6 cylinder engines not covered by this recall, will receive an extended warranty…
Complaints by component
ENGINE
33
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
31
2injuries
POWER TRAIN
25
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
17
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
10
2injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
7
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
7
1injuries
STEERING
6
1injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
6
AIR BAGS
4
Total complaints164
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“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 towing to jackie cooper bmw in edmond, oklahoma because of this safety warning. The dealership…”
“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 towing to jackie cooper bmw in edmond, oklahoma because of this safety warning. The dealership…”
“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 towing to jackie cooper bmw in edmond, oklahoma because of this safety warning. The dealership…”
“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. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”
“The contact owns a 2011 bmw 528i. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over, and after several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, and the message…”
“The contact owns a 2011 bmw 528i. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over, and after several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, and the message…”
“The contact owns a 2011 bmw 528i. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over, and after several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, and the message…”
“The contact owns a 2011 bmw 528i. The contact received notification of nhtsa recall campaign number: 23v707000 (engine and engine cooling), and the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the message "drive train malfunction - drive…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2011 BMW 528i as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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