If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, deciding on which to purchase can be a long and arduous process. What size car do you require? Do you want a petrol, diesel, hybrid, or electric engine? Which automakers are you interested in? And of those, which of their models has the functionality (and aesthetics) you’re looking for? These are all important factors, but there’s one key question that often gets overlooked: can you rely on it to perform?
While you’d hope something that costs as much as a car will be built to go the distance, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, even the most expensive options can turn out to be unreliable vehicles to avoid. In fact, high-ticket luxury vehicles are notoriously the worst culprits.
As one of the world’s most popular luxury automobile brands, BMW makes cars known for their flashy looks and powerful performance. Unfortunately, however, the BMW 535i has a reputation for being unreliable. For anyone who might be considering purchasing one, we’ll take a closer look at common reliability issues, how much you can expect to spend on repairs, plus what owners are saying online.
And if you already own a BMW 535i, all is not lost — we’ll also go over how an extended auto warranty from Endurance can help you regain your driving confidence.
Common Reliability Issues with the BMW 535i
While it might surprise you to hear that the BMW 535i is unreliable, the stats don’t lie. Over on RepairPal, the car has a very unimpressive 2.5/5 reliability score, which ranks it 18th out of 30 for luxury full-size cars. Switching to Car Complaints, we can see that the 2008 BMW 535i has the most reported faults, with common reliability issues including:
Cooling system problems: Owners report issues with defective water pumps, with one, in particular, mentioning that they had gone through three water pumps before the 85,000-mile mark. Another reported that the hose fittings, thermostat housing, and electric coolant pump housing are not fit for purpose and become brittle, causing leaks.
Engine problems: BMW engines are renowned as powerhouses, but 535i engines are apparently riddled with problems. There are over 45 NHTSA complaints for the 2008 model, ranging from overheating on the road to spontaneous combustion when parked. More commonly, owners have experienced stalling, with their car switching into limp mode. One commented that replacing the fuel injectors corrected the issue, but the repair costs between $437 and $588, according to RepairPal.
Fuel system problems: It appears that the vehicle’s high-pressure fuel pump is prone to failure, as are its fuel injectors. There are numerous reports of this causing power loss when out on the road, putting drivers at risk of causing a collision.
Exterior problems: There are reports that the BMW 535i’s hydraulic tailgate system often leaks and ultimately fails. Some owners have also experienced issues with their wipers, which can stop due to problems with the motor. One owner said they had replaced their wiper motor three times.
Costly Repairs Associated with the BMW 535i
The average annual repair cost for a used BMW 535i is $977, which is a huge amount of money when compared with the $652 average for all BMW models. The frequency and severity of repairs are both higher than the average vehicle, which means you can expect a higher occurrence of major (more costly) issues over the course of ownership.
Some of the more costly repairs associated with the BMW 535i include:
- Exhaust manifold replacement: $3,129 to $3,406
- Power seat switch replacement: $1,141 to $1,155
- Park assist camera replacement: $1,466 to $1,491
- Brake booster replacement: $833 to $1,032
- Fuel injector replacement: $437 to $588
- HVAC door actuator replacement: $325 to $339
Costs will, of course, vary depending on the vehicle age, mileage, location, and choice of auto shop, but used BMW 535i owners can be more or less certain that they’ll be spending more on repairs than the average driver. Preventative maintenance is one of the best ways to keep potential issues at bay, but when a vehicle has a reputation for being unreliable, even sticking to the recommended maintenance schedule won’t do a whole lot.
BMW 535i Consumer Reports and Owner Reviews
How do existing owners feel about their BMW 535i? Let’s take a look at some of their thoughts aggregated by Car Complaints across models from the last couple of years:
Vehicle: 2008 BMW 535i
Location: Saint Petersburg, FL
Review Summary: A 535i owner describes numerous cooling system problems, spending over $10,000 on repairs for cooling and engine issues within four years, all before reaching 100,000 miles. They strongly advise avoiding this model.
Vehicle:2009 BMW 535i
Location: North Babylon, NY
Review Summary: An owner experiences continuous stalling issues. Despite multiple costly visits to BMW service centers and extensive repairs, the stalling persists, leaving the car unreliable.
Vehicle: 2014 BMW 535i
Location: Rocky Hill, CT
Review Summary: While driving at 70 mph, the sunroof of the BMW unexpectedly exploded, causing glass to fall onto the driver. This dangerous incident resulted in cuts to the driver’s face and head and nearly caused a loss of control.
Vehicle: 2013 BMW 535i XDrive V6
Location: Parkton, NC
Review Summary: Less than a year after purchasing the car, an owner reports that their BMW repeatedly shifts into park when stopping at traffic lights. BMW diagnosed the problem but quoted $6,000 to fix it, blaming the issue on the car itself.
Full-Size Luxury Cars Known for Reliability
A history of problems and numerous recalls make the BMW 535i a bad choice for reliability. If long-term dependability is higher on your list of priorities, there are some alternatives you might want to consider. According to RepairPal, the top five most reliable full-size luxury cars are:
Acura RL
Reliability score: 4 out of 5
Est. annual repair cost: $539
The Acura RL hasn’t been manufactured for over a decade now, but there are plenty to find on the used car market. With such a stellar reliability score, you can bet they’ll be in decent running condition, too.
Lexus GS350
Reliability score: 4 out of 5
Est. annual repair cost: $592
The Lexus GS350 was manufactured right up until 2020, so there will be some relatively new cars available for purchase. 4/5 for reliability is almost unheard of in the luxury space, and an annual repair cost under $600 makes ownership costs impressively low.
Lincoln Town Car
Reliability score: 4 out of 5
Est. annual repair cost: $635
With production ending in 2011, the Lincoln Town car is another reliable luxury vehicle that you’ll only find on the used market. There’s a reason they say they don’t make ‘em like they used to.
Volvo S80
Reliability score: 3.5 out of 5
Est. annual repair cost: $628
Produced between 1998 and 2016 across two generations, the Volvo S80 was replaced by the Volvo S90 the following year (which doesn’t have a reliability score just yet). A 3.5/5 means the S80 isn’t completely free of issues, but it certainly scores higher than most.
INFINITI M37
Reliability score: 3.5 out of 5
Est. annual repair cost: $628
The Infiniti M37 has North American model years spanning 2011 to 2019. Seen as a BMW 5-Series rival when it was released, it packs all of the power with more of the reliability.
How Endurance Auto Protection Plans Can Help Cover BMW 535i Repairs
If you already own a BMW 535i (or you’re still determined to buy one), you’ll be thankful to hear that there’s a way you can protect yourself from the cost of those inevitable automotive repairs. For an affordable monthly membership, an extended warranty will look out for your car’s components, covering the cost of repair bills when unexpected failure occurs. But first, you need to decide on a provider — and Endurance is America’s most trusted.
Our Supreme for Highline Vehicles plan is specially designed for luxury vehicles that are less than 8 years old with fewer than 80,000 miles on the clock, including the BMW 535i. This exclusionary package is as close to bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage as it gets without having a factory warranty.
It includes:
- Air conditioning
- Brakes
- Cooling system
- Drive axle
- Electrical components
- Engine
- Suspension
- Fuel system
- Gaskets
- Hybrid coverage
- Steering
- Transfer case
- Transmission
- Turbo/supercharger
But that’s not all. As well as market-leading parts protection, we also give you access to an incredible suite of benefits for even better value for money. Every Endurance plan comes with 24/7 roadside assistance (including towing, fuel delivery, and lockout services), rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption coverage as standard. Customers can also choose to activate a year’s worth of Elite Benefits, adding on tire repair or replacement, key fob replacement, up to $500 in collision discounts, and more.*
Invest in the Best Protection With Endurance Warranty
The BMW brand is popular for a reason. Its vehicles look amazing and are a dream to drive — but not all are built equal, and the Bimmer 535i is an unfortunate example. Owners can expect frequent component failure with higher than average repair bills, but with Endurance Warranty, you can drive with more confidence whenever you’re out on the road.
If you’d like to find out more about the Endurance available and how they can help you cover the cost of BMW 535i repairs, get in touch with our advisors at (800) 253-8203 to request a FREE quote. You can also shop our eStore to see plan recommendations and pricing.
If you’d like to read for a while longer, we have other articles on avoiding costly car repairs, reliable car models, and more on our extended warranty blog.