Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 BMW 528i owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact later 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 vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that after leaving the dealer, the contact's son was driving 70 MPH, and the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 20 MPH. The vehicle decelerated again and failed to exceed 5 MPH. The vehicle then stalled. The check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. …
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled. The check engine warning light and brake warning light repeatedly illuminated on and off. The vehicle was difficult to control, causing the contact to drive over a pothole, causing the rear window glass to shatter. The contact's two children were in the rear seats, and one was cut in the back of the neck with the shattered glass. No medical attention was sought. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) prior to the failure; however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact believed that the failure was caused by the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal after a complete stop. Two days later, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts with the check engine warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the VANOS bolts had fractured and entered the oil pan. The contact was then informed that the vehicle was included in 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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. …
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the VIN was included but parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that parts were not yet available. …
The contact owns a 2011 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the "Loss of Engine Power" warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he was unable to restart the vehicle and had the vehicle towed back to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over, and after several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, and the message "Drivetrain Malfunction" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure started recently and had occurred several times. Additionally, the vehicle was vibrating intermittently and lost motive power. The contact stated that occasionally the vehicle failed to accelerate above 15 MPH. The contact smelled the odor of gasoline inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH in a parking lot, the vehicle shutoff inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that two of the VANOS bolts were fractured, causing the engine to fail. The dealer determined that the bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later 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. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000. …
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made a ticking sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was shaking and then stalled. The vehicle failed to restart immediately. The contact later 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 dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 20 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that her son saw the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that her son was afraid to drive the vehicle and had the vehicle towed back to his parent's residence and then towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed and determined that the VANOS housing bolts and PVC cover needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V176000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 115,000. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired.
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the VANOS bolts. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 115,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Crankcase (pcv)
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.
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.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge.
Engine complaints in other 528i years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2011 BMW 528i?
NHTSA has 66 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2011 BMW 528i, 56% of the model year's 118 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control › crankcase (pcv) (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 BMW 528i engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 17V-683 (crankcase (pcv), Oct 30, 2017); NHTSA recall 14V-176 (engine, Apr 10, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 BMW 528i engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 94,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to engine & cooling 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.