2016 vs 2017 BMW 5 Series

vs

Each year's own entries sit side by side, then what both share. Warnings of different generations are listed apart even under the same name, because what to check can differ.

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

2016

  • Timing chain on the four-cylinder 2012–2016

    What to check: Listen for a rattle at a cold start, and ask whether the chain has been replaced.

    Euro Premium Parts calls the N20's chain a known weak point that often fails early, and CarGurus also names faulty timing chains on the four-cylinder.

    CarGurus, a seller's guide (unofficial)

  • Oil use on the four-cylinder 2012–2016 One source so far

    What to check: Check the oil level, and ask how often it has needed topping up.

    Euro Premium Parts says many owners report excessive oil use, which can damage the engine if it is not watched.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

  • Oil use, cooling and turbo trouble on the V8 All years One source so far

    What to check: Ask for oil top-up and repair records, and look for signs of overheating.

    Euro Premium Parts lists cylinder scoring, excessive oil use, overheating, turbo, timing chain and fuel pump failures, worst before the facelift.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

  • High-pressure fuel pump and injectors on the 535i All years One source so far

    What to check: Feel for misfires or a loss of power, and listen for a rattling wastegate.

    Euro Premium Parts says the pump and injectors can fail, and that wastegate actuators can wear and rattle.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

  • Leaking trunk and sunroof seals All years One source so far

    What to check: Look for damp carpets in the trunk and cabin, and stains around the sunroof.

    CarGurus lists leaking trunk and sunroof seals among the most common F10 issues, with crankshaft pulleys, battery drains and small electrical problems.

    CarGurus

  • Worn suspension bushings All years One source so far

    What to check: Listen for knocks over bumps on the test drive.

    Euro Premium Parts says the bushings can wear early, especially on high-mileage cars.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

2017

  • Timing chain stretch on the four-cylinder All years One source so far

    What to check: Listen for a rattle at a cold start, and scan for timing fault codes.

    Euro Premium Parts reports chain stretch on higher-mileage cars, typically between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, and high-pressure fuel pump failures on the same engine.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

  • A failed charge pipe on the 540i All years One source so far

    What to check: Feel for a sudden loss of power, and scan for boost fault codes.

    Euro Premium Parts says the plastic pipe from the turbo to the intercooler can fail, usually between 30,000 and 70,000 miles, and reports water pump and thermostat housing leaks and valve cover leaks on the same engine.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

  • Worn front control arm bushings All years One source so far

    What to check: Feel for vague steering and listen for clunks over bumps.

    Euro Premium Parts says they wear early on cars driven in town, typically between 40,000 and 70,000 miles.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

  • iDrive freezes on early cars 2017–2020 One source so far

    What to check: Try the screen and the digital instruments, and ask whether the software is up to date.

    Euro Premium Parts says freezes and glitches are more common before the facelift and mostly fixed by dealer software updates, and reports instrument cluster failures.

    A seller's guide (unofficial)

Recalls

2016

  • 15V718000 2016

    The left rear seat's inboard child seat anchor may be bent down, so a child seat cannot latch to both anchors. Dealers inspect and repair it. NHTSA

  • 16V747000 2016

    The driver's seat belt retractor may not lock as designed. Dealers replace the belt. NHTSA

  • 16V914000 2016

    The initiators of the seat-mounted side airbags may fail to fire in a crash. Dealers replace the airbag modules. NHTSA

  • 18V755000 2014–2016

    The EGR cooler can leak inside, and soot mixed with coolant can smolder and melt the intake manifold. Dealers replace the cooler as needed, and the manifold if it has leaked. NHTSA

  • 21V586000 2014–2016

    The high-pressure fuel pump may fail. Dealers replace it. NHTSA

  • 21V907000 2014–2016

    The EGR cooler can leak inside, and soot mixed with coolant can smolder and melt the intake manifold. Dealers replace the cooler and inspect the manifold. Cars fixed under 18V755000 need this repair too. NHTSA

  • 24V608000 2012–2016

    A badly sealed electrical connector on the water pump can let water in and short circuit. Dealers inspect and replace the pump and connector as needed and fit a shield. NHTSA

2017

  • 20V243000 2017–2018

    Humidity inside the head airbag inflators may stop the head airbags deploying properly. Dealers replace them. NHTSA

What changed between

After 2016, up to and including 2017.

