What 37 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 BMW 5 Series Hybrid Sedan Phev

Start blowing black smoke-while idling, over heated, stalled.

NHTSA ODI 11731708

I was driving my car for about 7 min (in 0 degree weather) and it overheated and just shut off on the road. I noticed it was over heating and headed to the repair shop. It stalled again. Even after apparently it was fixed the engine continues to act like it wants to stall. It’s says malfunction, but codes do not show up in the system. They keep telling me it’s fine and they fixed it, it keeps wanting to shut off.

NHTSA ODI 11722692

My vehicle was vandalized and the vandalism targeted the electrical, mechanical and the seat belts in the back. I reported cyber violence and stalking in 2023 to BMW, and my finance company Ally and at the beginning of 2024 my car overnight started leaving puddles oil and the entire electrical system would shut down (and it still does) as I'm driving with my seven year old child with autism. The seat belts are severely destroyed and my seven year old is not strong enough to push them down to the point where a safety belt cannot be latched. I contacted Gieco and they told me to take it to Caliber Collision on Cottman Ave as the vandalism did impact some body work but not much and the collision center took the vehicle to BMW of the Mainline in PA. First - Caliber Collision did not communicate the information I provided to them to BMW of the Mainline. Second- I contacted BMW of the mainline as I did not receive pictures and photos of the work they completed and did not complete Thirst - BMW of mainline stated that all the electrical and. mechanical issues were all attributed to wear and tear and that is blatant deception I have tried to work with Geico, Caliber and Geico to get this resolved but my car is dangerous to drive, and the people that were paid to do the work paid for by Geico failed and gave me back a vandalized car that is dangerous for me and my seven. year old to be in let alone drive on highways or anywhere we go. I reported BMW of the Mainline to BBB and I don't know what to do or where to take it because Geico closed the claim, refused to pay for additional days of rental and BMW of the Mainline refused to provide a loaner leaving me with a child and no car. There is anti-freeze that burning and another dealership said they can smell it, my son cannot be safely and securely belted in the backseat, I'm loosing a great deal of gas all the time and I have no idea how, and the car right after I got it back from BMW of Mainline began to shutter.

NHTSA ODI 11586293

ON FRIDAY, 11/20/20, DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 60-65 MILES SPEED, SUDDENLY WITHIN FEW SECONDS, THE SPEED DROPPED DOWN TO 35-40 MILES WITHOUT ANY BRAKING ACTION BY ME. IT SCARED THE HACK OUT OF ME. I BARELY MANAGED TO GET OFF THE DRIVING LANE. WHILE IN MY CAR, BWW SOS ON-CALL ( DON'T KNOW EXACT NAME) CALLED, AND ASKED ME IF I WAS OK. THEN, THE OPERATOR GOT ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE OR THEIR MECHANIC ONLINE; HE TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE OPERATOR ARRANGED FOR THE TOWING TRUCK; THE CAR WAS TOWED IN TO 'GLOBAL IMPORTS BMW' DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MAN TESTED THE CAR THE NEXT DAY, AND MENTIONED THAT HIS TEST DID NOT REVEAL ANYTHING BUT THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS AN UNIQUE SITUATION THAT REQUIRED BMW'S ENGINEER'S ASSESSMENT. THEN THE DEALERSHIP WANTED/ KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT, DROVE, AND TESTED IT THE NEXT DAY. THAT'S WHEN THEY FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE BODY ACTUATOR WAS FAULTY. THEY REPLACED. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, ON A SMALLER SCALE, EARLY THIS YEAR. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP BACK THEN. THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING UNUSUAL AT THAT TIME. THE SERVICE ADVISOR MENTIONED THAT VERY LIKELY THAT PROBLEM IN EARLY 2020 MAY ALSO BE DUE TO FAULTY THROTTLE BODY ACTUATOR.

NHTSA ODI 11377490