10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
58,308 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #13

Mar 232019

X5

  • miles
Got airbag notice in mail 2019 took my car to world wide BMW nanuet NY dealer March 23 2019 told me my airbag system was not on the list of being replaced mined you my airbag light was on well before taking it to BMW dealer and today is still on I would like to know if this is true and what can I do to have it corrected they want to charge me over 2,000 to replace the airbag module

- Nanuet, NY, USA

problem #12

Jul 312019

X5

  • miles
Takata recall I went out to start my car noticed when I started it there was smoke coming from the passenger side front air bag area I immediately shut it off but there was smoke still coming and getting thicker I immediately call 911 I was on the phone with 911 and noticed flames.fire truck showed up put the fire out but the whole front air bag area and glove box was pretty bad

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #11

Dec 132017

X5

  • 160,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 BMW X5. The contact stated that the air bags deployed without warning or impact. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for repairs. The contact sustained minor injuries, which did not require medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

- Chesapeake, VA, USA

problem #10

Mar 252017

X5 6-cyl

  • miles
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2001 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V047000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect...updated 06/21/17

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #9

Mar 222017

X5

  • miles
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2001 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V047000 (air bags); however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Fair Oaks, CA, USA

problem #8

Feb 202015

X5

  • miles
Takata recall. The contact owned a 2001 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, a coyote jumped in front of the vehicle. The contact attempted to void a crash and swerved causing an unknown rear wheel to detach from the vehicle. The vehicle then flipped over several times and crashed upside down into the side of a residential home. A police report was not filed. The air bags failed to deploy. The seat belt failed to restrain the contact who was ejected from the vehicle when the impact occurred. The contact sustained internal bruising that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a collision center but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was later towed to the contacts residence. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact later received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V047000 (air bags). The failure mileage was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Hardy, VA, USA

problem #7

Jul 232016

X5

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 BMW X5. While the vehicle was parked, the front passenger side air bag inflated on its own without warning. The driver and passenger were injured, but did not receive medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bags malfunctioned. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

problem #6

Jul 232016

X5 8-cyl

  • miles
My passenger side airbag deployed without an accident occurring. I contacted bmws corporate offices. They had me take it in to BMW of dallas so they could see what caused the malfunction. No satisfactory resolve was achieved. They did not fix the malfunctioned equipment. They gave me my vehicle back with malfunctioned airbag unfixed. I am appalled by there lack of corporate accountability. Consumer stated she had a head trauma. Updated 7/3/18

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

problem #5

Jul 232016

X5

  • 149,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 BMW X5. The contact stated that while in park, the front passenger's side air bag deployed inadvertently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and sent technicians to inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was 149,000.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

problem #4

Aug 042014

X5

  • 118,000 miles
The contact owned a 2001 BMW X5. While driving approximately 45 mph, smoke entered into the vehicle and both the passenger and driver side air bags deployed. Shortly after the contact exited the vehicle, it became engulfed in flames. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 118,000.

- Saugus, MA, USA

problem #3

Mar 152014

X5

  • 138,000 miles
The airbag warning light on the instrument cluster turned on when I had a passenger in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. It would go off after a few start cycles with no passengers, but then come back on the next time a passenger was in the front passenger seat. I was able to read the codes which indirectly indicated a fault in the occupancy sensor mat in the front passenger seat. I replaced the sensor mat and related wiring interface and the warning light and errors have not returned. There are many owners groups that discuss the apparent high failure rate of these occupancy sensor mats and we have noted that more recent X5 models were recalled, but that earlier models were not. I suspect that the earlier models have the same - or a related - problem.

- Rockville, MD, USA

problem #2

Feb 062004

X5

  • 43,000 miles
The consumer parked and turn the vehicle off. After exiting the vehicle the consumer turned around and noticed smoking coming from the steering wheel. The consumer then re-enter the vehicle and the driver's side air bag deployed. This resulted in the consumer having a contusion, eye abrasion and 2 disc in their neck.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

problem #1

Mar 192002

X5 4WD

  • miles
Driving on the exit ramp from fdr drive to the 49th street exit, when suddenly... all air bags on the driver's side began to pop. Front, rear, 5 in all. No accident. Did not hit anything. No apparent/obvious reason. Car ground to a halt; will not move - right in the middle of the road. Car was pushed aside to allow others to pass. Contacted BMW road assistance. Car was towed to BMW of manhattan. They are looking it over, and will tell me their findings. Cursory inspections suggests nothing could have caused it. No scratches, no bumps, no nicks, no nothing! arrrrrgh! nlm

- New York, NY, USA