BMW 5 Series F10 and F11 buying guide

2010 to 2017. An F10 suits a buyer who wants a refined executive car and will check the engine history for its type.

Big jobs

Diesel EGR recall, injectors and turbos. The N47 and N57 diesels are reliable if maintained and the EGR recall has been done. Injector leaks and emissions parts are the main issues, early 520d can have sticking turbo wastegates and chain wear, and variable vane turbos may need work at high km.
Petrol Vanos, fuel pump and timing chain guides. Vanos units can fail and rattle at idle, the high pressure fuel pump can cause trouble, and early 2.0 petrols could suffer timing chain guide failure.
8 speed automatic. Jerky low speed shifts or shudder at idle in Drive can appear without an error code. Parkers suggests walking away from a car with gearbox trouble.

Manual clutch and dual mass flywheel. The dual mass flywheel can fail with howling, clunking or chatter when changing gear, and a rattle at idle can be a worn release bearing.
Water pump and cooling leaks. Some engines have an external electric water pump that can cause rapid overheating if it fails, and the cooling pipework is complex.
Steering, Integral Active Steering and subframe bushes. Electric steering racks can be damaged by water from floods, Integral Active Steering adds cost to rear suspension work, and creaks or clonks from the rear can be worn subframe bushes.

Recalls and big wheels. Recalls covered a short circuit fire risk, variable valve timing failure, airbags and belt pretensioners. Wheels over 18 inches give a crashy ride and tramlining.

Researched 2026-11-05. General guidance from owner and specialist sources. Check the specific car with an independent inspection.