Reliable Auto DB

2021 BMW 540i reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 0 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 BMW 540i over 6 years — 0 per year. The other 540i years sit at about the same rate: their median is 0 complaints per year. NHTSA has 6 recalls on file, including Driveshaft, Seat belts, and Camera.

2017 BMW 540i
Photo by Calreyn88, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

0

Per year

0

Recalls

6

Years on the road

6

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 540i has 0 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2020. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 BMW 540i. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (6)

Recall Driveshaft 2026-08-12 · NHTSA campaign 26V525000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2026 840i, 840i xDrive, 2021-2023 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, and 2024-2026 750e xDrive vehicles. The connection between the driveshaft and the rear differential may become damaged, possibly resulting in a loss of power to the rear wheels or a vehicle rollaway.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the connection between the driveshaft and rear axle differential, and apply adhesive or replace the driveshaft and rear axle differential, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 2, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 2, 2026.
Recall Seat belts 2021-07-21 · NHTSA campaign 21V554000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2021-02-19 · NHTSA campaign 21V096000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall Driveshaft 2021-02-03 · NHTSA campaign 21V046000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530i xDrive, 540i xDrive and 2021 740Li xDrive vehicles. The output shafts (left/right) which transfer power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels may break due to a heat treatment error during supplier production.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the output shaft(s), free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall electrical system, 12V/24V/48V battery 2020-12-09 · NHTSA campaign 20V761000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 M340i xDrive, M440i xDrive Coupe, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 840i Gran Coupe, 840i xDrive Gran Coupe, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, and X7 xDrive40i vehicles. The connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator may not have been assembled properly, which can cause increased electrical resistance at the connections.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator assembly, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2020-09-30 · NHTSA campaign 20V598000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component (0 total)

No complaints on file with NHTSA for this model year.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
540i 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Rear-wheel drive 25 32 27 MPG $2950
540i xDrive 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 23 31 26 MPG $3050

Specs and fitment

Tracked generation(s), 2017–present
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-20 , 6.9 qt capacity
Tire size 245/35R20, 245/40R19, 245/45R18, 275/30R20, 275/35R19 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA complaints and recalls for BMW 540i vehicles in the tracked years include air-bag, braking (vacuum pump lubrication campaigns such as 13V-454 on related N20 engines), lighting, and electrical themes shared across BMW 3/4/5/7/M lines. Confirm each campaign by VIN; many unit totals span multiple BMW models.

Compare

Previous year 2020 BMW 540i See every BMW 540i model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 BMW 540i reliable?

Owners have filed 0 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 BMW 540i over 6 years — 0 per year. The other 540i years sit at about the same rate: their median is 0 complaints per year. NHTSA has 6 recalls on file, including Driveshaft, Seat belts, and Camera.

Is the 2021 BMW 540i more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 540i has 0 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2020. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2022.

Has the 2021 BMW 540i been recalled?

The 2021 BMW 540i has 6 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 BMW 540i?

Owners have filed 0 complaints about the 2021 BMW 540i with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 BMW 540i get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 BMW 540i is 26.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a US BMW 540i use?

0W-20 With filter, about 6.9 qt is commonly listed for this generation—confirm in the owner manual.

What tire sizes fit a US BMW 540i?

Published US specs commonly list front 245/35R20, 245/40R19, 245/45R18, 275/30R20, 275/35R19 (trim-dependent) and rear 245/35R20, 245/40R19, 245/45R18, 275/30R20, 275/35R19 (trim-dependent); confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US BMW 540i?

NHTSA complaints and recalls for BMW 540i vehicles in the tracked years include air-bag, braking (vacuum pump lubrication campaigns such as 13V-454 on related N20 engines), lighting, and electrical themes shared across BMW 3/4/5/7/M lines. Confirm each campaign by VIN; many unit totals span multiple BMW models.