Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of BMW X5 - part 1

The vehicle shakes at low speeds with a jolt and vibration when turning. When I pressed the accelerator from a standstill, the gas pedal broke off from its floor mounted bracket.

See all problems of the 2021 BMW X5 🔎.

Drivetrain lights came on out of no where. I was coming to a red light and when car stopped the light on dash came on and message came on for drivetrain malfunction. Car was turned off and on and message went away. Car was brought to dealer and they were able to diagnose saying 3 injector problem and need to replace cylinder head. Was told this a problem with the new v8 engines. Can be dangerous if driving and message is gone and continue driving.

I bought the car 8 months ago from fred anderson Acura in greenville was told the car was inspected and serviced and I’m was in great condition. 8 months later I have 10 thousand worth safety issues wrong with the car that I have to fix .

See all problems of the 2019 BMW X5 🔎.

Car wouldn't start anymore, starter malfunction. Couldnt go into neutral.

My starter motor overheated and my car would not start and my car indicated the fluids and components were overheated - my dealership confirmed the problem with a video they sent me. If I was still driving the car, I don't know what would have happened to me my daughter and husband in the vehicle. I called my service rep and the dealership is looking into it as my VIN does not have the recall. Nothing was wrong and no lights were on the vehicle prior to the car not starting. I had been driving it for about 25 minutes. In may of this year, not even 6 months ago, they had to replace a "heat management module", which cost me $2500 and they said it is not related. They found 8 fault codes at a frequency of 255. The dealership is telling me this is not related, but I have a hard time believing that.

The contact owns a 2021 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the coolant warning light illuminated with the message "coolant dangerously low - fill right away" displayed on the instrument panel. The message was displayed on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the dealer discovered coolant leaking from the bottom of the vehicle and diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was not available.

My husband and I brought our 2010 X5 (VIN ), mileage: to BMW of el cajon on 09/29/2025 for a recall service. Before the recall repaire, the vehicale was in normal working condition: -no check engine lights or warning indicators -no unusual noises -fully drivable on a daily basis after the recall was completed, the dealership informed me that: -multiple check engine/warning lights appeared -the vehicle developed a very loud/high pitch noise -they do not recommend driving the vehicle in its currently condition. They did not warn us about his initial, they did after informed them we do not feel safe driving the car in this condition. The dealership explained this happened because they had open a valve to perform the recall, which they claim disturbed "sludge". They are now refusing to correct the problem unless we pay out of pocket. The issue did not exist before the recall and occurred only as a direct result of the recall repair. The recall left my car unsafe and undriveable, and I am being told to pay for a problem that only arose due to a federally mandated recall work. The recall resulted in a vehicle that is no longer safe to drive, with multiple warning lights and severe engine noise. The dealers refusal to fix this without charing me undermines the purpose of a recall, which is to ensure safety at no cost to the owner. I ask NHTSA to investigate this matter and ensure BMW and its dealerships perform recall repairs properly, at no cost to consumers, and do not return vehicles in unsafe conditions.

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Component failed: water pump (engine cooling system) - part has been superseded by BMW with upgraded version, indicating manufacturer awareness of defect. Failed component retained and available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: complete water pump failure at 56,611 miles created immediate risk of catastrophic engine overheating and potential engine seizure while driving. BMW-certified mechanic warned that driving vehicle even short distances could result in total engine failure, creating risk sudden loss of power on highways/intersections engine fire from overheating being stranded in dangerous locations/conditions complete loss of steering assist if engine stops confirmation: BMW-certified independent mechanic (formerly employed by BMW) confirmed water pump failure and identified it as "common b58 engine issue. " BMW dealer (silver spring) immediately quoted exact repair cost of $2,300, indicating familiarity with this failure pattern. Mechanic documented that BMW has superseded the original part with an upgraded design, suggesting manufacturer acknowledgment of defect. Inspection status: failed part preserved by mechanic with full documentation including BMW's superseded part number from their system. Vehicle not inspected by BMW due to dealer network failure - three dealers failed to respond, one took 5+ hours to return call, none could provide service in reasonable timeframe. Warning signs: no prior warning symptoms. Failure was sudden and catastrophic. Temperature gauge spiked without warning during normal driving conditions. No previous cooling system issues or warning lights. Regular maintenance performed per BMW specifications. Additional pattern evidence: research reveals extensive documentation of identical b58 engine water pump failures between 40,000-60,000 miles across multiple BMW models (x5, x3, 3-series, 5-series) on owner forums. BMW's decision to supersede the part without issuing a recall suggests they are aware of the defect.

