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What 73 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 BMW 528i

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (73)Crash / fire / injury (3)Engine (37)Airbags (14)Electrical system (14)Transmission & drivetrain (13)Engine & cooling (11)Lights (4)Seat belts (4)Steering (4)Brakes (3)Body & structure (1)

2 of 73 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 20, 2019AirbagsBody & structureEngineCrash2 injuries

A VEHICLE(SUV) ENDED MY CAR IN THE REAR IN A PRETTY GOOD SPEED WHEN I WAS IN THE SLOW TRAFFIC ALMOST STATIONARY(5 MPH). CRASH IMPACT WAS HIGH. HAD TO CALL IN AN AMBULANCE AS MY FRIEND SITTING IN PASSENGER SEAT WAS HURT BADLY. AS WE REALIZE AFTER THE CRASH, ENGINE GOT STOPPED & AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DUE TO FAULT IN AIRBAG. ENGINE DID NOT START LATER & THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A FACILITY IN PROSPECTS HEIGHTS. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY HIGHWAY WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LANE. VERY LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AT THAT TIME AROUND 6PM ON 02/26.

NHTSA ODI 11190282

Jul 22, 2016Airbags1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY EXPLODED WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE BRUISES TO BOTH ARMS AND LEGS. THERE WAS ALSO UPPER ABDOMINAL BRUISING AND STOMACH SWELLING THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10887855

Working with the data? Download all 73 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 BMW 528i verdict →