Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 BMW 550i owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Vehicle was parked while running errands, returned to leave and it would not start. Went to trunk to check battery connection and found that the positive battery cable had burnt in two where it connects to cable that runs to the engine compartment. Carpet cover and sound deadening coating had burnt and cable fell through trunk floor on top of gas tank. Car was towed and insurance refused to replace what caused fire, only what burnt from source ie. carpet cover and floor but not wiring. BMW dealer reports they don't know what caused cable to overheat.
My 2011 BMW 550i experienced an unexpected fire in my driveway while my wife and I were sleeping. The fire nearly caused our house to catch fire and also resulted in damage to my BMW Z4. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with someone regarding this matter. For your reference, the last seven digits of my VIN are [redacted] . You can reach me at [redacted] or via email at [redacted] .
Vehicle displays Transmission Malfunction & DSC and xDrive malfunction, this vehicle is available upon request for inspection. Currently been to two dealerships and all I got from the first dealership is to replace transmission at 59k mile. I purchased a used transmission same problem exist in the replacement transmission. As I was driving on highway, the transmission began displaying message above and caused the vehicle suddenly slow down without warning lights causing me to avoid an accident by pulling over to avoid being rear ended. The problem has been reproduced by dealer: tech and service advisors manager( authorized to drive) and he charge me for a tow even after I mention to him I have AAA if he needs it. Service manager stated that it may need the mechatronics unit which $4k for part but they're unsure because they didn't take it apart but it's a known issue. …
On July 19, 2019, I drove my car 2.5 miles from my office and parked the car at my residence. The car was parked overnight and next day the car failed to start. When the hood was open the engine was on fire overnight while the car was parked, lucky the fire was self contained and did not spread to nearby homes. I contacted mr. Mike discepolo with BMW north America and after 30 days of investigation he told me that the fire was because I failed to maintain my car, I searched the net and his answer was consistent with answers to other BMW cars that start fire while parked. Abc nightline and other tv stations investigated parked BMW cars fire and BMW deny the problem. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 BMW 550i. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle would not shift back into park. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed that the wiring that connected to the fuse box and battery was not properly attached to the trunk floor panel, which caused the fuse box and battery to melt. The carpet in the trunk was scorched and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure mirrored NHTSA campaign number: 12V126000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
Our car's electrical panel lit up before the car stalled on two separate occasions. The first time, BMW replace the battery. The second time, BMW replaced the alternator. 12 days after being serviced by BMW, our house burned down due to a fire originating on the front left side of the BMW. That afternoon, my husband had come home from work, parked the car in the garage, and turned it off. The fire started within 30minutes of being shut off and parked. We received a letter in the mail informing us our BMW was under recall for a malfunctioning fuel pump injector.
This vehicle has had multiple recalls. The latest one was campaign no. 18v-248. BMW has yet to do anything for my vehicle, even after it burnt itself to the ground and a portion of my home. They did not add any explanation or attempt to investigate this situation. It is still undefined how this vehicle lit itself on fire as it was parked and turned off sitting in my garage, after just being driven 5-10 minutes before the fire started.
Vehicle stationary for over 3 hours, parked in a parking lot (work location) and burst into flames under the engine compartment. 8-22-18; 12:30 pm. Beaverton, oregon fire department responded and put fire out. See fire department report
My 2011 BMW 550i has thrice had this weird response in the past 6 months. After driving for 30m-1h suddenly got multiple different warning lights before I lost control of steering (stiff like a dead body) and brakes following which the car stalled. It was towed to the dealership who said this was a bad battery which did not make sense but the car was running thereafter so I took it home. The second time the dealership was closed - I was able to start the car a few minutes later and took the risk of driving home. The dealership said since the car was running they could not run any diagnosis. Thereafter the car ran fine for 3 weeks and then it happened again. This time I could restart it but the car would only move a few feet before stalling. After towing it to the dealer they tell me that the battery and alternator both are bad. …
This car has been in the shop many times since I purchased it in 2014. First, it was unknown issues that resulted in the injectors, spark plugs, and battery being replaced. That did not fix the problem and it went back to them several more times before they eventually brought an engineer in that determined that it was a stretched timing chain. This resulted in a new timing chain and all parts associated at 60,000 miles. Since then we have had recall work a couple of times. We have had to have turbo coolant lines replaced and we had to have a new water pump put in at 80,000 miles because ours apparently fell apart. The car needs a quart of oil every 500-700 miles (this has been an issue since the beginning but it has progressively gotten worse) and the newest problem is that it threw a drivetrain malfunction error driving up a hill. …
Electrical complaints in other 550i years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 BMW 550i?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 BMW 550i, 24% of the model year's 84 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 BMW 550i electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2011 BMW 550i, though it has 3 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 550i electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 8 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.