2014 BMW 535I Problems
Compared with other BMW 535I years
Typical for this model
49/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 1.0× that of a typical BMW 535I year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 8 of its 30 complaints were filed by the end of 2016.
- Most reported part: Engine (10 complaints, median 500 mi).
- 2 recall campaigns on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 30filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 35,000miles, 18 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 2campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 / 5stars overall, 4 rated versions
- EPA fuel economy
- 23 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl RWD · 20 city / 30 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2014 BMW 535I (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 30 consumer complaints for the 2014 BMW 535I. The part named most often is engine, with 10 complaints (33% of the total), followed by electrical system (8) and body and structure (4). 18 of the complaints include a mileage, and 61% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 35,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 366 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine complaints overlap with 67 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 106 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Compared with the other 6 BMW 535I model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 49 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
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.
- Engine10 33%
- Electrical system8 27%
- Body and structure4 13%
- Exterior lighting3 10%
- Other or unknown3 10%
- Brakes2 6.7%
- Tires2 6.7%
- Air bags1 3.3%
Also reported: Engine cooling (1), Equipment (1), Fuel system (1), Steering (1), Suspension (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Engine: “Driving 70mph on highway 85 south. Vehicle suddenly and without warning shut off. All power lost. Power steering lost. Warning display indicated drive train malfunction. Vehicle was totally inoperable. Vehicle would not restart after shutting down on highway and had to be pushed to safety and then towed.”
NHTSA complaint #10863900, filed 2016-05, 38,000 milesElectrical system: “When turning on the max/AC blower fan the fan becomes intermittent/sporadic. The fan runs on high and then shuts down then runs on high and shuts down. Etc. The vehicle was in motion and on city streets with normal strait away driving. It has happened more than once and appears to happen each time that I try the max/AC fan.”
NHTSA complaint #11156118, filed 2018-12, 58,500 milesBody and structure: “The driver's side door will not open with the door handle. The door lock was jammed into the locked position and would not unlock without actuating the electric door unlock system. The door could not be unlocked manually. This has happened several times intermittently. This was reported to the dealer and they informed me this instance has occurred several times to other Bmw vehicles.”
NHTSA complaint #10954920, filed 2017-02, 36,000 milesExterior lighting: “1 of my headlights is currently displaying an adaptative headlamp malfunction warning error. I took my vehicle to the dealer and the resolution offered seemed more trial and error. The dealer offered to dry out my headlight assembly which was holding condensation but could not guarantee this will resolve the issue. If the dry out method did not work the only other option was to replace the entire head light assembly at a cost of several thousand dollars each. In the mean time additional lighting modules could be at risk of failure due to the potential moisture buildup. …”
NHTSA complaint #11422153, filed 2021-06Mileage when problems were reported
61% of the 18 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 500 and 58,500 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2014 BMW 535I. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 535I · sedan RWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · 9.3% risk |
| 535I GT · sedan RWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · 9.3% risk |
| 535I Xdrive · sedan AWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · 9.3% risk |
| 535I Xdrive GT · sedan AWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 · 9.3% risk |
Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2014 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.
Neighbouring years: 2013: same overall rating; 2015: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2014 BMW 535I version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 535i RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 20 | 30 | 23 | $3,550 |
| 535i RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 20 | 29 | 23 | $3,550 |
| 535i Gran Turismo RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 19 | 27 | 22 | $3,750 |
| 535i xDrive AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 20 | 29 | 23 | $3,550 |
| 535i xDrive Gran Turismo AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 18 | 26 | 21 | $3,900 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 24V527000Jul 11, 2024Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator moduleCovers: BMW 535I 2014, X3 2013–2014, 328I 2014–2015 +13 more
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3, 2014-2015 3 Series Sedan, 2014 4 Series Coupe, 2014 4…
- 15V188000Mar 31, 2015Exterior lightingCovers: BMW 535I 2013–2014, M5 2013–2014, 550I 2013–2014 +6 more
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, and ActiveHybrid 5 vehicles. The rear reflex reflectors may not reflect enough light. As such, the vehicles fail to comply with the…
Recall details for the 2014 BMW 535I → · Check a 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. 366 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10249437Jan 16, 2024Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors), Electrical system. The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 10249027Jan 11, 2024Electrical system. The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers…
- 10247567Dec 20, 2023Fuel system, Engine cooling. Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel…
- 10245422Nov 22, 2023Equipment, Electrical system. Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicleâÂÂs equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation…
- 10239605Jun 1, 2023Wheels. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) warning light comes on while driving. The following DSC fault codes for the wheel speed sensors are stored: 480712 and/or 480715 and/or 480718 and/or 48071B They…
- 10238090May 1, 2023Electrical system. After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails.
- 10230717Dec 1, 2022Fuel system. For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle's Fuel Injectors to 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original…
- 10230716Dec 1, 2022Equipment. With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Isley, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren…
- 10227568Oct 1, 2022Air bags, Other or unknown, Seats, Back-over prevention…. According to the customer, the airbag warning light was on, but it may not be illuminated when the vehicle arrives in the workshop. 1. ACSM fault code "930A60 - Seat occupancy detection, front…
- 10215746May 1, 2022Equipment, Engine cooling. Component specific limited warranty extension. For the eligible vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the vehicle Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Sensor(s) to: 10…
Other model years of the BMW 535I
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 12 | 36,000 | 2 | 5 | 23 | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 23 | 59,080 | 0 | 5 | 24 | — | Rising |
| 2014 | 30 | 35,000 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 49 · Typical | Stable |
| 2013 | 39 | 47,750 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 43 · Typical | Stable |
| 2012 | 54 | 68,267 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 112 | 78,000 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 71 · More | Stable |
| 2010 | 58 | 58,000 | 1 | — | 20 | 76 · More | Falling |
| 2009 | 71 | 75,434 | 1 | — | 20 | 74 · More | Falling |
| 2008 | 74 | 67,000 | 1 | — | 20 | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
| 1991 | 5 | — | 3 | — | 16 | — | Not enough data |
| 1989 | 6 | 213,000 | 1 | — | 16 | — | Not enough data |
All BMW 535I model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2014 BMW 535I have?
NHTSA recorded 30 consumer complaints for the 2014 BMW 535I as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2014 BMW 535I is reported most often?
Engine is named most often, in 10 complaints (33% of the total), followed by electrical system with 8.
Has the 2014 BMW 535I been recalled?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2014 BMW 535I do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2014 BMW 535I 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 4 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2014 BMW 535I get?
The EPA rates the 2014 BMW 535I (535i, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 30 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2014 BMW 535I reported?
Among the 18 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 35,000 miles and the middle half falls between 500 and 58,500 miles; 61% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
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.