  1. 2017G30 begins.
  2. 2017The redesigned 5 Series arrives as the 530i and 540i, on a new platform, lighter and a little longer than before. Edmunds, CarGurus

What it came with

2016

Engines
4.4L twin-turbo V8 Edmunds, CarGurus, a published reference, 3.0L turbodiesel inline-six (2014–2016) Edmunds
Packages
Sport Package Edmunds, Modern Line Edmunds, Technology Package Edmunds, Cold Weather Package Edmunds, Driver Assistance Package Edmunds, Driver Assistance Plus Package Edmunds, Individual Composition Package Edmunds

2017

Packages
Adaptive Drive Package Edmunds, Convenience Package Edmunds, Driving Assistance Package Edmunds, Driving Assistance Plus Package Edmunds, Driving Assistance Professional Package Edmunds, Parking Assistance Package Edmunds, Shadowline Package Edmunds

Both years

Engines
2.0L turbo four-cylinder Edmunds, CarGurus, a published reference, 3.0L turbo inline-six Edmunds, CarGurus, a published reference
Transmissions
Eight-speed automatic Edmunds, CarGurus, a published reference
Drivetrains
Rear-wheel drive Edmunds, CarGurus, xDrive all-wheel drive Edmunds, CarGurus
Body styles
Sedan Edmunds, a published reference
Packages
M Sport Package Edmunds, a published reference, Luxury Line Edmunds, a published reference, Premium Package Edmunds, Executive Package Edmunds, Luxury Seating Package Edmunds, Dynamic Handling Package Edmunds, Lighting Package Edmunds

Colors

2016

  • Jet Black 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Space Gray Metallic 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Cashmere Silver Metallic 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Imperial Blue Metallic 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Alpine White 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Carbon Black Metallic 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Black Sapphire Metallic 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Citrin Black Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Glacier Silver Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Jatoba Brown Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Azurite Black Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Champagne Quartz Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Mineral White Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Mineral Grey Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Mediterranean Blue Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Frozen Bronze Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Moonstone Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Dark Graphite Metallic 2016 Edmunds
  • Tanzanite Blue Metallic 2016 Edmunds

2017

Nothing that 2016 lacks.

Interiors

2016

  • Cinnamon Brown Dakota 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Black Dakota 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Black Nappa 2012–2016 Edmunds
  • Venetian Beige and Black Dakota with Exclusive Stitching 2016 Edmunds
  • Black SensaTec 2016 Edmunds
  • Venetian Beige and Black SensaTec 2016 Edmunds
  • Ivory White Nappa with Black 2016 Edmunds
  • Mocha Nappa with Black 2016 Edmunds
  • Venetian Beige and Black Dakota 2016 Edmunds

2017

Nothing that 2016 lacks.

What owners and buyers say

Reputation: what owners and the press report

2016

  • Sought after: A six-cylinder car, such as the 535i All years

    CarGurus says it is better to go for a six, which is more powerful and more reliable than the four, and Euro Premium Parts calls the 535i the best balance of performance and reliability. CarGurus, a seller's guide (unofficial)

  • Watch for: The V8 550i without a documented engine fix All years Walk away One source so far

    Euro Premium Parts says the 550i's N63 has one of the worst reliability reputations in BMW's history and advises avoiding it unless the car has a documented engine replacement or major upgrades. A seller's guide (unofficial)

2017

  • Sought after: The six-cylinder 540i All years

    Euro Premium Parts calls the 540i's B58 the most dependable choice for used buyers, and CarGurus calls the 540i the best overall value of the range. CarGurus, a seller's guide (unofficial)

  • Watch for: An early car 2017–2018 Less sought after One source so far

    Euro Premium Parts says the 2017 and 2018 cars have the most software faults and early timing chain concerns on the four-cylinder, and calls a 2021 or newer car the safer choice. A seller's guide (unofficial)