3.5

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
36,621 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2014 BMW 535 drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2014 BMW 535 Owner Comments

problem #7

Nov 012021

535

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Possible PCV malfunction. Intense plastic burning smell, smoke coming from front ac vents. Dealer unable to replicate issue, valve cover replaced under warranty. Issue persists. 2 Vehicle inspections at same bmw dealer, were unable to identify burnt battery PCM as well. Occasional check engine light, gone after vehicle restart. Under hard acceleration burning plastic smell intensifies.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #6

Nov 262021

535

  • miles
BMW has recalled the HPFP and EGR Cooler but not the EGR valve, which also fails and causes power loss, due to the same issues noted in the other recalls. The EGR valve should be added to the EGR cooler recall. The dealers are hiding behind ambiguity on this point to charge consumers for a common failure that should be covered, for the same reasons the EGR cooler has been recalled.

- Southern Pines, NC, USA

problem #5

May 102021

535

  • 103,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 535D. The contact stated while driving 25 mph, driveshaft detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to BMW of milwaukee North (5990 N. green bay ave, glendale, wi 53209, (414) 290-4200) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the U-joint, transmission, drive shaft, transfer case, propeller shaft, underbody plate and shield needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 20V185000 (power train) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

- Saint Francis, WI, USA

problem #4

Jun 102018

535

  • 67,250 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving on a freeway in ca, the engine stalled suddenly, and transmission went into to park whilei was in traffic. There is no way to override the electronic transmission from in the car; only way to get it into neutral is from underneath the vehicle (not accessible unless on a lift and not possible on a busy freeway). This is a shockingly bad design and extremely dangerous. I was a "dead duck" in traffic. Finally found a flatbed who could place the rear wheels on a dolly and put the car up on a flatbed (this was the 4th towing company...the first three declined and/or didn't have the capability to move it). Ultimately BMW replaced the entire diesel fuel system in the car, a known issue I understand, but I am still haunted by the dangerous predicament that I found myself in on a Sunday evening 75 miles from home. I am a car buff and knew to look for the transmission override. Manufacturers typically place it in and around the shifter. I was shocked to discover that BMW didn't have one inside the car. This left me as a real sitting duck. It was dangerous for me; it was dangerous for everyone else on the road that evening with me.

- Lake Forest, CA, USA

problem #3

May 112017

535

  • 21,000 miles
When accelerating from a stop (e.g., from a stop sign, red light, or merging onto a highway), the car accelerates normally for a second or so and then acts as if the fuel supply was cut off (or as if it runs only on one cylinder) and slows down to almost a standstill. Several seconds thereafter it picks up speed again and then the message 'drive moderately. Maximum drivetrain output not available. Consult service center.' Appears. This happened initially twice in May 2017 (once to me, another time to my wife). The car was for 10 days at the dealership for repair and regional specialists stopped by and helped the local dealership locating the problem. They could reproduce the 'stalling' and returned the car to us with the hope that they indeed had found the source of the problem (electronic governor of automatic transmission). The same malfunction (sudden stalling after initial normal acceleration) happened again in October to my wife. Additionally, a new problem occurred (three times): When driving off from a stop, the drive mode 'd' switched spontaneously to 'N', resulting obviously in a lack of propulsion. Instead of 'stalling' I could use the words 'sudden deceleration to almost a standstill' 1-2 seconds after an initially normal pick-up. These drivetrain malfunctions created scary life-threatening situations to me and my wife: Any 'stalling' after initially pulling onto a busy highway could easily lead to the driver being hit from the side (T-boning) or, if the car was moving in the direction of the traffic, to rear-ending. The fact that the same (and additional) malfunctions re-occurred after an unusually lengthy repair attempt represents in our view a huge safety issue.

- Denver, CO, USA

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problem #2

Dec 032016

535 4WD Diesel

  • 6,600 miles
On 12/03/2016, my 2014 BMW 535D abruptly stalled in the middle of the road, blocking traffic. It had spontaneously locked itself into 'park' without warning. The engine would not start, and there was no way to overcome the electronic lock on the transmission and put the transmission into 'neutral' to push the car out of traffic. It had to be towed. Fortunately this happened on a slow moving road. On a fast highway, this event would have posed a mortal hazard. I am concerned about the safety of a vehicle that becomes dysfunctional in that way. One of the passing drivers stopped and informed me that exactly the same happened with his BMW 535D and that BMW of North America is aware of this problem. It seems to me that this situation should be a serious concern of the NHTSA.

- La Jolla, CA, USA

problem #1

Nov 042015

535

  • 58,500 miles
I hit a piece of truck tire debris on I-495N in marlboro MA at night and I was unable to stop and inspect for damage due to heavy traffic. All seemed ok. 15 minutes later in chelmsford MA, the car gave "drivetrain malfunction, reduced power, drive gently" message and continued to lose power and slow down. I pulled over safely to the breakdown lane and then the engine stopped and could not be restarted again. Tire debris from earlier ruptured part of the fuel system and caused the car to dump diesel fuel on the highway and the engine eventually stopped due to running out of fuel. Given that the car has all-wheel drive (AWD), a flatbed truck is required for towing. No other tow method is allowed. This requires being able to put the transmission in neutral (N) while the car is disabled and release the parking brake in order to move the vehicle. The parking brake (electric control) was able to be released but there is no easy way and no documentation readily available to override the electronic shift interlock for the transmission. The car is unable to be pushed, towed, or rolled without being able to get the car into neutral while the car is disabled. Placing the transmission into neutral normally requires starting the engine first which was not possible due to no fuel and there is no manual override or documented procedure available to override the interlock so that the car can be moved while disabled. The flatbed truck operator had to get creative and skid the car onto the flatbed in order to pick it up. The disturbing thing about this incident is that the electronic shift control for the transmission has no override for the interlock for moving the vehicle when disabled. Older cars had a mechanical link between the shift lever and transmission so a manual override was easy to do. New cars now have all electronic controls instead of a mechanical linkage.

- Nashua, NH, USA

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