While driving this new 2025 BMW X5 m60i vehicle with only 6200 miles, all of a sudden battery failure indicator came on in the middle of traffic, followed by drivetrain failure / malfunction indicator came on. BMW roadside assistance was contacted, and advised me to have vehicle stopped and pulled over immediately and towed. Situation was dangerous as the traffic was flowing at 40 mph. Vehicle eventually totally lost power. It was towed to local BMW dealership where it was purchased from. The dealership service department was able to reproduce the issue, confirmed that it was a cracked transmission casing, resulting in fluid leak, causing electrical failure and leading to mechanical failure. BMW head office was contacted by the dealership service department and new transmission was requested. Please refer to pages 3 and 4 of the service report attached for details. This is a brand-new vehicle, bought directly from dealership 5 months ago, and had been driven with caution and care. No prior indicators were ever noticed. My safety and safety of nearby vehicles was compromised due to the fact that power was suddenly lost and engine failure unexpectedly occured at such low mileage in fastr flowing traffic. It is incomprehensible that a brand-new vehicle such as this would all of a sudden develop a serious malfunction without prior warning, and have a cracked / broken transmission casing which was found to be leaking fluids. It seems it was defective to begin with.

My 2020 BMW X5 experienced starter failure after completing recall campaign 24v-576 for starter electrical overload risk. The vehicle was subject to this recall which acknowledged a defect causing electrical overload to the starter system. I completed the required software update in late 2024, approximately 4 years after the vehicle was manufactured and exposed to the acknowledged defect. Following the recall repair, the starter system failed on three separate occasions over a six-week period. The most recent failure occurred while traveling with family, creating a safety risk by nearly stranding us in a remote location. The vehicle would not start despite multiple attempts, requiring emergency roadside assistance. The failing starter component has been diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized BMW dealership service center. The dealership provided a repair estimate of approximately $3,000 for starter replacement. The component is available for inspection upon request at the dealership. Prior to complete failure, there were intermittent starting issues with the engine occasionally requiring multiple start attempts. No warning lamps or dashboard messages appeared before the failures. The vehicle has low mileage for its age, making this a premature component failure. The timeline strongly suggests the starter damage resulted from prolonged exposure to the electrical overload defect acknowledged in the recall, as the failure occurred shortly after the 4-year delayed software remedy was applied. The manufacturer has not inspected the failed component despite the clear connection to their acknowledged safety defect.

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Failed components 1. Oil pump $8769. 41 2. Cylinder head assembly- valve cover $4280. 83 3. Center console control panel $3051. 93 4. Transfer case replacement tbd 2019 BMW X5 xdrive40i has multiple major component failures at 70,000 miles. Oil pump failed causing loss of oil-level monitoring. The cylinder head assembly was diagnosed with oil consumption, the transfer case exhibited driveline shuddering, and the center console control panel developed internal electrical faults that affect vital vehicle components. All have been diagnosed by BMW of north haven, CT. The oil pump and transfer case failures have created potential loss of engine lubrication and vehicle control putting my safety at risk. The oil-level test aborts at 16% making it impossible to verify oil quantity or pressure while driving. The shuddering occurs during low-speed turns and acceleration. BMW north America reviewed my case and approved goodwill coverage for transfer-case fluid change all other safety-related repairs have been denied. Supporting BMW service bulletins: •sib 27 02 jerking or shuddering from driveline xdrive transfer case atx13-x (faulty factory oil specification). •sib 11 03 n20/n26 engine timing chain and oil-pump drive chain warranty extension (pattern of oil-pump failures in prior engines). •sib b01 13 front center console cupholder liquid ingress (electrical faults from liquid intrusion in 2019–2022 g05 X5). •sib 65 12 roof-mounted antenna housing seal not adhering (water ingress from shark-fin antenna affecting interior electronics). Note: I paid out of pocket to replace and reprogram thetelematics communication box (tcb) due to faulty seal around shark fin. A class action lawsuit is currently in happening for this exact issue in California. These issues are not normal wear and tear. They represent premature mechanical and electrical failures on a well-maintained vehicle as well as posing a safety risk to me and other drivers.

