Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 BMW 5 Series owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
There are 3 major issues. 1. Vehicle tends to veer to the right. Feeling is quite like a vehicle that hasn't been aligned for a while. 2. The most dangerous. Upon acceleration and/or at low speed, the vehicle randomly jerks forward without any notice- making it too late for the driver to slam the brakes. If your vehicle is standing three feet behind another vehicle in stop and go traffic, you can easily crash and rear end into the car in front of you. And of course, you will be sued for not keeping your distance. This can easily cause some serious injuries. 3. Vehicle wobbles as if the tires were not balanced. There are clearly unknown defects that can not be located. Took it to the local BMW dealer, they keep ascribing it to "normal" characteristics and they keep informing me that bmws are built that way, they are now sportier. However, to any new owner, it is now deadlier. …
While make turns while driving the vehicle axel makes popping noise and steering wheel jerks violently. Took to shop they said nothing found wrong with car. Cv axel replaced on both sides problem still persists.also not even 10K miles the car went thru 2 belt tensioner causing the drive belt to snap/tear.
I purchased my 2011 BMW 535i on 06/23/10. The car had less than 1 mile on the odometer. As I pulled off the dealer?s lot, I noticed that the car had a hard pull to the right. The service department took it in the next day to fix it. Their equipment showed that the vehicle was within alignment specifications, but went ahead and did an alignment anyway (actually 4 of them) in an effort to resolve the problem. They attempted another solutions (tire swaps, etc.), but they were unable to fix the problem. The contacted BMW north America and spoke with technical representatives there who confirmed that the problem was a known issue with the electric steering that was new to this model but that they had "no fix at this time". I met with a regional BMW tech rep at my dealership almost a month later. …
I have a new BMW 550i with sport package and 19" wheels. This car is trying to kill me. The car steers wherever it wants to. I have had it to the dealer since day one and they refuse to acknowledge any problem. They have changed the software and the steering column to appease me, but to no avail. This car will pull you toward the guard rail and only a frantic, panic, save my life move can keep the car from crashing. I fear for my life when I drive this car. I have never and I repeat never driven such a horrible car.maybe when I a am killed in this car BMW will pay for my funeral. This is the biggest cover up in the history of cars. They have lack of conscience that is inconceivable that they are torturing new owners of this car who paid good if not blood money to own one and now desperately want help to fix or get rid of this car. I want out. …
There are two major problems with my 2011 528i august10 build. The first is the pulling to the right that the car has had since day one. I took it to the service department and they were completely oblivious to the problem. After some persistence they decided to check the car out. The struts were rotated and software updated and now "drives straight". The car drives straight for maybe 25 feet before the car starts tugging hard right everytime. I took the car back to the shop and they said that there was nothing more they can do and it is all "within tolerance". This is a potentially very dangerous issue that needs to be seriously addressed. The second issue is the initial lag in acceleration when pressing the gas pedal. When at a dead stop or cruising at highway speeds, you have to floor the car to finally get it to decide which gear to start in. …
My 2011 BMW 550i sedan has had steering wheel grinding sensations and loud noises when I turn the wheel at low speeds. Sometimes there is a "thud" coming from the steering component also. BMW states there are no fixes for this and that it is not a safety issue. This is indeed a safety issue since the steering wheel and the steering wheel area indeed has a problem. The service dealerships is stating it is a valve block problem which has a current backorder of 2 weeks. However, people who have replaced the valve block is still having the same steering wheel problems with their vehicles. I have included a link to a BMW forum that has about 1 in 3 owners experiencing this problem- http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=495019&page=18 if there is a steering wheel failure at higher speeds, it can potentially lead to huge catastrophies.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 BMW 550i. The contact stated that shortly after purchasing the vehicle and driving at various speeds he noticed that the vehicle would pull to the right abnormally. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer in which they inspected the vehicle and made repairs by performing an alignment and other unknown repairs. The failure persisted. In addition, the steering wheel was exhibiting an abnormal grinding when turning in either direction. He then took the vehicle back into the dealer and they replaced the front torsion bar but to no avail. The manufacturer was contacted and they informed the contact that if he was unsatisfied with the vehicle then he should turn it back in to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 50.
I purchased 2011 model BMW 535i in August 2010. There are 3 cigarette lighter power outlets inside the car and electricity is supplying all the time regardless of whether vehicle is being locked or not. If I use accessories like GPS, charger, coffer warmer etc. And left in the locked vehicle under summer sun could really be a fire hazard. I have contacted to BMW customer relations and local service asking to rewire to stop power supply while engine is stopped or/and vehicle is locked but they refused to fix the problem. I have another complaint regarding the steering like other owners which is that vehicle is pulling to the right all the time at all speed. I'd like to request NHTSA to order BMW to fix those problems asap as a recall!
I purchased my 2011 550i in January of 2011. Two weeks after actually getting the car on the road I noticed the vehicle veers to the right. I took the car back in and the dealership stated they performed an alignment. Car still pulls to the right in addition to now I have a loud whining noise at 2000 rpms. The chief mechanic has had my car for two weeks now and cannot identify the problem. Additionally, there was a lot of loud creeking noises coming from my rooftop liner. The entire had to be replaced to resolve the issue according to the dealership but I don't have my car back yet due to the whining issue being unresolved. The veering right issue seems most common among all complaints and is why I decided to log a complaint.
Tl contact owns a 2011 BMW 535i. While driving approximately 60 MPH the vehicle began pulling to the right. He stated that he had to steer to the left in order to keep the vehicle straight. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that they were aware of the problem. The dealer also advised him that the manufacturer told them that it was not a alignment problem or a tire problem but a software problem. The dealer stated that there was nothing they could do until the manufacturer was able to find a remedy for the failure. The failure was constant. The failure mileage was 100 and the current mileage was 700.
Steering complaints in other 5 Series years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2011 BMW 5 Series?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the steering of the 2011 BMW 5 Series, 25% of the model year's 81 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 BMW 5 Series steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2011 BMW 5 Series, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2011 BMW 5 Series steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 0 miles, and 94% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.