BMW Federal Emissions Recall Campaign - Delivery Stop: Replace Coolant Expansion Tank [B170324] The manufacturer's recall remedy replaces a defective, heat-compromised plastic coolant reservoir with an identical plastic component that is subject to the exact same thermal fatigue and catastrophic failure. I had the dealer replace the tank in March 2024 under this recall. This week, however, I noted coolant residue from the horizontal seam of the expansion tank. Furthermore, the dealership's primary diagnostic criteria (a cold pressure test) FAILED to detect severe, ongoing coolant leakage that was actively drowning the fuel injectors, nearly resulting in catastrophic engine failure. I demanded the bulletin be followed by removing the expansion tank based on the visual evidence alone. I further demanded bore scope photos as stated in the recall bulletin. These support the above claims that ALL FOUR injectors are contaminated with gross amounts of coolant which could have led to a catastrophic engine failure. BMW replaced my expansion tank in 2024 when I first bought the car with 13k miles on it with a tank that suffers from exactly the same design flaw. It is therefore no fix at all and all of these cars are all ticking time bombs unless a permanent solution is mandated.
The worst 2021 BMW M5 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
- Lights1
- Transmission1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
- Lights1
- Transmission1
Recalls 1
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 20V598000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 BMW M5 114
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Under certain driving situations, coolant leaks onto the fuel injectors on cylinder bank (5-8).
- BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop (effective April 15, 2024) on certain Model Year 2018
- One or more of the LED daytime running lights are dim or discolored.
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few...
- At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking,...
- A vehicle arrives at your center to be diagnosed for a micro-leak in the fuel evaporative (EVAP)...
- The Central Information Display goes black intermittently due to resets of the Head Unit (HU-H3)....
- Situation
- Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop
2021 BMW M5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4L 8‑cyl | AWD | 15 | 21 | 17 |
What 2021 BMW M5 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Car catch on fire and explode it with 2 ocupantes inside
The reverse backup lights and camera image is so dim and limited as be unusable and very unsafe when backing up at night in darkness. Dealer service could not fix as designed in! I believe same system used on all 2021 series 5 cars. Left car at dealer with fobs as I am refusing the car cancelling sale as hidden defect unsafe and not fixable per dealer service mgr. Attached photos are actually brighter than what driver sees. View is from my garage and driveway to backup. Red tint is break lights stronger than weak backup lights all very abnormally dim with very restricted illuminated view.
Compare the 2021 BMW M5
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Questions about the 2021 BMW M5
Is the 2021 BMW M5 reliable?
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2021 BMW M5, fewer than a typical M5 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 BMW M5?
Electrical system, with 1 complaint. Next is engine (1).
How many recalls does the 2021 BMW M5 have?
1 recall, covering back over prevention.
What gas mileage does the 2021 BMW M5 get?
Official estimates for the 2021 BMW M5 range from 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.4L 8-cyl, AWD) gets 15 city and 21 highway.
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