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Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.
BMW · Midsize Sedan

2018 BMW 5 Series

Plug-in hybrid Gas Diesel
Midsize Cars
7 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
F
Safety Signal
43 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls4 critical 7
Complaints5 crash · 5 injured reported 89
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 30 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2018 BMW 5 Series is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid, gas and diesel midsize sedan with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 540d xDrive, is EPA-rated at 30 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year, 4 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 89 complaints, most often about the air bags.

BMW 5 Series — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
BMW 5 Series · Photo: Benespit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
530ePlug-in hybridRWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo + 83kW DCPM273129 (37 MPGe blended)16 mi electric462 h$2,850
530e xDrivePlug-in hybridAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo + 83kW DCPM273128 (36 MPGe blended)15 mi electric492 h$2,950
530iGasRWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo243427———$3,050
530i xDriveGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo233327———$3,050
540iGasRWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo213024———$3,400
540i xDriveGasAWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo202923———$3,550
540d xDriveDieselAWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo263630———$3,200

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38754, 38755, 39153, 39154, 39230, 39290, 39820.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
530e7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay Elite
530e xDrive7 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay Elite
530i7 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
530i xDrive7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
540i, 540i xDrive5 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
540d xDrive3 / 10California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower248 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds8

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Automatic emergency braking, Blind-spot monitoring, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Parking assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 5-Series, 540d xDrive, xDrive). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length194.5–195.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)73.6 in
Height57.9 in
Wheelbase117.3 in
Track, front63.4 in
Track, rear64.2 in
Curb weight3,878–4,550 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear49/51 to 54/46

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 5 configurations: 530E 4-door Sedan, 530I xDrive 4-door Sedan, 540D xDrive 4-door Sedan, 540I xDrive 4-door Sedan, M550I xDrive 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Factory warranty running out?

The 2018 BMW 5 Series is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

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Recalls (7)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Electrical System

Park outside 29,119 vehicles
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. Fix 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.
NHTSA campaign 26V441000 reported Jul 8, 2026 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Engine And Engine Cooling

15 vehicles 87% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 540d xDrive vehicles that were previously repaired under recall number 22V-614. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold. Risk An EGR valve with smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold increases the risk of an engine fire. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the EGR module and the intake manifold as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA campaign 24V588000 reported Aug 8, 2024 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Engine And Engine Cooling

298 vehicles 96% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d xDrive vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold. Risk A melting intake manifold increases the risk of fire. Fix Dealers will replace the EGR module, and the intake manifold will be inspected and replaced, if necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA campaign 22V614000 reported Aug 10, 2022 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

33 vehicles 88% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2017 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i and 540i xDrive and 2017-2018 530e xDrive vehicles. 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. Risk In the event of a crash of sufficient severity, deployment of the head air bag may be impaired and/or the igniter could separate from the inflator, increasing the risk of injury. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left or right head air bag, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA campaign 20V243000 reported Apr 29, 2020 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Back Over Prevention

257,473 vehicles 97% reported repaired built May 2, 2018 – Sep 2, 2019
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 Risk The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V684000 reported Sep 27, 2019 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Equipment

3,501 vehicles 98% reported repaired built Mar 15, 2018 – Aug 17, 2018
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. Fix 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.
NHTSA campaign 18V652000 reported Sep 20, 2018 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

5,309 vehicles 98% reported repaired built May 18, 2018 – Jun 8, 2018
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440 Risk A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA campaign 18V465000 reported Jul 11, 2018 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Fuel System, Diesel:Delivery:Fuel Pump — High pressure fuel pump failure open

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. After review of information request response materials from both FCA and BMW, NHTSA determined that sufficient information to identify a comprehensive recall population could not be produced by FCA and BMW. During the investigation FCA filed re

Opened Mar 17, 2023 · action EA23001 · the investigation’s page →

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific 5 Series

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. BMW publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 BMW 5 Series, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2018 BMW 5 Series

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this 5 Series →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
89complaints filed

5 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 5 injuries · 0 deaths reported

29 per 10,000 built · BMW reported 30,284 5 Series built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 20 · 2025: 20 · 2026: 9

