While driving on the highway suddenly car registered a fault saying "engine problems - reduced power" causing me to swerve and nearly causing an accident... the car drastically reduced power and I was able to limp home with reduced speed.

- Lewisvlle, TX, USA

While driving on highway 121 suddenly the lights came on and I was warned that if I don't pull over and reduce my speed my engine will suffer damage. This caused me to swerve and try to take the first exit, which luckily was coming up. There was a liquid discharge under the car. Water pump failed and thermostat burned out... damages over 1000 usd. This seems to be a theme with 3.0I vehicles of that year. BMW would not repair even though higher cylinder engines are covered under recall.

- Lewisville, TX, USA

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. The contact stated that the vehicle over heated without warning and was not able to be driven. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for further inspection and diagnosis. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 11V521000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

- Marlborough, CT, USA

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. While driving 55 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and the engine stalled. The check engine and brake warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the idle pulley bar and belt needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,560.

- Glenview, IL, USA

This complaint specifically addresses the recall listed below. Even though this recall was issued in April, no resolution has been available. The very thing the recall was trying to prevent, happened to me and my family. Report receipt date: Apr 10, 2014 NHTSA campaign number: 14V176000 I was stranded Friday, 09/19/14, along with my wife and dog by my new to me X5. Yes, it was the vanos recall bolts that failed. The car only made it a few hundred yards after the cel and engine malfunction lights came on. The car shook, sputtered, and died and would not restart. We were left in a dangerous situation. Additionally, since the car would not start, we could not get it into neutral. It ended up taking us more than 5 hours to get a tow truck that had the equipment that would help us. No tow truck operator knows how or is willing to crawl under and remove the transmission cover and unlock the gears. The lack of ability to go this electronic transmission into neutral is really unbelievable. I cannot imagine a much more unsafe scenario. I checked on the vanos bolts recall twice in the last month and was told no parts were available. This recall should have been handled in a timely manner and not left until the car fails and places it's owners in a very dangerous situation. I'm waiting to hear back from BMW of nashville about how extensive the damage is to internals, but they already called and said it is sheared / broken vanos bolts. Specifically the recall issue. P.S. this happened on Friday. I tried to get a loaner car, Friday, Saturday, and today and am told none are available. We never ran into that situation with our last 2 vehicles, which were both infiniti's. it's ridiculous that I am stranded and can't even get to work due to a recall for a car that only has 47K miles.

- Murfreesboro, TN, USA

The car warning light came on as "reduced power". took the car into crevier BMW in santa ana. There is a recall on the vanos system for our car. We have had multiple problems before this as well. Last June, the engine oil housing unit was replaced. Now the problem points to the vanos on the diagnostic test done at the dealer. However, the dealer and BMW North America will not address the issues. Both keep telling us that the "parts are not available" and that there is a recall on the vehicle but will look into it only when or if the parts become available. Thus, for them to repair the issues right now, we would need to pay. This seems to be a scam and convenience on their part not to address the issues. I would ask NHTSA to please look into this type of practice and make BMW responsible and accountable to their customers. Thank you.

- Tustin, CA, USA

Only after about 10 minutes of driving in the neighborhood, we got a warning "engine hot, drive moderately" then a few minutes later, it said to engine hot, and to stop the car immediately. We had to pull the car over and after engine cooled a bit, take our 2011 X5 to the nearest shop in an emergency. The shop mechanic had to replace the water pump and said that it is a common problem with BMW X5, even though we only had 71,000 miles. I looked online and there is a recall affecting water pumps for BMW X5 2011 (engine and engine cooling:engine:other fuel types:turbo-charger recall number: 11V521000) but when I called BMW, it said that my particular engine is not recalled. The mechanic says this is unusual for such a new car to have engine overheating due to water pump failure, this should be investigated for safety issue.

- Oakton, VA, USA

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the engine warning light illuminated as the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician diagnosed there was a malfunction in the engine with the torque screw. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 09/05/14 updated 12/4/2014

- Co Palos Verdes, CA, USA

Oon Friday, May 2, 2014 I was doing about 75mph on the expressway in atlanta heading home form a movie at around 1120pm and immediately without any warning or a engine light within my 2011, BMW X5 began to go into safe mode decreasing my speed from 75 to 0 in less than 60 seconds ' eventually stalling and unable to restart. The car took over and went into neutral by itself and I was unable to accelerate or control the speed on my own. Atlantas 285 expressways has multiple lanes and though traffic was not as heavy as it generally is during rush hours, I had to frantically navigate myself over six lanes to the shoulder road (avoiding the main lane by the exterior wall out of fear of someone hitting me from behind). I began to cry uncontrollably and immediately hit the sos option within the car and explain what just occurred to the representative on the phone. The lady was extremely pleasant and did her best to put me at ease and assured me assistance was on the way. I then called my husband and had him meet me there as well. Within an hour a towing company had come and asked me if I wanted them to take it to the nearest BMW dealership and I stated sure that dealership was nalley BMW.

