BMW Serie 5 E34 problems (1988–1996)

All 3 engines of the BMW Serie 5 E34 that we have documented have high or critical severity faults: the M50 and M52, the M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9 and the M60 and M62. None has a «Buy» verdict; the safest option is the M60 and M62, with a «With caution» verdict. Outside the engine, the E34 is remembered for three weak points: rust on the doors, wings and boot lid, wear of the ball joints and bushes on the front axle, and an automatic gearbox that Autobild considers critical beyond 150,000 km. We have found no recalls. The data comes from tests and buying guides in the German press, with no figures on the number of cars affected.

Among the 3 engines we have documented, none has a «Buy» verdict; the safest option is the M60 and M62, with a «With caution» verdict. The cars are more than 30 years old: the English Wikipedia considers the Nikasil problem unlikely today because the affected cars are no longer on the road or have a replacement engine, but a compression test and a renewed cooling system are advisable.^[1][2][3]

Outside the engine, the E34 is remembered for three weak points: rust on the doors, wings and boot lid, wear of the ball joints and bushes on the front axle, and an automatic gearbox that Autobild considers critical beyond 150,000 km. We have found no recalls. The data comes from tests and buying guides in the German press, with no figures on the number of cars affected. The most important documented faults are: automatic gearbox wear before 150,000 km (gearbox and clutch, high severity), corrosion on the front wings, door sills and boot lid (bodywork and interior, medium severity) and play and wear in ball joints and bushes on the front axle (suspension, medium severity).^[5][6][7][8]

The most important by severity and frequency, on the engines we have documented, are: cooling system failure (expansion tank, thermostat, pump and radiator) (M50 and M52, high severity), failure of the plastic parts in the cooling system (M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9, high severity), cylinder wear in the M60 (and some early M62s) from the Nikasil coating (M60 and M62, critical severity), worn VANOS seals (M50 and M52, medium severity) and oil leaks from the rocker cover, oil filter housing and other gaskets (M50 and M52, medium severity).

According to our rating by year, the best are 1995, 1994, 1993 and 1 other years with the same rating (5.4/10); the worst rated is 1988 (5.2/10). Each year's rating counts only the engines sold that year and the faults that affect those units: open each year to see what changes.