YearToAvoid

2017 BMW 650i Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

0/100

#6 most-complained of 6 650i years

The 2017 BMW 650i has just 1 NHTSA complaint and 1 recall on record, giving it a complaint index of 0, the lowest among the 6 model years with data. It ranks 6th (best) worst-first, well ahead of 2012 and 2013, which are flagged Avoid.

Complaints
1
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
16.5 city / 24 hwy

Top 2017 BMW 650i problems

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

  1. Electrical System1 (100%)
  2. Structure & Body1 (100%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the trunk's electronic release can fail, leaving no way to open the trunk once it locks.
  • With the trunk loaded, the emergency release handle and seat-fold levers, both located at the very rear of the trunk, become unreachable.
  • The only access point to reach the trunk interior is a small opening behind the armrest.

2017 BMW 650i 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 650i fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,200
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 650i years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100201020122013201420152017
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Caution606019.5
2015No verdict204119.5
2017No verdict01119

All BMW 650i years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 BMW 650i reliable?
NHTSA data shows only 1 complaint and a complaint index of 0 for the 2017 650i, the lowest of the 6 model years tracked, suggesting fewer reported problems than other years.
What problems does the 2017 BMW 650i have?
The single complaint on file describes a trunk release failure where the electronic release stopped working and the manual backup levers were hard to reach.
Does the 2017 BMW 650i have any recalls?
Yes, one recall (campaign 16V914000) covers airbag modules; BMW dealers replace the affected modules free of charge.
How does the 2017 650i compare to other 650i years?
It ranks 6th worst-first out of 6 years with data, meaning it has the fewest reported complaints; 2012 and 2013 are rated Avoid with complaint indexes of 100 and 80.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 BMW 650i?
EPA rates it at 19 mpg combined (16.5 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200.

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.