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Model file · BMWUpdated · 14 sources

Selling a damaged or dead BMW i5

Four of the ten recall campaigns that name the i5 are about its integrated brake system. Brakes also tie for first in the complaint file. Of the 28 owner complaints NHTSA held for the i5 on October 10, 2026, five name the service brakes and five the electrical system.

A white BMW i5 sedan with dark wheels and a black grille parked on wet pavement
Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Model years (EPA)
2024-2027
Drive
Electric, one rear motor or two motors
Battery
84.3 kWh (81.2 kWh usable)
Complaints to NHTSA
28
Recall campaigns
10
Built in
Dingolfing, Germany

If your i5 has a brake fault, lost drive power or took a hit, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

One generation so far: 2024-2027

The i5 is the electric version of the eighth-generation 5 Series. Wikipedia says it was announced in May 2023 alongside the gas G60 5 Series and is built on the same Dingolfing line as the gas and plug-in hybrid cars. The eDrive40 uses one rear motor. The xDrive40 and M60 use two motors and all-wheel drive. All of them have a single-speed transmission and an 84.3 kWh battery.

Brakes and stability control

Under campaign 24V104000, the integrated brake system may malfunction and gets swapped at a dealer. That campaign's 266,716 vehicles come from three brands (BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce), so the figure is not an i5 count. Three smaller campaigns cover the same system: 24V739000 (11,579 vehicles, brake module replaced), 24V697000 (309) and 26V422000 (428, inspected and replaced if needed). Electronic stability control is named in 4 complaints, nearly all on the 2024.

Electrical system and drive power

Recall 25V395000 is about drive motor software. On affected 2024 cars it can switch off the high-voltage system, and the car loses drive power. BMW sends new software over the air, or a dealer loads it. That campaign's 71,286 vehicles include the i4, iX and i7. Campaign 24V135000 covers just 4 vehicles. Their battery modules have weak weld seams that can get too hot. Dealers replace the module. Two more electrical campaigns fix a loose driver-monitoring camera ground (23V700000) and an air conditioning wiring harness (26V096000, which lists the i5 through 2026).

Sound and steering

Recall 23V885000 is the one campaign that lists only the i5. At start-up, the sound generator that warns pedestrians may fail, and dealers update its software. Recall 24V714000 replaces a steering spindle double universal joint on 982 vehicles across the 5 Series, i5, 7 Series and i7.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Owner complaints per year from NHTSA's file dated October 10, 2026; one recall can span several years.

Model yearComplaintsCrashesInjuredRecall campaignsMost-named components
2024202010Stability control 4, electrical 4
20258235Service brakes 3, power train 2

No complaints are on file yet for the 2026 or 2027 i5.

Repair it or sell it?

  1. Run the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup. Each i5 campaign above comes with a no-cost dealer fix.
  2. Battery or drive warning? Get a written diagnosis first. Our EV battery guide explains how to weigh it.
  3. Crash damage? Airbags, sensors and cameras add up. See wrecked or totaled.
  4. Compare the quote to the asking price of a running 2024 or 2025 i5 with about the same miles. If they're close, it's easier to sell it unfixed.

Selling the i5 whole

  1. Gather the VIN, the mileage, and what the dash says.
  2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Describe the spot it's parked in, and tell us if the screen lights up and the wheels turn, so the right truck comes.
  4. Leave the battery and wheels on. Tell us about anything removed.
  5. On pickup day, give the driver the title and both keys, and show a photo ID. Plates depend on your state; after you sell explains.

Questions people ask

Which i5 model year has the most NHTSA complaints?
The 2024. Of the 28 i5 complaints at NHTSA by October 10, 2026, 20 are for it and 8 are for the 2025. The 2025 has spent fewer months with owners, so its smaller number says little yet.
Do the recall vehicle counts mean that many i5s were recalled?
No. Most i5 campaigns also cover other BMWs, and some cover MINI and Rolls-Royce models. Campaign 24V104000 counts 266,716 vehicles across all of them. Only 23V885000, the pedestrian sound recall, lists the i5 alone (4,926 vehicles).
Will you buy an i5 that lost drive power and won't move?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Does your i5 turn on? Can it roll? Where is it sitting? Tell us those three.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA recall 23V700000: driver monitoring camera ground nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 23V885000: pedestrian alert sound nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 24V104000: integrated brake system nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 24V135000: high-voltage battery module welds nhtsa.gov
  7. NHTSA recall 24V697000: integrated brake system nhtsa.gov
  8. NHTSA recall 24V714000: steering spindle joint nhtsa.gov
  9. NHTSA recall 24V739000: integrated brake module nhtsa.gov
  10. NHTSA recall 25V395000: drive motor software nhtsa.gov
  11. NHTSA recall 26V096000: air conditioning wiring harness nhtsa.gov
  12. NHTSA recall 26V422000: integrated brake system nhtsa.gov
  13. EPA fuel economy data (model years and variants) fueleconomy.gov
  14. Wikipedia: BMW i5 en.wikipedia.org