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BMW 5 SeriesModel year report

2002 BMW 5 Series Problems

Complaints
7filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
85,000miles, 4 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 BMW 5 Series (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2002 BMW 5 Series. The part named most often is transmission and drivetrain, with 2 complaints (29% of the total), followed by engine (1) and engine cooling (1). 4 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 85,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 38 technical service bulletins for this model year. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “Driving at 50 MPH I was being harassed by another motorist because I was driving the speed limit. I decided to let him pass but first I had to speed up to 58 MPH inorder to completely overtake a passenger car to my right (passenger side) I gave the throttle some gas and the car went nowhere. The needle went all the way into the red zone on the tachometer. The driver behind me (another Bmw 3 series),tailgated me. It scared me so bad, that I did not see a deep pot hole in the road surface. I hit it so hard, that I spun around and all of my wheels were damaged. …”

NHTSA complaint #10607249, filed 2014-07, 96,000 miles

Engine cooling: “Car has hesitated while being driven at or above 50 MPH. Car has stalled completely while accelerating out of a parking lot and while being driven at 40 MPH.”

NHTSA complaint #10010736, filed 2003-03

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 4 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 74,000 and 96,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–5050%50–7525%75–1000%100–15025%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (4 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 85,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2002200322008220142019
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 BMW 5 Series in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 38 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 38 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW 5 Series

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20121040,0000———Not enough data
2011812,0004——Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Rising
2010653,0005———Not enough data
2009859,5003———Not enough data
200810526,7503——Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Rising
20071384,0893———Not enough data
20068565,0007——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20052170,5004———Stable
20046478,6256——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20031590,0000———Stable
2002785,0000———Not enough data

All BMW 5 Series model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 BMW 5 Series have?

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2002 BMW 5 Series as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 BMW 5 Series is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 2 complaints (29% of the total), followed by engine with 1.

Has the 2002 BMW 5 Series been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 BMW 5 Series reported?

Among the 4 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 85,000 miles and the middle half falls between 74,000 and 96,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.