A drivetrain malfunction warning, chassis warning, auto level suspension was locked, and check engine light was on while driving on the freeway. We made it home safely and parked the BMW X5 45e inside the garage. I plugged in my charger and was not able to charge. Went to start on electric mode/hybrid mode but was not able to turn on. Then I switched to sport mode via gas and engine started but stuttered, and was unable to switch gears from parking to reverse or to forward. Engine continued to shut studded and then engine and electrical completely shut down. I will contact BMW riverside on Monday.

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked and occupied, there was an abnormal smoke odor coming from the engine of the vehicle. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was 60,000.

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Car would randomly not start and went dead at red stop lights on occasion. Had to have the car towed to BMW dealership where they diagnosed it as a bad starter. Car only has 35,000 miles and this appears to be a know problem by BMW and BMW owners.

The oil pump contains a plastic housing that fractured during regular use. (yes, I did retain the part for inspection and can include photos of the defect here). Yes, the problem has been confirmed by my mechanic and the general public with multiple posts and videos shared widely across the internet and in vehicle forums. This failure caused the engine to lose oil pressure abruptly. Had this occurred at highway speeds or in heavy traffic, it could have resulted in a serious accident. BMW is aware of the problem and has redesigned the oil pumps for all X5s starting in 2020. There is no real warning for this potential failure which would cause the engine to cease. The problem is most commonly diagnosed by checking the oil level via the I-drive system electronically, (there is no dipstick for these cars). The oil level cannot be provided on the screen due to significant pressure fluctuations caused by the damaged oil pump- and that's how you know you're at risk of engine failure. There has been no recall for the 2019 vehicles. All 2019 Bmws with the b58 engine, (and the Toyota supra), include this dangerous and expensive design flaw and I believe a recall should be issued; the majority of these cars are still on the road. I estimate the total number of cars to be 250,000 cars. My oil pump had to be replaced or the car would be rendered undriveable. The estimate from BMW dealership #1 exceeded $11,000; the estimate from BMW dealership #2 exceeded $8,000. The car has less than 70,000 miles on it and this is a known issue for this model year.

Known issue regarding failing oil pump in BMW b58 engines.

The primary component that has malfunctioned is the engine's valve stem seals, which are available for inspection upon request. This defect has led to excessive oil consumption, which has now escalated to a critical safety issue. The vehicle is emitting a huge amount of thick smoke from the exhaust with a strong smell of burnt oil, and multiple engine warning lights are illuminated. I have stopped driving the vehicle, as the excessive smoke creates a significant visibility hazard for myself and others, and the underlying issue presents a risk of sudden engine failure. The problem has not been formally confirmed by a dealer, as the general manager at BMW of rockville dismissed the repair as not "worth fixing. " it is important to note that BMW has been aware of this n63 engine issue and created a customer care package (ccp) to address it, yet I was never notified, despite regular service at authorized centers. The vehicle has not been inspected for this specific safety concern by the manufacturer or others. The initial symptom was excessive oil consumption, which has been ongoing for some time and has now worsened to the current safety-critical state.

See all problems of the 2013 BMW X5 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the vehicle lost electrical functions. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed coolant pump. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

1) crankshaft sensor mil light 2) drive train malfunction, 3) start and stop malfunction, 3) mil for catalytic convertor 4) mil light for catalytic convertor & O2 sensor failure. The vehicle has (97,000 k), and the BMW dealer would not cover the costs. However there's TSB published for this vehicle, yet its not being honored by the dealer who claims that the emissions warranty expired after 8 years or 80,000 miles.

See all problems of the 2016 BMW X5 🔎.

I purchased a used BMW from a local dealership, unaware that the vehicle had unresolved safety and mechanical issues. Over time, I began experiencing repeated problems including: •power loss and hesitation while driving •malfunctioning engine and drivetrain components •electrical system glitches including dashboard warnings that would disappear before I could document them the car has been in and out of shops for diagnostics, and no lasting fix has been found. These defects have created safety concerns for me and my children, as I transport them daily. The vehicle feels unsafe to operate. I believe I may have been sold a lemon and am now pursuing legal remedies, including this formal safety complaint to report the issue.

The contact owns a 2012 BMW X5. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed coolant leaking on the ground underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the low coolant warning light was illuminated. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant pump failure. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,744.

