BMW X5 Complaints (2024)

144 consumer complaints on file.

#11758732August 22, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
I am requesting NHTSA assistance regarding a serious and recurring braking safety concern involving our BMW X5. We initially reported braking problems to BMW and brought the vehicle to the dealership for evaluation. We were advised that the vehicle was operating normally. Subsequently, a brake related recall was issued, and the vehicle underwent recall related service. Despite this, braking concerns continued. We again reported the problem and were advised after evaluation that the vehicle was operating properly. There were subsequent incidents involving abnormal braking behavior. During 1 incident, my wife was slowly parking the vehicle when it did not stop as expected despite repeatedly applying the brake pedal. The vehicle continued moving and collided with a wall before eventually stopping. We have also experienced abnormal brake vibration and other concerning braking behavior. Because of these repeated safety concerns, the vehicle is currently the subject of pending lemon law litigation involving BMW North America. Most recently, we returned the vehicle to the BMW dealership because of the braking and safety concerns. The vehicle remained there for approximately 4 months. We have not received a clear explanation of what diagnostic testing, inspection, repair, or corrective work was performed during this extended period. We were then informed that the vehicle was ready for pickup. When we went to retrieve it, it was covered with substantial dust and had very low tire pressure. We were unable to take it home. Our primary concern is safety. We do not know whether the reported braking malfunction was identified or corrected, what was done during approximately 4 months at the dealership, or the technical basis for releasing the vehicle for operation. We regularly transport our young children in this vehicle and are extremely concerned about driving it without knowing whether the braking problem has been properly identified and addressed. We respectfully request
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756303August 11, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sudden Unintended Acceleration
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750450July 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I purchased my 2024 BMW X5 new at BMW Alexandria, Virginia it’s have approximately 34,000 miles . I have taken X5 into dealer warranty repairs regarding malfunction emergency call system since May 2026. Total 3 visits to dealer to resolve this issues has been unsuccessful in resolving the issues . At the moment ,‘‘quote’’from dealership below: the shop foreman has opened the TASARA CASE on the vehicle....and has sent the information to the head engineer of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. We are waiting on a response at to what to do with the issue that we have....it may need a new HUH module . On two additional separate visits 2 TCU or TSB modules and 1 wiring harness were replaced. On 06/30/26 dashboard warning emergency call malfunction REAPPEAR AGAIN. There are numerous complaints regarding this issues online forum . BMW should take responsibility in resolving this matter maybe it’s in need of a major recall . Furthermore , defects in the emergency call system may result in loss of life / injury what the system was designed features. When I made my purchase on this X5 BMW I was believing its was reliable and trustworthy had me thinking otherwise. 7/14/26 Gotten call today from service advisor they may not be able to resolve issue and mentioned option but didn’t go into details . Afterwards received 2nd text from my service advisor case would be expedited to head engineer of BMW . Wondering what next ??
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747520June 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The driver's odometer and vehicle status screen intermittently blacks out, whereby not showing the speed of the vehicle and any driver warnings. It appears that this may a design issue associated to thermal events (i.e., perhaps the screen is overheating when the outdoor temperature rises to 33 C or more). I have taken my vehicle to the BMW dealership in Chandler, Arizona, so they believed reprogramming was the solution. Shortly thereafter, the screen blackout condition manifested again. I strongly suspect that this is a design safety issue. I am very concerned that BMW didn't properly validate their design nor did have sufficient thermal relieve solutions for higher than normal temperatures.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745118June 18, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The air conditioning fan has five fan beats starting with extra low, low, medium, high and extra high. The extra low is too low, but when you turn the fan speed up to one, it becomes as loud as the highest setting often sounding way too loud where it is hard to hear anything. Causes a problem then when adjusting buttons to get it to your temperature, especially while driving on an expressway. Vehicle was taken in and looked at by the dealership, but returned with the same issue and issues have also been reported online by various owners of the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739165May 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Driving at 70 mph down a clear stretch of highway, no cars in front, panoramic sunroof spontaneously exploded. Not under an overpass, no flying debris. Temperature was 54 degrees F. on a sunny day. The vehicles behind me pulled back as my sunroof showered them. Wife and daughter in vehicle, fortunately, the panoramic shade was closed, so no debris impacted anyone. As it’s visible on the pictures, the explosion was outwards.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738966May 20, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
