BMW X5
Registered from 2000 to 2026.
About this model
The BMW X5 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by BMW. The X5 made its debut in 1999 as the E53 model. It was BMW's first SUV. At launch, it featured all-wheel drive and was available with either a manual or automatic gearbox. The second generation was launched in 2006, and was known internally as the E70. The E70 featured the torque-split capable xDrive all-wheel drive system mated to an automatic gearbox. In 2009, the X5 M performance variant was released as a 2010 model.
From the Wikipedia article BMW X5, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The manufacturer has told owners of 4 of these to stop driving until the repair is done.
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Where it stands out against its peers
- Engine and engine cooling: more complaints than 90% of 2012 cars — 4% of its 1,108 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 2%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- AIR BAGS — 242 owners reported this, 8 involving a crash
- ENGINE — 214 owners reported this, 8 involving a fire
- POWER TRAIN — 113 owners reported this, 4 involving a fire
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 54 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS — 41 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 34 owners reported this, 9 involving a fire
- POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 25 owners reported this
- STEERING — 25 owners reported this, 4 involving a fire
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 24 owners reported this, 8 involving a fire
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 24 owners reported this
- STEERING,ENGINE — 20 owners reported this
- ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 17 owners reported this
- AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — 16 owners reported this
Crash test
| Overall | ★★★★☆ |
| Frontal crash | ★★★★☆ |
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ |
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | No |
| Lane departure warning | No |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 375 hp · 2521 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 10.7 L/100km (EPA) · 11.2 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · 348 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2025 | 375 hp · 2420 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 10.7 L/100km (EPA) · 10.7 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · 360 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2024 | 375 hp · 2420 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 13.8 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Suv, 4-door |
| 2023 | 335 hp · 2420 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · 391 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2022 | 335 hp · 2420 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · 391 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2021 | 335 hp · 2420 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · 391 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2020 | 335 hp · 2339 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Suv, 4-door |
| 2019 | 335 hp · 2345 kg · 2970 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 13.8 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Suv, 4-door |
| 2018 | 255 hp · 2313 kg · 2930 mm wheelbase · 11.8 L/100km (EPA) · 13.1 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · 367 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2017 | 255 hp · 2313 kg · 2930 mm wheelbase · 11.8 L/100km (EPA) · 13.1 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · 367 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2016 | 255 hp · 2236 kg · 2930 mm wheelbase · 11.8 L/100km (EPA) · 13.1 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · 367 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2015 | 255 hp · 2236 kg · 2930 mm wheelbase · 11.2 L/100km (EPA) · 13.1 L/100km city · 9.0 motorway · Suv, 4-door |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
77% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.
- Do not drive
17V020000
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator or air bag module, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed March 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Do not drive
18V030000
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Do not drive
19V017000
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Do not drive
20V016000
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until this remedy is performed. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag, free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
12V019000
IF THE DRIVER BELIEVES THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS IN PARK AND DOES NOT USE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR INJURY.
BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.
12V161000
THIS COULD LEAD TO A SMOLDERING OF THE PUMP OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR VEHICLE FIRE.
BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.
12V267000
LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID CAN SPRAY ONTO HOT EXHAUST PARTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 20, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417.
12V550000
If the engine belt idler pulley bolt breaks, the vehicle may unexpectedly lose power-assisted steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace and tighten the idler pulley bolt. The recall began on January 15, 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
46 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.
Regulator investigations
Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.
High pressure fuel pump failure
Engineering analysis, opened March 2023, still open.
Pedestrian alert sounds
Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.
Idler Pulley Bolt Failure
Recall query, opened April 2018, closed December 2018.
Bmw airbag light illumination
Engineering analysis, opened January 2008, closed December 2008.
What the maker told its dealers
Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.
BMW filed 26 bulletins about the 2026 X5.
- Electrical system: 14
- Engine: 6
- Exterior lighting: 1
- Seats: 1
- Structure: 1
- Suspension: 1
- Wheels: 1
- Other: 1
- An exhaust gas sealing ring between thelower catalytic converter and upper catalyticconverter may be missing (1). · August 2026
- Exhaust System Gasket · July 2026
- Due to an implementation error in various OBD diagnostics in the vehicle's control units, in very rare cases itmay happen that stored fault memory codes (DTCs) and the MIL (warning light) are not… · July 2026
- In these vehicles with an S68 engine, an incorrect diagnosis of the Valvetronic (VVT) may occur. Undercertain operating conditions, the software may detect a short-circuit in the valve control system… · July 2026
- Delivery stop: variable valve timing · June 2026
- After replacing the Multifunctional Display (MFD), the Central Information Display (CID) is black. The backlight of the CID is illuminated, and touch function does register an audible sound. · May 2026
- An error in the Battery Management Electronics (SME) can lead to an interruption in communication, which can lead to the high-voltage system being turned off. The error is indicated by a Check… · April 2026
- The customer brings vehicle in with one or both of the second row 60/40 split seats in the folded position.The seat does not respond to any requests from the second seat row seat switch button(s). · March 2026
18 more.
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.