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Engine coolingPart report

2011 BMW 528I Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
32about this part
Share
27%of 118 total for the year
Median mileage
113,500miles
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 32 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2011 BMW 528I, 27% of the 118 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 113,500 miles. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“The vehicle has an acceleration problem and hesitates and pauses when starting from a stop or while in low speed conditions. It is dangerous to, for example, pull out in traffic when one does not know if your vehicle is going to accelerate properly. There is a definite lag and pause that is a problem when accelerating.”

NHTSA complaint #10457980, filed 2012-05, 35,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. …”

NHTSA complaint #11569315, filed 2024-02, 200,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal after a complete stop. Two days later, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts with the check engine warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the VANOS bolts had fractured and entered the oil pan. …”

NHTSA complaint #11597912, filed 2024-07, 151,597 miles

“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH in a parking lot, the vehicle shutoff inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that two of the VANOS bolts were fractured, causing the engine to fail. The dealer determined that the bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …”

NHTSA complaint #11569106, filed 2024-01, 74,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528i. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, following the recall repair, the vehicle was stalling with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed back to the same dealer. The contact stated that the dealer had diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the VANOS solenoids had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …”

NHTSA complaint #11641646, filed 2025-02, 112,000 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
20162644%
20153351%
20142035%
20131115%
201256%
20113227%
20101726%
2009522%
20081513%
20001024%
199912%
199826%
199737%

Other parts of the 2011 BMW 528I

Engine
34 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
25 complaintsFuel system
23 complaintsOther or unknown
11 complaintsElectrical system
9 complaintsSteering
6 complaintsVehicle speed control
6 complaintsAir bags
4 complaintsSuspension
4 complaintsExterior lighting
3 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2011 BMW 528I

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.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology