Does the 2016 BMW 535I have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 BMW 535I, the most recent reported on December 20, 2016 (Air bags). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW 535I?

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is air bags (7 complaints), followed by seat belts (2).

How many 2016 BMW 535I complaints mention a crash or fire?

0 of 12 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 0 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2016 BMW 535I recalls and problems

2 recalls and 12 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2016 BMW 535I.

recalls

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2016 BMW 535I recalls

Air bags

NHTSA campaign 16V914000 · reported December 20, 2016 · BMW of North America, LLC · 3,506 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mini 4-Door Cooper, Cooper S, Mini 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and 2016 BMW 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, M5 and 535d vehicles. The affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash.
The risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Child seat · Seats: mid/rear assembly

NHTSA campaign 15V718000 · reported October 30, 2015 · BMW of North America, LLC · 7,162 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 535d xDrive, M5, 550i, 550i xDrive, and 535d sedans. The affected vehicles have an inboard lower anchor for child restraints on the left rear seat that may have been bent downwards, preventing the child seat from fully engaging both lower anchors. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
The risk: If the child seat is not properly attached to the lower anchors, it can increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair the inboard lower anchor on the left rear seat, free of charge. The recall began on December 28, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Air bags7
Seat belts2
Unknown or other2
Engine and engine cooling1
Forward collision avoidance1
Tires1
Visibility/wiper1

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Sep 26, 2024 · Air bags
Passenger restraint system malfunction, available for inspection. Passenger side air bag will not work if in an accident Problem has been confirmed by dealer Warning lamp appeared approximately 4-5 weeks ago, prior to that no symptoms. Just happened all of a sudden.

Aug 20, 2024 · Engine and engine cooling · 78,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 535I. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the message that the engine was overheating was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was left overnight in a hotel parking lot. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to…

Apr 10, 2024 · Seat belts
1 .Panoramic sunroof curtain has been repaired twice at the dealer and now it broke for the third time 2. the controls to the panoramic sunroof do not work at all 3.Passenger restrain system malfunction

Apr 10, 2024 · Air bags
PASSENGER RESTRAIN MALFUNCTION

Feb 6, 2024 · Air bags
The passenger air bag signal flashes on and off even when someone is seating on the passenger seat.

535I model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2013	1	39	1	2
2014	2	30	5	0
2015	0	23	1	0
2016	2	12	0	0
2017	1	0	0	0

Across all years, the 2011 535I has the most complaints (112). All BMW 535I years →

Questions

Does the 2016 BMW 535I have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 BMW 535I, the most recent reported on December 20, 2016 (Air bags). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW 535I?: Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is air bags (7 complaints), followed by seat belts (2).
How many 2016 BMW 535I complaints mention a crash or fire?: 0 of 12 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 0 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received September 26, 2024.