2023 BMW 5 Series: What to check before buying

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the body and structure. The 7 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.

2023

Owner complaints: 7
Recalls: 2
Crashes reported: 2; 1 injury
Reliability: Good; 70/100 on Auto Reliability Index

Your inspection sheet

Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.

0/7 checked

Paperwork and questions

Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3

01Confirm the 2 recalls listed below show as completed for this VIN. A BMW dealer can look them up for free.
02Ask the seller about any episodes of the car accelerating while braking, and get dealer records for any related visits.
03Run a vehicle history report and look for body shop repairs or crash damage.

Walk-around and cabin

Engine off, key in hand0/2

04Tug lightly on the front license plate holder to confirm it sits firmly against the bumper.
05Inspect the front bumper around the plate mount for cracks, broken clips, or signs of repair.

Test drive

At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2

06In an empty lot, brake repeatedly at walking speed and confirm the car slows without surging forward.
07On a downhill road, apply the brakes gently and firmly and watch for any unexpected acceleration.

These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.

Reported on other 5 Series years with the same design

These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.

2022 5 Series

13 owner complaints

Airbags 2
Transmission 2
Backup camera 2

Worth adding to your 2023 checks

Inspect the glass roof closely for chips, cracks, or replacement glass, and ask whether it has ever shattered.
Run the heat and air conditioning on a 530e and listen for a high-pitched whine from the compressor.
Run the VIN for open recalls, especially transmission recalls on the 530i.

Open the 2022 checklist

2021 5 Series

21 owner complaints

Electrical 4
Brakes 3
Airbags 2

Worth adding to your 2023 checks

Check the VIN in federal recall records and confirm recall 25V636000 is completed or its part is available.
Ask whether recall 21V-598 covers this VIN and request any oil/vacuum pump repair records.
Press the brake firmly right after a cold start; a hard pedal with weak stopping means lost brake boost.

Open the 2021 checklist

2020 5 Series

10 owner complaints

Exterior lights 2

Worth adding to your 2023 checks

Turn the headlight switch through every position and see whether the cluster shows which lights are on.
Set the switch to low beams, then walk behind the car and confirm the tail lights are lit.
Look at the headlight switch position before any night drive, because the daytime running lights can look like headlights.

Open the 2020 checklist

Which 5 Series is it?

EPA figures for each version of the 2023 BMW 5 Series. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.

Version	Drive	EPA rating
2.0L 4-cylGas	AWD, RWD	26–28 mpg
4.4L 8-cylGas	AWD	20 mpg
3.0L 6-cylHybrid	AWD, RWD	25–27 mpg
2.0L 4-cylPlug-in hybrid	AWD, RWD	320–340 mi range

The 2023 BMW 5 Series was sold in four versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
On the hybrid, watch for the car moving off on electric power at low speed and for any hybrid system warning on the dash.
Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A 5 Series that averages well under the EPA 20 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.

Why these checks: what owners reported

NHTSA complaints for the 2023 BMW 5 Series, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.

Body and structure21 crash
The car surges forward when the brake pedal is pressed, according to one of the 2 complaints in this category. That report describes a crash at very low speed into a neighbor's property, and an earlier surge on a downhill stretch that the driver controlled by pumping the brake. The other complaint is unrelated. The front license plate holder comes off the bumper while the car is parked, with no outside force, and damages the bumper. The reports give no mileages. With only 2 filings, no broader pattern shows yet.

How the 2023 compares with other 5 Series years

Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.

The 2023 has the fewest owner complaints of the 6 5 Series years we cover, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.

2023 Average of other years

Body and structure20

Where the 2023 fits in the 5 Series's history

Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.

The 2023 is the seventh model year of the 5 Series's seventh generation (2017–2023).

It includes the 2020 update.

What changed for 2020

Minor cosmetic updates
Improved hybrid capabilities

Recalls to confirm (2)

Recall repairs are free at any BMW dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.

26V056000ElectricalJan 2026
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Toyota Supra, 2022-2023 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2024 5 Series (xDrive), 2021-2022 Z4, 2022-2024 4 Series (Gran Coupe), 2021-2024 4 Series (Convertible and xDrive Convertible), 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe), 2021-2024 3 Series, 2021-2023 X4, 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.
Risk: Fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 24, 2026.
23V821000TransmissionDec 2023
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota GR Supra, 3 Series Sedan (330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, M3), 5 Series Sedan (530i, 530i xDrive, M5), 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 4 Series Convertible (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 8 Series Coupe (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Convertible (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Gran Coupe (850i xDrive, M8), X3 SAV (X3 xDrive30i, X3M), X4 SAV (X4 xDrive30i), X5 SAV (X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M), X6 SAV (X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i, X6M), and Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i vehicles. The weld seam of the integrated transmission control unit's cover may not have been manufactured properly, which could allow automatic transmission oil to leak into the transmission control unit.
Risk: Transmission oil that leaks into the control unit can lead to a seizure of the transmission gears, causing a sudden loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the transmission mechatronics module and the automatic transmission fluid, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Also looking at these instead of a 5 Series?

Cars shoppers compare with the BMW 5 Series, with their own 2023 checklists.

2023 owner complaints, side by side