While using the Park Assist feature on my 2024 BMW X5, the vehicle was under active system control during a parking maneuver. The system directed the vehicle in reverse and struck an object. I did not apply the accelerator. The vehicle was operating under Park Assist guidance at the time of impact. The collision resulted in damage to the rear bumper. I have reported this to BMW North America and requested a diagnostic scan to retrieve fault codes from the Park Assist module. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Park Assist system (automated parking assistance) malfunctioned during an active parking maneuver. While the system was in control of the vehicle, it directed the car in reverse and struck an object. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle moved autonomously and struck an object without driver input, resulting in a collision. A pedestrian, cyclist, or other vehicle in the path could have been seriously injured. The incident demonstrates the system cannot be trusted to safely detect and avoid obstacles while in control of the vehicle. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet. The vehicle is being brought to the selling dealer for a diagnostic scan to retrieve fault codes from the Park Assist module. This report is being filed prior to that inspection. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet. BMW North America has been notified. Dealer inspection is pending. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps or messages appeared prior to the incident. The system gave no indication of malfunction before directing the vehicle into the object.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728855April 2, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2024 BMW X5 experienced a complete megatronics failure at 54,500 miles. The megatronics unit controls critical vehicle functions including transmission and engine management. This failure caused the vehicle to become completely inoperable — posing a significant safety risk. This failure occurred just 4,500 miles beyond the factory warranty on a barely 2 year old vehicle. A 2024 model year vehicle should not experience such a critical safety-related failure at this mileage. BMW Corporate has been unresponsive for 7 days despite opening case number XXX and promising a 3-5 business day response. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether this is a widespread defect that may affect other 2024 BMW X5 owners. Incident Description: "Vehicle suddenly entered limp mode while driving at highway speed on XXX in [XXX] . This caused an unexpected and dangerous loss of power while surrounded by highway traffic creating a significant safety hazard. Vehicle was unable to maintain highway speeds and had to be carefully maneuvered to the shoulder of the road. Vehicle was subsequently driven to BMW Dealership in [XXX] where it was diagnosed with a complete megatronics failure." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728381March 31, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Since buying the car new we have had a constant problem of the "emergency call system malfunction" on the dashboard. We've been to the dealer several times for this and each time they say they've fixed it. Last time they told us they had replaced the TCU module, but in the last month the warning has re-appeared. It seems to have affected the GPS now. While driving on the freeway the map was showing us a mile away on surface streets, giving us guidance such as "stop at the stop sign ahead and turn left".
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722164March 5, 2026
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that a message to complete the recall was displayed. The local dealer was contacted several times. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716116February 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
I bought this car and started to have issues after a couple weeks. Because it is a hybrid model, it works perfectly fine when the car is running on the battery. Immediately the engine began to work, I get hesitation and the car drives rough. I took it to the first dealership that said there was water in the engine but they were proved wrong because what they show as water was apparently fuel that did not burn the right way in the cylinder. The dealership came with another excuse that the filter had traces of water which makes them to believe something was wrong. I took the car to another bmw dealership as I did not trust their diagnosis. The other bmw dealership performed some work on the car but then came to the conclusion that their hands were tied because of what the previous dealership reported to bmw north america. I called bmw north america and they told me to go back to the dealership after I had no success at the dealership. I believe this is a lemon case and also constitute a safety hazard because I nearly had an accident because the car switch from running on battery to combustion and immediately on the highway. The speed slows abruptly and car began to drive rough. I would appreciate any traction this can get from the board to resolve this with the manufacturer
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712478January 21, 2026
AIR BAGS
Car's information system was giving error stating: "Urgent interior functionality check up. The driver restraint system of your vehicle is malfunctioning. There is an increased risk of injury in case of a collision." Took it to the BMW dealer, they shared this info: Cause: Read out faults found fault 930949 knee air bag drivers short to negative need to replace harnesses as per SIB 65-27-24. Correction: Replace harness for knee air bags. The estimate for this is $2,013.72 which breaks down to parts at $288.96 and 7 hours worth of labor costing $1,724.76. This car is two years old. I would assume this is a manufacturing defect happening at only two years of age.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711745January 18, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