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The contact owns a 2009 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the engine seized. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was a certified BMW mechanic, where it was diagnosed with vanos bolts failure. The contact was informed that the vanos bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 23v707000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. In addition, the contact stated that the dealer confirmed the failure and declined to perform a diagnostic test due to the age of the vehicle. 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 175,000.

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The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact made several attempts, and after approximately an hour, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle failed to start and was towed to a local dealer. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the starter motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 24v576000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling). The contact called the manufacturer and asked about the recall for the starter motor and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Multiple issues with the software. 1. Since yesterday, [xxx] car failed to start with the message "software upgrade failed". Sitting like a brick now - engine doesn't start and can't get the car off parking mode. 2, last week, the remote functions of the software as well as emergency call system stopped working. Called the local dealer BMW of north canton on June 25, ohio to check and fix and they scheduled it for Monday June 30. But car refused to start per point 1. 1. Couple of times got the message while driving that driver inability to drive detected and suddenly slowing down the car and veering it to a side. Transient actions. Took it to the dealership, supposedly a software bug was fixed but then the message flashed one more time recently. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, the message that the engine had overheated, and the vehicle was disabled was displayed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the starter motor. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 24v576000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

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Car started hesitating to start then messaged popped up on screen saying my system was overheating I had to pay for a new starter.

The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the start/stop feature failed to operate as designed, and the engine failed to restart while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that a "starting engine possibly shortly: system overheated. Restarting engine possible after cooling" message was displayed on the instrument panel. After the contact allowed the engine to cool down, the vehicle failed to restart with the same messages displayed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it remained. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 24v576000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact also discovered and linked the failure to technical service bulletin: b120424. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

In the middle of a busy intersection, the car just completely shut down. The car only had ~35,000 miles on the odometer and has been serviced only by BMW. It turned out that the water pump broke, which led to downstream impact on additional surrounding systems. BMW X5’s up to model year 2019 had recalls due to faulty water pumps. From an independent search online, it appears there are many owners of 2021 Bmws who have experienced water pump failures like I did. This could have led to a major safety incident as my husband nearly avoided an accident. If this had occurred suddenly on a highway, for example, that could have resulted in a multi-car accident as the car very suddenly died and came to a stop.

I own a 2020 bmx X5 s40i. Car was parked and turned off. When I tried to turn the car on, the car refused to start and smoke and fire smell started coming from engine compartment. I opened the hood and could smell a burning smell. Waited for smell to disappear and tried starting the car again. Car would not start and burning smell appeared again. Got a warning on the dashboard that engine compartment was overheated and car would be ready to start after 180 seconds. Called aaa to jump start car and same behaviour was observed and car refused to start. Technician also stated that battery was completely dead. Took car to dealer and replaced main and start/ stop battery. Car still would not start. On inspection dealer observed started mechanism was shorted and needed to be replaced. After replacement, car starts fine without burning smell. Going through recall database, this issue with fire hazard from starter assembly is documented for my make, model and year but when I enter the VIN number it doesnt apply to NY vehicle VIN number. 4 year old child and me were occupants of the vehicle when burning incident happened originally.

While driving in the city, I came across a red light. When the light turned green, my car's engine shut off and the power steering turned off (unable to turn). The screen remained on but I could not start the car. This has only happened in the city when I am driving at a speed of up to 15 miles/hr. Under comfort mode with the auto/stop feature on. This happened about 5 times on different dates where my car shut off but the screen was on. My car shut down in the middle of traffic, causing more traffic and an unsafe situation. Since then, I have turned off the auto/stop feature and have not yet encountered the problem again.

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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Due to issues in the engine design the timing chains become loose and get excessive slack. BMW has revised the design multiple times but the corrective action requires complete removal of transmission and engine to replace all timing chain components. Unfortunately my engine has suffered timing chain failure and requires replacement. This leads to engine failure while driving and unsafe conditions.

See all problems of the 2014 BMW X5 🔎.

The contact owns a 2016 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, and the contact discovered an unknown liquid leaking underneath of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling; electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. 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 failure mileage was approximately 120,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Car has premature failure from the ac system. My system started to fail between 40-50k miles. Both the ac compressor and condenser failed causing metal pieces to be in the system. If not fixed, those metal shavings will cause failure in other electrical systems including the hv battery.

See all problems of the 2022 BMW X5 🔎.