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All cars · BMW 5 Series

2017 BMW 5 Series.

The 2017 BMW 5 Series is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 9 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 21, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about steering, it has 1 recall, and it gets 18 to 27 mpg combined. The best BMW 5 Series year is 2016.

21Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 4.8× 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 problemSteering22% of owner complaintsRecalls1Free fix at any dealerBetter year to buy20167.1× fewer complaints than averageGovernment investigation1 openOwners reported enough to trigger one
Owner complaints9first 3 years
Fuel economy18–27 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 38 owner complaints, owners reported:

2crashes
1injuries
0fires
1tows
Under government investigation473 repair notes from BMW

Every BMW 5 Series year. 2017 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.

steering22%
seat belts22%
body structure11%
electrical11%
seats11%

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 21K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 14K to 65K miles on the car (13 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 1

  • airbags 2020

    Prior exposure to excessive levels of humidity within the driver and passenger head air bag inflators may affect the proper deployment of the head air bags.

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 473 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • COMFORT ACCESS SPORADICALLY INOPERATIVE: Sporadically, vehicle is unable to be locked or…
  • HEATER HOSE IS CONTACTING THE STEERING SHAFT: The customer may complain of a coolant leak from…
  • SEAT MEMORY SWITCH SPORADICALLY NOT FUNCTIONING: Selecting one of the saved seat positions…

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

Government investigations

  • OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021

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

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningNot offered
Lane departure warningNot offered
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
BMW 5 Series GT 5 HB AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★
BMW 5 Series GT 5 HB RWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★
Fuel cost and engines

About $2950–4400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 4.4L 8-cyl.

In owners' words

Passenger side seat sensor defective. Alerted me that the passenger side seatbelt was unbuckled for over a month. Took replacing the seat to fix.

2017 BMW 5 Series owner · NHTSA complaint 11057276

Quick answers

Is the 2017 BMW 5 Series reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 4.8× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 21; 100 is average, lower is better). The best BMW 5 Series year by this measure is 2016.

What are the most common 2017 BMW 5 Series problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are steering (22%), seat belts (22%) and body structure (11%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2017 BMW 5 Series have?

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

What gas mileage does the 2017 BMW 5 Series get?

18 to 27 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2017 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.

Does the 2017 BMW 5 Series have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2017 BMW 5 Series cost in fuel a year?

About $2950 to $4400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2017 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 2017?

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