Most-cited components

Air Bags 43
Seat Belts 28
Seats 17
Electrical System 14
Engine 11
Unspecified 10

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Vehicle keeps saying that "passenger restraint system malfunction" and turns off air bags even when there is a passenger . A lot of people from BMW forums are reporting same issue
Air Bags Oct 10, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11770289
For this item - Please refer to NTHSA RECALL 18V-465 : BMW Crank Sensor Recall 9/12/2018. In particular - this refers to a 2018 BMW 540ix. Specifically, "VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTUTRED WITH A CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, THAT DUE TO SENSOR FIRMWARE, CANNOT ACCURATELY PROCESS THE INPUT FROM THE CRANKSHAFT RELUCTOR RING.
Engine Jan 18, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11711754
"Passenger Restraint System (Malfunction)" warning appears on the main screen and instrument panel blocking other information and cannot be removed from instrument panel WHILE THE SEATBELT HAS WORKED NORMAL.
Seat Belts Sep 10, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11686413
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 530E. The contact vehicle was left outside due to not being able to store the vehicle in the garage, and the front windshield cracked. The dealer was contacted, but no assistance was provided
Visibility/Wiper Oct 6, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11769289
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 530E. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle was shaking abnormally, with electrical system failures. The “Driving Assistance”, TPMS, Emergency Call Service, check engine, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated.
Electrical System at 79,000 miles Sep 10, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11763315
Constantly pops up a message for passenger restraint system malfunction. I had an accident where I swerved off the road into a ditch at about 60 mph. I the driver was not hurt and the passenger wouldn’t have been hurt either if it was for the passenger seat belt not locking correctly at first and then repeatedly locking and unlocking the…
Seats Feb 9, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11641549

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by BMW itself: 12 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 14 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 40 per 100,000 built. Every 5 Series model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 9k

miles, typically

Half the 19 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 5,000 and 32,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 19 on file: 11 under 10k, 3 10k–20k, 1 30k–40k, 1 60k–70k, 2 70k–80k, 1 100k–150k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 12 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

6 more in this page’s JSON.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every BMW warranty extension (46) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,441
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-08-03
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1419 service bulletins, 22 warranty extensions

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility, Steering.

  • B010921 Warranty extension
    2026-08-03 · Engine
  • The NVLD limited emissionrelated warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.
  • B010324 Warranty extension
    2026-05-06 · Engine
  • The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.
  • B720125 Warranty extension
    2026-02-11 · Seats
  • A situation may occur where the front passenger seat is not occupied; however, a “fasten seat belt” warning and a front passenger seat air bag deactivation message appears. If the situation is currently present, sit in the seat and move the seat to a slightly different position. The POL (Passenger Occupancy Light) light should now function correctly. In some cases, the Air bag Warning Light was il
  • B720125 Warranty extension
    2025-10-29 · Electrical System
  • A situation may occur where the front passenger seat is not occupied; however, a “fasten seat belt” warning and a front passenger seat air bag deactivation message appears. If the situation is currently present, sit in the seat and move the seat to a slightly different position. The POL (Passenger Occupancy Light) light should now function correctly. In some cases, the Air bag Warning Light was il
  • B011425 Warranty extension
    2025-10-09 · Engine
  • The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
  • B010525 Warranty extension
    2025-05-19 · Engine
  • The high-temperature (HT) coolant expansion tanks breathing line/pipe limited warranty for defects in materials and / workmanship has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
  • B011624 Warranty extension
    2025-01-16 · Electrical System
  • The Telematics Control Units (TCU) Internal Emergency (Backup) Battery for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 6 years without mileage limitation, as determined from the vehicles original first in-service / delivery date. This coverage is subject to the same vehicle eligibility requirements, limitations, and exclusions that apply to the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
  • B011824 Warranty extension
    2024-12-31 · Electrical System
  • The Telematics Control Units (TCU) Internal Emergency (Backup) Battery for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 6 years without mileage limitation, as determined from the vehicles original first in-service / delivery date.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 BMW 5 Series failed the emissions check on 5.1% of first inspections — higher than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.1% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%).

New York inspections 5.1%

failed emissions

1,589 initial inspections of 1,547 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2018 5 SeriesEvery 2018 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check5.1%3.0%1,585
Failed the safety inspection1.1%1.9%1,589
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.44%0.22%1,589
Miles driven a year9,33610,002odometer at inspection
Average odometer77,36682,833odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Common questions about the 2018 5 Series

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 BMW 5 Series have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 7 recall campaigns for the 2018 BMW 5 Series, 4 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 26V441000, covering Electrical System. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. There is an active park outside advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 BMW 5 Series?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2018 BMW 5 Series yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it F (43/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 BMW 5 Series?

Across the 7 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 BMW 5 Series, the best EPA combined figure is 30 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions). Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 BMW 5 Series?

Transport Canada measured it at 194.5–195.3 in long, 73.6 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.9 in tall, on a 117.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,878–4,550 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 BMW 5 Series?

Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW 5 Series, most often about air bags, seat belts, seats. Of those, 5 involved a crash, 5 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 BMW 5 Series?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 BMW 5 Series runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 BMW 5 Series?

The manufacturer has filed 1441 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 BMW 5 Series, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-08-03. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 BMW 5 Series do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 BMW 5 Series failed the emissions check on 5.1% of first inspections — higher than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.1% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations7 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates7 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls7NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints89NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins1441NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations2NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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