The 2016 BMW 550i has 2 safety recalls and 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine (1 complaint).
Recalls2safety recalls
Complaints1filed by owners
Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Air bags
NHTSA recall 16V914000 · Dec 20, 2016 · 3,506 vehicles
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mini 4-Door Cooper, Cooper S, Mini 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and 2016 BMW 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, M5 and 535d vehicles. The affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash.
Risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Child seat
NHTSA recall 15V718000 · Oct 30, 2015 · 7,162 vehicles
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 535d xDrive, M5, 550i, 550i xDrive, and 535d sedans. The affected vehicles have an inboard lower anchor for child restraints on the left rear seat that may have been bent downwards, preventing the child seat from fully engaging both lower anchors. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Risk: If the child seat is not properly attached to the lower anchors, it can increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair the inboard lower anchor on the left rear seat, free of charge. The recall began on December 28, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Components: Child seat; Seats › Mid/rear assembly
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
550i
20mpg combined
City / highway
17 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
4.4 L · 8 cyl · Automatic (S8) · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,100/year to fuel
550i xDrive
19mpg combined
City / highway
16 / 24 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
4.4 L · 8 cyl · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive · about $4,350/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Engine
1
0
0
0
—
Power train
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Feb 8, 2020 · 36,343 milesEngine MY 2016 BMW 550I XDRIVE M SPORT IS USING/BURNING ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 750-800 MILES, THE ODOMETER READS 36,343 MILES, VERY LOW MILES FOR THIS CAR TO BE USING THAT MUCH OIL, I BOUGHT IT IN AUGUST OF 2019 WITH 34,654 MILES ON IT. YOU CAN SEE THAT I DON'T DRIVE IT THAT MUCH, HAVE NEVER HAD THE CAR ON ANY KIND OF TRACK. THE BMW DEALERSHIP IN SCHERERVILLE INDIANA SAYS THIS KIND OF OIL CONSUMPTION IS NORMAL.!!! THERE IS NO WAY THIS EXPENSIVE LUXURY CAR SHOULD BURN ANY KIND OF OIL WITH THIS LOW OF MILES. I REALLY WANT THIS COMPLAINT TO BE HEARD!! THANK YOU.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · openDesiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…