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2018 BMW M5 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2018 BMW M5 has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 3safety recalls
- 4owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 0injuries reported
4 complaints, against an average of 4 for the other 7 BMW M5 model years.
Every BMW M5 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2018 BMW M5?
The components named most often in the 4 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2018 BMW M5 been recalled?
3 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Fuel System, Gasoline: Storage: Tank Assembly BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW M5 vehicles. The fuel level sensor in the fuel tank may become stuck against an in-tank fuel line, causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate and possibly larger amount of fuel than is actually available.
Risk: An incorrect fuel reading may lead to the vehicle stalling and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will secure the in-tank fuel line to keep the fuel line from contacting the fuel level sensor, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical System: Software BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW M5 vehicles. In certain driving conditions, the engine control unit software may cause the fuel pump to stop.
Risk: If the fuel pump stops, the vehicle will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on June 25, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Is the 2018 BMW M5 recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSADistance between sensor and in-tank fuel line could be too small
Risk: The fault affects the fuel level sensor within the fuel tank.The distance between the sensor and an in-tank fuel line could be too small which could allow the sensor to contact the fuel line and in some cases become stuck. If the fuel sensor becomes stuck the fuel gauge in the instrument cluster displays a larger amount of fuel than is actually in the tank. Therefore the tank could become empty leading to the engine stalling without prior warning.
Fix: On the affected vehicles the fuel line supply unit system will be reworked.
EU Safety GateThe ignition unit of the head airbag may separate from the inflator and enter the vehicle's interior when the airbag is deployed.As a result, the inflation of the head airbag may be reduced or non-existent, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateDue to inadequate screwing the high-pressure pump could become detached and fuel may leak out.This could lead to engine failure and to increased risk of the vehicle catching fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
What do 2018 BMW M5 owners report?
4 of the 4 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
BMW issued a stop sale on 2017-2023 bmw F90 M5 chassis regarding the expansion tank failure. All vehicles should be affected by the recall. My current vehicle is experiencing the issues stated on the recall notice. Expansion tank is failing and causing coolant to seep into engine bay
The coolant tank on my 2018 M5 failed causing a coolant leak. This is a highly documented problem on the forums and mine needed replacement at 22k miles. The bigger issue is the location of the tank because the coolant leaks on the ignition coils and fuel injectors causing failures later. My coils and spark plugs needed replacement along with the tank. This is unacceptable and BMW needs to address this issue.
This is for the front passenger seat only.The idrive system will give an error for the passenger restraint system and will mention there is a seat belt issue and turn off the airbag. This is intermittent and will happen with or without a passenger. I contacted BMW about it but because it is not presently acting out, they won't do anything about it unless I want to just start paying for new parts and do "exploratory" surgery on it trying to resolve this. Unacceptable as this has been happening for a couple of years and is a danger because of it happens during an accident it could prove fatal.
I ALMOST HAD A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN MY 2 WEEK OLD 2018 M5 ON THE 1-95 HIGHWAY ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 25, 2018 AT ABOUT 9:45PM. WITHOUT WARNING, AT ABOUT 65MPH, THE CAR JERKED FOR ABOUT 3SECONDS , KICKED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL AND STARTED DECELERATING. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE SURROUNDED BY SPEEDING VEHICLES. I MANAGED TO GUIDE IT TO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION FOR 2MINUTES, AFTER WHICH I RE-STARTED THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE DRIVE. I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP TODAY, ONLY TO BE INFORMED, THIS WAS AS A RESULT OF COMPUTER GLITCH CONTROLLING THE FUEL PUMP CAUSING IT TO SHUT OFF…
2018 BMW M5: questions owners ask
Is the 2018 BMW M5 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW M5; the most common categories were engine (2, 50%), air bags (1, 25%), fuel/propulsion system (1, 25%). There are 3 safety recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 BMW M5?
Across 4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (50% of complaints), air bags (25% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (25% of complaints), power train (25% of complaints), seat belts (25% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2018 BMW M5 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2018 BMW M5; the most recent (campaign 19V684000, 2019-09-27) concerns Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own M5
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2018 only.