FaultScore

Worst years for a BMW 550I

Owners have filed 386 complaints about the BMW 550I with NHTSA across model years 2006 to 2016. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

2011 BMW 550I

144 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly engine & cooling.

Cleanest on record

2013 BMW 550I

26 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every BMW 550I year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2016 2 0 0 Engine & Cooling
2015 9 0 0 Fuel & Propulsion
2014 6 0 0 Airbags
2013 A 26 0 0 73,848 Engine & Cooling
2012 B 53 0 2 59,287 Engine & Cooling
2011 F 144 3 21 54,000 Engine & Cooling
2010 C 17 3 0 57,000 Engine & Cooling
2009 2 0 0 Tires
2008 D 49 2 6 78,000 Electrical System
2007 C 48 3 2 72,000 Airbags
2006 B 30 3 0 100,000 Airbags

What breaks on a BMW 550I

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 79 20.5%

Worst in 2011

Worst in 2011

Worst in 2011

Airbags 36 9.3%

Worst in 2006

Worst in 2011

Tires 30 7.8%

Worst in 2011

Wheels 21 5.4%

Worst in 2011

Lights 18 4.7%

Worst in 2008

Other & Unspecified 17 4.4%

Worst in 2011

Steering 14 3.6%

Worst in 2007

Brakes 12 3.1%

Worst in 2011

Seat Belts 9 2.3%

Worst in 2008

Suspension 7 1.8%

Worst in 2008

Acceleration & Cruise Control 5 1.3%

Worst in 2011

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every BMW 550I, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 2007 peak 9 Mar 2026

Compare the BMW 550I

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.