CoolingHigh
Electric water pump / thermostat failure.
- Typically appears
- 80,000+ miles
- What to inspect
- Check for overheating history and coolant warnings.
- Typical repair
- Head gasket / cooling system repair · £900–£2,600
Is the 2011–2016 BMW 5 Series reliable?
Scored from 8 documented faults · reviewed by the VehicleFaults Research Team
Quick answer
3.4/ 10
Buy with cautionOn our documented-fault scoring the BMW 5 Series rates 3.4 out of 10 · buy with caution. We hold 8 known faults for it and 4 are rated high severity, so the risk is real but contained. The weak points cluster around engine, cooling and electrical. A well-serviced example with evidence for the big-ticket items is usually a safe buy; the score describes the model, not the specific car in front of you.
Verdict · Walk unless the history is spotless
What the score is built from
- Critical
- 0
- High
- 4
- Medium
- 4
- Low
- 0
Weak points cluster around engine, cooling, electrical, suspension.
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Check this carThe faults that decide it
EngineHigh
N20 timing chain wear on 4-cylinder cars.
- Typically appears
- 90,000+ miles
- What to inspect
- Listen for a rattle on cold start; ask about any chain work.
- Typical repair
- Timing chain, tensioner & guides · £900–£2,400
TransmissionHigh
Jerky, hesitant gear changes, particularly shifting from 1st to 2nd gear or clunking when coming to a halt.
- Typically appears
- 70,000-100,000 miles
- What to inspect
- On a test drive, accelerate gently from a standstill to check 1-2 upshift smoothness, then brake to a complete stop to feel for a transmission bump or hesitation.
- Typical repair
- Brakes (discs, pads, caliper) · £200–£800
Engine / EmissionsHigh
Rough idle, hesitation under light acceleration, or unexplained coolant loss without visible external leaks.
- Typically appears
- 60,000-80,000 miles
- What to inspect
- Start the engine from cold and observe the idle for hunting. Check the coolant expansion tank level. Run the registration through the BMW recall checker for outstanding EGR cooler campaigns.
- Typical repair
- EGR valve / cooler replacement · £300–£900
EngineMedium
Valve-cover and oil-filter-housing gasket leaks.
- Typically appears
- 70,000+ miles
- What to inspect
- Look for oil residue on the block and around the filter housing.
- Typical repair
- Water-ingress trace & seal · £150–£800
Costs are indicative UK independent-garage bands for budgeting and negotiation · never a quote.
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