BMW 528XI · model year

2010 BMW 528XI

12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2010BMW528XI carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2010 528XI is air bags with 3 filings, followed by exterior lighting (2) and seat belts (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2010 528XI. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

12
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

12 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2
SEAT BELTS2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
ENGINE2
VISIBILITY1

Recent Complaints

20180319ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 528XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER (FLEMINGTON BMW, 216 US HIGHWAY 202 31, FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822, (908) 788-2691) INDICATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO WAIT TO RECEIVE A SECOND LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER, AND THAT PARTS MAY BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2018. THE DEALER MADE NO MENTION OF INSPECTING THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THE PART WOULD PREMATURELY FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20180114ENGINE

ON 11/17/17 I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM MY WIFE WHO HAD A HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE DRIVING OUR BMW. SHE WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY 3 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE ECCENTRIC SHAFT SENSOR FAILED CREATING A VERY LOUD SCARY SHRILL NOISE, NOT UNLIKE A SIREN. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN SURGING CAUSING THE BRAKES TO LOSE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS GIVING A FEELING FOR THE DRIVER OF LACK OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE FEAR OF HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. I SPEAK WITH EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I MET MY WIFE AT A SHOPPING CENTER AND SWITCHED CARS WITH HER, AND CAREFULLY DRIVING THE DAMAGED CAR HOME. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, 2500 DOLLARS, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS NOT A GOOD OPTION.

Mileage: 79,883

20171114ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I WAS DRIVING 2010 BMW 528XI ON HIGHWAY @SPEED OF 65 MPH AND ELECTRIC SUPPLY DISCONNECTED IN THE CAR AND I LOST THE CONTROL. I COULD NOT CONTROL SPEED AND BRAKES. IT WAS A SERIOUS THREAT TO MY LIFE. FORTUNATELY, I LET CAR GO AND IT STOPPED BY ITSELF ON SHOULDER. I CALLED TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT THEY MENTIONED THAT BMW CANNOT HELP IN THIS CASE AND JUST NOTED THE COMMENTS. I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN BMW 5 SERIES AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY OF YOU EXPERIENCED SAME ISSUE.

Mileage: 96,000

20170707FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I DROVE ACROSS TOWN TO MY PARENTS HOUSE AND WHEN I GOT THERE I TURNED THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF AND LOCKED IT. I VISITED WITH THEM FOR ROUGHLY 30 MINUTES BEFORE I HAD TO LEAVE AGAIN. I WAS APPROACHING MY CAR AND CLICKED THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON MY KEY FOB. ONCE THE CAR UNLOCKED I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I UNLOCKED TO HOOD TO RELEASE PRESSURE AND QUICKLY RAN TO GRAB A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE CAR WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. I PUT THOSE FLAMES OUT BUT AFTER TWO MINUTES MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED BY FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FINALLY ARRIVED TO THE SCENE AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. BY THE TIME THE FIRE WAS COMPLETELY PUT OUT MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. MY PARENTS HOUSE TOOK QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE AS WELL FROM THE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT OF MY CAR.

Mileage: 88,000

20170523AIR BAGS

I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT ON DURING DRIVING "PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM" MALFUNCTIONS". BMW STATES THERE IS A 10YR "WARRANTY" (RECALL) ON THIS ISSUE BUT MY VIN DOES FALL IN THE SERIES OF VIN'S . MY YEAR 2010 IS NOT COVERED, YET I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MANY OTHERS HAVE AND I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR SINCE THIS KILLS MY RESALE VALUE. BMW SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE AND OR FIX ALL SAFETY ISSUE PERIOD.

Mileage: 120,000

20170523SEAT BELTS

I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT ON DURING DRIVING "PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM" MALFUNCTIONS". BMW STATES THERE IS A 10YR "WARRANTY" (RECALL) ON THIS ISSUE BUT MY VIN DOES FALL IN THE SERIES OF VIN'S . MY YEAR 2010 IS NOT COVERED, YET I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MANY OTHERS HAVE AND I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR SINCE THIS KILLS MY RESALE VALUE. BMW SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE AND OR FIX ALL SAFETY ISSUE PERIOD.

Mileage: 120,000

20170125VISIBILITY

2010 BMW 528 XI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND WIPER RELAY FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE IN THE PAST, BUT LASTED ONLY A FEW MINUTES. THE CONSUMER HAD TO DRIVE 100 BLOCK IN THE RAIN, WITH NO WORKING WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE COST TO REPLACE BOTH COMPONENTS WAS $1878.07. *JB

20160105AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 528XI. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Mileage: 75,000

20150211EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE INSULATION COVERING THE WIRES GOING TO THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS (ANGEL EYES) BULBS HAS SPLIT AND CAUSED A SHORT OR AN ARC WHICH HAS VISIBLY BURNED AND MELTED THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR TO THE BULB AND CAUSED THE LIGHT TO MALFUNCTION AND PRODUCE WARNINGS INSIDE THE CAR. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. EVEN MORE SO BECAUSE POWER CONTINUES TO FLOW THROUGH THE WIRES AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT JIGGLING THE WIRES SOMETIMES MAKES THE BULB LIGHT UP. *TR

Mileage: 48,000

20140717AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 528XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND SAFETY BELT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT INDICATOR LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS EMPTY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

Mileage: 160,000

20140717SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 528XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND SAFETY BELT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT INDICATOR LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS EMPTY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

Mileage: 160,000

20131111EXTERIOR LIGHTING

APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO MY ENTIRE SET OF RIGHT REAR LIGHTS WENT OUT ON MY CAR. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I TOOK TO AAA AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG BUT GOT LIGHTS WORKING, THEY THOUGHT JUST LOOSE WIRES. A WEEK OR SO AGO STOPPED WORKING AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO AAA AND THEY SAID IT HAD TO BE THE WHOLE BOARD FOR LIGHTS AND TO TAKE TO DEALER. I THEN READ ONLINE THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR MY YEAR/MODEL OF CAR FOR REAR TAIL LIGHTS. NOW MY LEFT TAILLIGHT IS ENTIRELY NOT WORKING. MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL SO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS WHICH I DON'T THINK IS RIGHT AS CLEARLY THIS IS A LARGER ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

Compare 2010BMW528XI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2010 BMW 528XI have?
The 2010 BMW 528XI has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 BMW 528XI?
The most-complained component for the 2010 BMW 528XI is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 2010 BMW 528XI safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.