Model year 2019 · Compact Cars, Midsize Cars

2019 BMW 5 Series: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2019 BMW 5 Series at 24–29 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 40 owner complaints for this model year.

Safety recalls

3

EPA combined mpg

24–29

NHTSA overall rating

—

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as 530E, 530E IPERFORMANCE, 530E XDRIVE IPERFORMANCE, 530I, 540I, M550I.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a BMW dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2019 BMW 5 Series recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 3 safety recalls for the 2019 BMW 5 Series, newest first.

Electrical system: Starter assembly: Relay

NHTSA 26V441000 Reported Jul 8, 2026 Park outside
Filed by
BMW of North America, LLC
Units affected
29,119 (estimate)
Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2020 530e xDrive, 2017-2019 740Le xDrive, 2018-2020 530e iPerformance, 2016-2018 330e iPerformance vehicles. The engine starter relay may corrode, causing the relay to overheat and short circuit.
Risk
A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 30, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 28, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Back over prevention: Sensing system: Camera

NHTSA 19V684000 Reported Sep 27, 2019
Filed by
BMW of North America, LLC
Units affected
257,473 (estimate)
Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of…
Risk
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Equipment: Electrical

NHTSA 18V652000 Reported Sep 20, 2018
Filed by
BMW of North America, LLC
Units affected
3,501 (estimate)
Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire.
Risk
An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2019 BMW 5 Series fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination; electric figures are in MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2019 BMW 5 Series EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombElectric rangeFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
530e2.0L 4-cyl turbo plug-in hybridAutomatic 8-speedRear-Wheel DrivePremium and Electricity / Electricity27/30/29 mpg
72 MPGe on electricity
16 mi$2,850193
530e xDrive2.0L 4-cyl turbo plug-in hybridAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DrivePremium and Electricity / Electricity27/31/28 mpg
67 MPGe on electricity
15 mi$2,950200
530i2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 8-speedRear-Wheel DrivePremium24/34/27 mpg—$3,050324
530i xDrive2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DrivePremium23/33/27 mpg—$3,050331
540i3.0L 6-cyl turboAutomatic 8-speedRear-Wheel DrivePremium21/29/24 mpg—$3,400371
540i xDrive3.0L 6-cyl turboAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DrivePremium21/29/24 mpg—$3,400371

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2019 BMW 5 Series crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2019 BMW 5 Series NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2019 BMW 5 Series 4 DR AWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—Standard
2019 BMW 5 Series 4 DR RWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—Standard
2019 BMW 530e 4 DR AWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—Standard
2019 BMW 530e 4 DR RWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2019 BMW 5 Series owner complaints

Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 BMW 5 Series, most recently on Oct 22, 2026. 7 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 6 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2019 BMW 5 Series complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Electrical system11
Engine9
Service brakes5
Unknown or other5
Vehicle speed control5
Fuel/propulsion system4
Power train4
Air bags3
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking3
Seat belts2

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other BMW 5 Series model years

BMW 5 Series by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 5 Series25–31 mpg———
2026 5 Series25–31 mpg11—
2025 5 Series24–31 mpg62—
2024 5 Series28–30 mpg718—
2023 5 Series20–28 mpg310—
2022 5 Series20–28 mpg419—
2021 5 Series25–28 mpg928—
2020 5 Series25–28 mpg817—
2018 5 Series23–30 mpg7112—
2017 5 Series18–27 mpg2385/5
2016 5 Series19–30 mpg7835/5
2015 5 Series19–30 mpg41005/5

All BMW 5 Series years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2019 BMW models

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with BMW.