The headlight's have manual adjusters on each side, both of my headlights point towards the ground because they are broken, I tried to adjust the beam and both sides just click. This is a major safety hazard because at night it limits your vision ahead to about 10 to 20 feet. I own other vehicle's that are older than this vehicle and the headlights have never been a problem. I am a member of a forum for this particular model car and more than half, if not every member has encountered this problem. The solution from my dealer was to replace both headlights for a total of $1000.00 plus. I don't think a headlight should have to be replaced on a vehicle and this is a well known and documented problem. The safety of my family is at risk because of the poor design of these headlights. The adjuster's just click and the headlights always point towards the ground, im pretty sure it was made this was to increase visibility of the road and hazards ahead but if the mechanism is broken then the safety has been compromised. While driving at night my vision ahead is very limited, it presents a very serious safety hazard because you should have a better view of the road ahead of you as other car's have. This should be addressed and it should have been a recall by bmwna for all USA owners of this type of headlight.
The worst 2001 BMW 5 Series problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Body1
- Electrical1
- Lights1
- Visibility1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Body1
- Electrical1
- Lights1
- Visibility1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2001 BMW 5 Series 39
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- Engine will crank but not start
- Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle
- Various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (ADCAM system) can lead to customer...
- Program dme
- Bmw: intermittently goes into park during a msa engine start
- Bmw: the high-voltage (HV) battery cells could be damaged if the vehicle is prevented from entering sleep...
- Bmw vehicle: the service engine soon (MIL) lamp is illuminated and a power reduction is clearly perceptible
- Bmw: wipers lights and front power windows are inoperative
- Bmw service campaign: the airbag warning lamp (AWL) is illuminated, together with the passenger airbag...
2001 BMW 5 Series fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 6‑cyl | RWD | 17 | 24 | 19-20 |
| 4.4L 8‑cyl | RWD | 14 | 19 | 16 |
What 2001 BMW 5 Series owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Failure of the information cluster, missing pixels)....mileage and other information can not be read.
Bmw x5 with 15,000 miles had such extensive rust in the front end parts that the repair cost over $2,000.
Compare the 2001 BMW 5 Series
Other model years
1995199719992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012
Questions about the 2001 BMW 5 Series
Is the 2001 BMW 5 Series reliable?
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2001 BMW 5 Series, fewer than a typical 5 Series model year.
What is the 2001 BMW 5 Series year score?
The 2001 BMW 5 Series scores 93 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the BMW 5 Series: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 BMW 5 Series?
Body and structure, with 1 complaint. Next is electrical (1).
How many recalls does the 2001 BMW 5 Series have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 2001 BMW 5 Series get?
Official estimates for the 2001 BMW 5 Series range from 16 to 20 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 17 city and 24 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2001 BMW 5 Series?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history