2001 BMW M5: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2001 BMW M5
Only 4 defect reports have been filed with NHTSA about the 2001 BMW M5, which is too few to compute mileage percentiles or a risk score. The reports reported control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure.
When each failure gets reported
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 84k | — | 0.2 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 68k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 bmw m5. The contact stated that the air bag warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel. The manufacturer advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 03v421000 (air bags:frontal:sensor/control module). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 59,000 and the current mileage was 66,800.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 bmw m5. While parked, the front driver and passenger side air bags deployed inadvertently. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 03v421000 (air bags:frontal:sensor/control module) but was advised by the manufacturer that the VIN was not included in the recall. The VIN was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.
Other wheel or tire problem
Hi, I purchased a pair of michelin ps2 high performance tires for $600 from tirerack.com and noticed that the lateral tread / groves are blocked with excess rubber throughout both tires. They were installed on 12/06/2008. I received documentation from another tire manufacturer that states the lateral groves play an important function to disperse water to minimize hydroplaning. Currently, tirerack denies my claim for an exchange. I contacted michelin and they referred me back to tirerack. Http://www.yokohamatire.com/customer_service/construction_tread.aspx the blockage is difficult to remove and would require me to use a sharp utility knife to my tires. I am not sure what michelin would say if they knew I took a knife to my tires. Tirerack so far has denied my request for an exchange claiming the problem is cosmetic and would go away. I differ because the problem blocks a functional safety and performance area of the tire and prevents its ability to disperse water. Tirerack's written warranty policy states that they would work with me and the manufacturer to resolve a claim. This has not happened according to my knowledge. I have…
Recalls on the 2001 model year
NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2001 BMW M5, affecting an estimated 11,783 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module, air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive and tires:sidewall. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
230,117 vehicles 2017-01-20- Defect
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant…
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
23,000 vehicles 2003-10-24- Defect
- On certain passenger vehicles, a microprocessor in the air bag control module, which activates the front air bags, the side air bags, the front seat safety belt pretensioners, and the battery safety terminal, may have a malfunction that could lead to an unintended activation of one or more of these components.
- Consequence
- Unexpected deployment of the air bag(s) could cause serious injury if an occupant is too close to the deploying air bag(s). In addition, the battery safety terminal may also be activated. If that happens, the starter cable would become disconnected from the battery, and the engine could not be restarted.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the air bag control module. Owner notification began november10, 2003. Owners should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
TIRES:SIDEWALL
3,167 vehicles 2001-01-04- Defect
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 18-inch tires. (18-inch tires are standard equipment on the m5 and optional equipment on the 7-series models). The machine used to mount and inflate the tires on the wheels at the assembly plant may have damaged the sidewall of one or more tires. The damaged area could weaken to the point where a sudden loss of air from the tire could occur.
- Consequence
- Handling and control would be drastically affected increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the tires and if damage from the mounting machine is found, the tire will be replaced. Owner notification began march 10, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
Every year of the BMW M5
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
What the reports on file say
The complaints recorded against the 2001 BMW M5 are control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure (2 reports, around 84k miles) and other wheel or tire problem (1 report, around 68k miles). With a sample this size these are anecdotes rather than a pattern, and they are shown because somebody looking at this exact car would rather see them than nothing.
Why this page is short
A model year needs about 8 reports before percentiles mean anything, and this one does not have them. Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road, so a thin page usually means a rare car, a new car, or a car whose owners do not file.
Other years of the same model do have enough: 2006 and 2013. The mechanical parts are often shared across those years, so their pages are the better guide to what this one is likely to do, with the caveat that a shared part is not a shared production line.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed