NHTSA vehicle safety data

2010 BMW 528I Recalls & Complaints

The 2010 BMW 528I has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 65 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2010 BMW 528I. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2010 BMW 528I owner complaints

Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 BMW 528I, describing incidents dated May 4, 2010 to November 25, 2025.

Most-cited components

Engine 33 complaints
Electrical System 11 complaints
Power Train 9 complaints
Air Bags 7 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 7 complaints
Exterior Lighting 4 complaints

Of the 65 complaints on file, 2 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 65 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11706489 · Filed December 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the repair failed to prevent a failure. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormally loud rattling sound…
ODI #11675067 · Filed July 21, 2025
insulation on wiring is deteriorated leading to possible fire and or shorting out of electrical system
ODI #11655886 · Filed April 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact stated while making a left turn and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The brake and transmission warning lights illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the…

Read all 65 complaints

PCV Heater may Short Circuit

NHTSA #17V683000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Emission Control — Crankcase (PCV) · NHTSA notice

Reported October 30, 2017 · BMW of North America, LLC

Potentially affected: 740,561 vehicles

Repair completion: 53.7% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified June 18, 2018 · Vehicles built February 16, 2006 – August 31, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Safety consequence

An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.

Manufacturer remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Tail light Failure

NHTSA #13V407000 · Exterior Lighting — Tail Lights · NHTSA notice

Reported September 11, 2013 · BMW of North America, LLC

Potentially affected: 134,100 vehicles

Repair completion: 76.48% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified January 2, 2014 · Vehicles built March 1, 2007 – December 31, 2009 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).

Safety consequence

Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2010 BMW 528I. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

65 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2010 BMW 528I.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11706489

Incident: November 25, 2025 · Filed: December 22, 2025

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the repair failed to prevent a failure. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormally loud rattling sound coming from under the hood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in Manual Mode, the vehicle independently shifted to neutral(N), the steering wheel became firm, and the transmission failed to shift out of neutral. In addition, the contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed back to the same local dealer on various occasions; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

Electrical System

ODI #11675067

Incident: July 18, 2024 · Filed: July 21, 2025

insulation on wiring is deteriorated leading to possible fire and or shorting out of electrical system

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11655886

Incident: April 12, 2025 · Filed: April 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact stated while making a left turn and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The brake and transmission warning lights illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and then attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended and was towed back to the residence. The vehicle was next towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the camshaft and timing belt chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V707000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) and 22V119000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 124,000.

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11646404

Incident: March 4, 2025 · Filed: March 5, 2025

They lied to me made me buy a bad car and then didn't even give me a license plate of anything they stole my money

Engine

ODI #11626683

Incident: November 21, 2024 · Filed: November 21, 2024

I brought the car into BMW Manhattan after receiving the recall letter. They have refused to perfom the correction based on the fact that I had to replace the engine dues to a engine defect that cracked the number 6 cylinder in the original engine. I am confident BMW has the abilty to check the engine number and see that it requires the recall. They only stated it wasnt the original engine so they did not perform the work required by ther recall.

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11623122

Incident: October 1, 2024 · Filed: November 1, 2024

The car smells like gas by the rear wheels. In speaking with other owners of this vehicle this is a defective flaw in the vehicle it is a known problem in this vehicle and there has been no recall. This is a serious concern as gasoline is highly flammable. I have had to spend thousands of dollars fixing problems with this car and I cannot afford to fix this issue. This is a major concern. Please advise a fix ASAP

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11596148

Incident: June 24, 2024 · Filed: June 24, 2024

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stall and jerked while coming to a stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11592868

Incident: June 6, 2024 · Filed: June 6, 2024

N/A Complaint is that no remedy is available 8 months after recall issued. Currently this particular car is still drivable, but suffers oil leaks from this lack of repair. No local dealer or repair shops can fix ahead of the recall because they cannot get the repair bolts either. Eight months is a ridiculous amount of time to wait for a manufacture repair.

Fuel System, Gasoline; Engine

ODI #11580653

Incident: April 2, 2024 · Filed: April 2, 2024

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and flashed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that fuel was leaking form the engine. The contact was unaware of what part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11567459

Incident: December 20, 2023 · Filed: January 24, 2024

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the VANOS bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Other BMW 528I model years

Check your 2010 BMW 528I VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW 528I at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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