YearToAvoid

2017 BMW 535i Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

0/100

#10 most-complained of 10 535i years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2017 BMW 535i has 0 owner complaints and 1 safety recall on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 0 out of 100 — #10 highest of 10 535i model years.

Complaints
0
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21.5
18.5 city / 26.5 hwy

Top 2017 BMW 535i problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

No component data.

2017 BMW 535i recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V914000Dec 20, 2016Airbags3,506 vehicles

    Air bags

    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.

    Risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: 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.

2017 BMW 535i fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18.5 MPG
Highway
26.5 MPG
Combined
21.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,725
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2017 compared with other 535i years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002008200920102011201220132014201520162017
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Best2223022.5
2016Best1112222.5
2017No verdict00121.5

All BMW 535i years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 BMW 535i a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2017 BMW 535i ranks #10 of 10 among 535i model years (Complaint Index 0/100). It has 0 complaints and 1 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
Does the 2017 BMW 535i have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 BMW 535i, most recently reported 2016, covering airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 BMW 535i?
EPA rates the 2017 BMW 535i at 21.5 MPG combined (18.5 city / 26.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,725. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.