Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.
Recalls
Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.
Body & glass recall
A sunroof that closes without the key fob present inside the vehicle can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the roof function control unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Safety recall
In the event of a crash, the head restraints could detach, and increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the head restraints, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Safety recall
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- 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.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Brakes recall
A loose brake disc could affect vehicle handling and control, and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the right front brake disc and replace it if necessary, along with the unaffected left side brake disc, free of charge. There are no owner vehicles affected; therefore, owner notification is not necessary and, as such, a planned owner notification date is not entered into the recall schedule. Owners may contact BMW's customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Brakes recall
A loss of ABS and a reduction in braking assistance can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Steering recall
A loose steering column shaft universal joint connection can affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, depending upon the inspection, either the bolt will be replaced and tightened to specifications, or the steering column shaft, universal joint, and bolt will be replaced and tightened to specifications, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Electrical system recall
Increased electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire.
- 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.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Suspension recall
If the weld between the front axle support and the right front control arm bearing bracket separates, vehicle handling and control may be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle support, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Electrical system recall
The debris could result in a short-circuit, increasing the risk of fire or injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery module free of charge. The remedy is currently being developed. Until the remedy is completed, drivers are instructed to not charge their vehicles. Drivers are instructed to not drive in manual mode, sport mode, and to not use the shift paddles. Owners were notified of the safety risk October 23, 2020. The recall began November 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Exterior lighting recall
Oncoming drivers may be confused by the blue light of approaching vehicles, which could potentially increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlamps and, if necessary, replace them, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Electrical system recall
A short-circuited hybrid battery may increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery modules, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 16, 2020. Although potentially affected BMW owners received interim owner notification letters, all potentially affected BMW owner vehicles have been remedied; therefore, BMW Final owner notification letters will not be necessary. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Tires recall
A rapid loss of tire pressure while the vehicle is moving can affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW has notified all of the affected owners, and dealers will replace the defective tires, free of charge. BMW has contacted owners by telephone and those owners have had their cars remedied. Owner notification letters will not be sent. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Owner complaints by system
Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.
Engine & powertrain
34
Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 5 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
I am reporting a front differential/front drive axle failure and a separate steering wheel/steering column adjustment issue. The vehicle was brought to an independent BMW/German repair shop for a routine oil change/inspection. The shop advised me that the front differential/front drive axle assembly had failed or was severely damaged and needed repair/replacement. The vehicle/component is currently at the shop and should be available for inspection upon request. I am concerned this could put my safety and others at risk because the front differential is part of the AWD drivetrain. If it fails further while driving, it could affect drivability, traction, or vehicle control, especially at speed or in poor road conditions. The issue has been confirmed by an independent service center. To my knowledge, it has not yet been inspected by BMW, police, insurance, or government reps. A third-party warranty inspector may inspect it before repair. The exact cause is UNKNOWN. I was told BMW appears aware of this issue because the replacement part has a newer/superseded part number. This suggests BMW may have revised or updated the original part. I do not know if BMW has formally acknowledged a defect, but I am concerned this may be a broader issue given the low mileage. Separately, the power-adjustable steering wheel/steering column sometimes makes a grinding/vibrating noise when I start the vehicle and the wheel automatically moves out/down into the driving position. There were no warning lamps or dashboard messages. The exact date it first appeared is UNKNOWN, but it has occurred more than once. I previously raised this type of issue with a BMW dealer and was told it was a known issue. The exact cause is UNKNOWN. I am concerned it could involve the steering column adjustment mechanism or related components. I am reporting both issues because the vehicle is low mileage and I am concerned they may be safety-related defects rather than isolated maintenance items.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11749496 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
37
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full complaint
The starter motor malfunctioned, which then prevented the car from starting when it was hot. It could only be started after it had completely cooled down. Additionally, the fault code indicated that there was a problem with the starter motor. I also noticed that there was a similar recall before, so I'm wondering if this one might also pose a risk of fire.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763905 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Brakes
7
Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
We live in [XXX]. We own a 2021 BMW X5-45e. It has about 85,000 miles and has always been serviced by the BMW dealer here in [XXX] – Pierce BMW. On the evening of XXX I drove the vehicle home at 6:30PM after a 30 mile drive and parked the car outside in the shade of our house. The temperature at the time was approx. 95 degrees F. At 6:45PM we left the house and drove on the freeway and city streets of [XXX] about 8-10 miles to see a concert in downtown [XXX]. The temperature at that time was about 90-92 F. There was no wind. We then parked outside the venue for about an hour and watched the concert. We came out of the concert at about 8:30 and started the car. I drove about 200 feet to the corner and stepped on the brake. As the car slowly came to a stop the emergency/parking brake suddenly engaged at about 2-3 miles per hour. The car jerked to a very sudden and violent stop. To get the car going, I had to disengage the parking brake which was on with the indicated brake light. The engine was still on and there were no warning lights flashing. I turned the corner and accelerated again to about 15 miles per hour and touched the brakes to bring the car to a stop. The same thing happened. The car jerked to a sudden stop. To get the car going, I had to disengage the parking brake. The engine was still on and there were no warning lights flashing. It also happened a third time. That time, my elderly wife complained of pain in her back. After the third time, I turned the engine off and waited about one minute. I then restarted the car and drove it home with no problems. We have had no further issues, but this is a big concern as we no longer trust the car to perform as expected. This is a very worrisome issue and would like some answers, but apparently none are forthcoming. I took the car to Pierce BMW and they could find no fault code or problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11758372 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Steering, suspension & tires
2
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full complaint
My vehicle only has 28,000 miles on it has a very loud rattling noise in the front end. My mechanic said the steering linkage is loose and the steering assembly is leaking. I see there are other similar recalls for this vehicle but my specific VIN isn’t coming up under those recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11671793 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Airbags & seat belts
6
Most reports here involve electrical shorts. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag had failed and that the air bag and/or the sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 63,382.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11736074 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Structure & body
7
Most reports here involve software faults.
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Water is leaking from the microphone housing directly above the driver’s seat during normal operation. The water drips onto the driver’s head and into the roof‑mounted electronic components. This creates a safety hazard due to potential electrical shorting, distraction while driving, and possible malfunction of overhead electronics. The vehicle has only 63,000 miles, and I purchased the extended warranty. BMW denied warranty coverage and classified the issue as “wear and tear,” despite the fact that water intrusion into interior electronics is a potential design or assembly defect involving the panoramic roof drainage or sealing system. BMW North America told me the dealership would have a 50% goodwill authorization documented for the repair, but the dealership had **no record** of any goodwill coverage when I picked up my vehicle. Additionally, I was charged **$308 for one hour of diagnostic time**, of this issue and this diagnostic fee does **not** apply toward the repair cost. This is concerning and unfair business practice. I have owned multiple vehicles with sunroofs exceeding 150,000 miles and have never experienced water intrusion of any kind. This appears to be a defect that poses a safety risk and may affect other BMW X5 vehicles.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11753036 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
12
Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash.
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The contact owns a 2021 BMW X5. The contact stated that the AC was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and an independent mechanic on several occasions to repair the AC; however, the failure reoccurred after each repair. The AC was not replaced. The contact believed that the issue was caused by Hybrid system.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762762 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 105 complaints on file, fewer than the 2020 (111) and more than the 2022 (67). Of the 17 model years of the BMW X5 we cover, the 2012 has the most (271). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.