- Stone Mountain, GA, USA

Vehicle lost all power (mechanical and electrical) without warning. This occurred while cruising at highway speed, under normal conditions. The vehicle lost power steering and braking became significantly more difficult. After drifting safely to the highway shoulder the vehicle remained disabled and could not started. The car exhibited no signs that it would start again. Instrumentation did not display information and towing was necessary. Several days after delivery to the BMW service center, technicians advised they had attempted to repair the problem. The stated cause was vanos bolts shearing off into the engine. However, on the test drive the vehicle suffered another complete failure, leaving it disabled. 56 days later a remanufactured engine had replaced the original due to failed repair attempts.

- Ebensburg, PA, USA

Vanos intake and exhaust units need to be replaced, along with some other parts related to this. Car has been at the BMW center for almost 1 week. While I was driving down a busy road, the "engine malfunction, reduced power" error message came on. I also noticed, the car had turned off and I had not control over the power steering wheel or brakes. My main concern is this happening again, luckily I was not on the highway and had no one in front of me, otherwise it could have been much worse due to no power steering availability or brakes.

- Chicago, IL, USA

My 2011 X5 35I has an acceleration delay. BMW has recognized it as an issue in the 535I models, calling it an "acceleration delay" and have issued an sib software update to repair it, but have not done so for the X5 model. I feel this issue is dangerous and a safety issue.

- Chicago, IL, USA

While driving my engine suddenly shut off along with power steering and power brakes. It started again and I took it to a BMW dealer that said I needed a $325 software update. I asked if that meant my engine would shut off while driving should by software ever go out of date. They said yes, it happens but not on all software updates. They also said software update come out about every 3 to 4 months meaning my engine could be shut off again at any time. I felt I had no choice but to pay the money so my car would run again. I am concerned now about driving at any higher rate of speed considering I could lose my steering and brakes anytime someone decides I need to update software that I was never informed was out of date.

- Sunset Hills, MO, USA

On December 26, 2012, while driving North at a high speed in heavy traffic in the second lane on a four lane segment of highway 11 kenoelehua highway at its merging junction with the highway 130 keaau bypass road, an engine partial malfunction occurred causing deceleration and a complete engine shut down on the road shoulder. On January 4, 2013, after retrieving the vehicle from replacement of the low pressure fuel pump pursuant to the December 26, 2012 malfunction, while driving North at a high speed in heavy traffic on highway 19 queen kaahumanu highway after recovering the vehicle from the BMW of Hawaii repair shop, an engine partial malfunction occurred causing a deceleration and a complete engine shut down on the road shoulder.

- Hilo, HI, USA

Started the car and the engine light came on with "engine malfunction - reduced power" and drove a few hundred yards and then the car completely died. The 2011 BMW X5 35I premium just died - no power whatsoever. Because there was no power, the car could not be put into neutral to be put on a flatbed. The X5 had to be put on a crane and lifted onto a flatbed tow truck. Bought this vehicle in the U.S. and is U.S. spec (car was in the U.S. for 2 years) - shipped the car to germany and this is where the incident happened (car been in germany just a few months). BMW of munich said that there is a bolt that can break off - which it did - munich requested the local dealer to take the engine apart to see if that was the fault and they confirmed it was. BMW is replacing our engine because of this fault. However, the recall as of now is only for the X5 diesels. The recall should be expanded. Had we been on the autobahn where there aren't many speed limit areas, this could have resulted in a fatal crash if someone going 100+mph rammed behind us from our car dying of catastrophic failure. At 16,000 miles the vehicle should not need a new engine.

- Falls Church, VA, USA

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, exhaust fumes from the engine could be smelled while in the cabin. The contact also stated that the power assist on the brakes failed and that both failures recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that in order to remedy the brake failure, a valve would have to be replaced. The technician was unable to replicate the exhaust failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 18,000 and the current mileage was 20,000.

- Canton, MI, USA

Saturday December 29, 2012 I get into my 2011 X5 as I pulled out from my driveway the dashboard lights came on with a message " engine malfunction reduce power". life quality gave me a hard time to begin with to get the car in claiming they were booked with appointments. After calling customer relations at headquarters, I get a call from the service manager to bring in the car. I had roadside assistance tow the car, when the car arrive to the dealer my car advisor calls asking questions like, was the vehicle involve in crash, did hit a pot hole, basically looking for all type of excuses. I would like to file a complaint and ask that these models be reviewed since it appears to have many other customers with similar problems.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA