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All cars · BMW 5 Series

2015 BMW 5 Series.

The 2015 BMW 5 Series is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 7 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 15, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about visibility, it has 1 recall, and it gets 19 to 30 mpg combined. The best BMW 5 Series year is 2016.

15Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 6.7× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2016 · Worst year 2008

BMW 5 Series
Photo shows a BMW 5 Series. Dinkun Chen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Most common problemVisibility29% of owner complaintsRecalls1Free fix at any dealerBetter year to buy20167.1× fewer complaints than averageGovernment investigation2 openOwners reported enough to trigger one
Owner complaints7first 3 years
Fuel economy19–30 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 97 owner complaints, owners reported:

2crashes
1injuries
5fires
8tows
Under government investigation333 repair notes from BMW

Every BMW 5 Series year. 2015 is highlighted. Lower is better.

2000641.6× fewer complaints2001502× fewer complaints2002551.8× fewer complaints2003–few complaints200491about average2005–few complaints2006731.4× fewer complaints2007621.6× fewer complaints20082142.1× the complaints2009–few complaints2010751.3× fewer complaints20111901.9× the complaints2012601.7× fewer complaints2013303.3× fewer complaints2014382.6× fewer complaints2015156.7× fewer complaints2016147.1× fewer complaints2017214.8× fewer complaints2018611.6× fewer complaints2019392.6× fewer complaints2020185.6× fewer complaints2021651.5× fewer complaints2022502× fewer complaints2023–few complaints2024–few complaints2025–few complaints

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

visibility29%
wheels14%
body structure14%
transmission & drivetrain14%
brakes14%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every BMW 5 Series year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 74K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 44K to 99K miles on the car (41 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • electrical complaints mostly came at 70K–118K miles
  • engine complaints mostly came at 73K–118K miles

Recalls 1

  • engine 2024

    An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems BMW told dealers about

BMW sent dealers 333 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • ?n63t and s63t engine: valve seal replacement
  • "airbag warning light: acsm fc 930a60 or 930a1c seat occupancy detection
  • "headlight assemblies have visible internal moisture/condensation

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • OpenHigh pressure fuel pump failure2023
  • OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021
  • ClosedPedestrian alert sounds2023

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningOptional
Lane departure warningOptional
NHTSA front crash test of the 2015 BMW 5 Series
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
BMW 528 I 4 DR RWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★
BMW 528 I Xdrive 4 DR AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★
Fuel cost and engines

About $3050–4200 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 4.4L 8-cyl.

Quick answers

Is the 2015 BMW 5 Series reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 6.7× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 15; 100 is average, lower is better). The best BMW 5 Series year by this measure is 2016.

What are the most common 2015 BMW 5 Series problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are visibility (29%), wheels (14%) and body structure (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2015 BMW 5 Series have?

1 safety recall (latest: engine). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2015 BMW 5 Series get?

19 to 30 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2015 BMW 5 Series safe?

NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

At what mileage do 2015 BMW 5 Series problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 44,500 and 99,000 miles. The middle report was at 74,900 miles, from 41 complaints.

Does the 2015 BMW 5 Series have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 14% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2015 BMW 5 Series cost in fuel a year?

About $3050 to $4200 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2015 BMW 5 Series have?

2.0L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 4.4L 8-cyl.

What BMW 5 Series year is better than the 2015?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2016, 2015 and 2020.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data