The failure involves the Integrated Brake System, which is subject to a manufacturer issued safety recall, and related braking components including a wheel speed sensor that is part of the brake and stability control system. The vehicle is currently back in my possession and is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk due to sudden and unpredictable loss of braking capability while driving, including abrupt deceleration and stopping in traffic, creating near collision situations. The issue has been reproduced multiple times and confirmed through repeated service visits, with the first and second recall related repairs performed at BMW of West Houston and a third repair attempt performed at BMW of Houston Midtown, following which the vehicle was returned to me. The vehicle has been inspected by authorized BMW dealerships and BMW North America has been notified, though I have not received guidance from corporate BMW regarding a plan moving forward or instructions on how to proceed should a fourth brake failure occur. Brake related warning lamps and system messages appeared following both the first and second recall repairs, and after the October 30, 2025 recall repair the vehicle experienced a brake system failure within approximately 22 miles of driving despite the presence of warning indicators. Given the repeated failures after recall repairs, the prior warning messages, and the lack of direction from BMW North America, I am concerned about operating the vehicle, particularly for longer distances, due to the unpredictable nature of the brake failures and the unresolved safety risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702677December 3, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Three weeks ago the instrument cluster indicated a failure of the front collision avoidance system and said to have the vehicle examined by the dealer. I dropped it off two weeks ago and have been informed that they're having trouble updating the instrument panel and other component software. Other times the instrument panel would go dark for several seconds while driving. There is an open recall on X5 models produced from 01/24. Mine is not included as it was produced 11/23. Recall is 24V-138
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697926November 6, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. In addition, the contact stated that the parts for the recall repair had been unavailable for more than a year. The manufacturer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696790October 31, 2025
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695069October 22, 2025
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to stop smoothly. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed, the brake pedal had an abnormal feeling. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the parts were not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that parts were on back order. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted several times; however, the contact was informed each time that the parts were on back order. The contact stated that the parts had been unavailable for more than a year. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691210October 3, 2025
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690997October 2, 2025
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES
2024 BMW X5 with 22k miles, leasing the vehicle. Had the vehicle in the dealer, Herb Chambers BMW of Boston a few months ago to fix a brake recall and change the oil. Dealer said they fixed both, and also said they needed the vehicle all day to fix the brakes, so they got me an Uber and then dropped off the vehicle when it was completed. Fast forward to today, October 2, 2025. Drive train warning came up when driving the vehicle, told to find a safe place to stop, within 10 seconds the vehicle lost most of engine power. Was able to stop in a safe location, contacted roadside assistance, numerous warnings came up on screen. Roadside assistance said to start and stop the vehicle and this cleared the message, said that vehicle was safe to drive, it was probably just a sensor issue that put the vehicle into some type of safe mode (what a horrible thing to do, an enormously unsafe as the operator should determine this). Two days later, another drive train warning and the vehicle on it's own moved the transmission into neutral while driving at 30mph. This issue with going into neutral on it's own, I found out through speaking with my wife, that this happened a couple of week prior as well. I called road side assistance and had the vehicle towed, called the dealer to get a loaner as this vehicle is not safe to drive in it's current condition. After this issue, I looked my vehicle up by VIN and saw that the brake recall wasn't fixed yet to my surprise. When I spoke to the dealer today as the vehicle was being towed there with this drive train issue, I said were my brakes for this recall fixed, they said the software issue was fixed, but not the mechanical issue. I said please fix this brake recall while in there looking at this drive train issue. Vehicle is clearly not safe to drive in this condition, and you can use your imagination if this happened while driving at highway speeds or various other scenarios, not good at all.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690441September 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The car suddenly dead in the intersection when driving the car, then can’t start the car, can’t shift the gear, stay in neutral position all the time. A message came out staying “Brake problem “! After around 20 minutes, system messaged us “problem solved, OK to drive “, so we were able to start the engine and start driving as normal. I called Service center let them know the scenario but got no answer. After 4 days same problem reoccurring again, this time car dead during left turn, fortunately no car hit our car (we were having 2 babies in the car). A lot of messages showed up, still mentioned “Brake problems “, and after 15-20 minutes, message us again - “Problem solved, ok to drive “. We have AAA tow the car to BMW service center later since we didn’t feel the message was reliable. The service center identified the problem and replaced the Mechatronics Control Unit and returned the car to us after 7 days. I am concerned about the car’s system message, it’s mentioned “Problem solved, OK to drive “, the message could misleading and have been fatal if we continued driving the vehicle to freeway. After we got vehicle back we were still very cautious about the car. I sent my concern to New Central BMW Alhambra CA about one month ago -to the service manager and requested a written explanation of why this faulty message occurred and how BMW engineer plans to prevent this from happening again. But there was no answer so far. There were a “Brake problem recall” and a “Emission Recall “for this vehicle and we went through the procedure already before these 2 brake problems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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