Air Bags. Review the 83 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seats. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports11 fire reports12 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

4 reports

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Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2016

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

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2006 X5 VIN [XXX] WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AND HWY! 1. BRAKE BOOSTER / VACUUM LINE FAILURE SAME AS RECALLED 2007-2010 ISSUE. WHY IS MY 2006 X5 BMW NOT COVERED WHEN THERE IS CLEARLY A SYSTEMIC FAILURE OF THIS SAME SYSTEM? I SEEK IMMEDIATE RELIEF AND DEMAND UPON YOU A RECALL FOR MY SPECIFIC BMW NOW TODAY. [XXX] CALL ME! 2. ALTERNATOR FAILURE X5 ACTED POSSESSED WITH ALL LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF BEFORE SHUTTING THE CAR DOWN ON A FREEWAY WHILE AT MAX LEGAL SPEED. ALTERNATOR IS PLACED LOW ON THE LEFT SIDE WHERE OIL LEAKS INTO IT CAUSING A FAILURE MODE. THE SAME OIL LEAKS CAUSE OTHER RUBBER COMPONENTS TO SWELL UP CRACK AND FAIL SUCH AS BOOTS AND RUBBER BUSHINGS ON ARMS. WHERE IS THE RECALL?? 2006 WHERE IS IT?? 3. BRAKE LIGHT SYSTEM FAILURE BACK R/H AND CHANGING LIGHT BULBS DIDN'T BRING IT TO WORKING CONDITION. BMW USED A SCREW DRIVER TO MAKE IT WORK AGAIN AFTER THE AIRBAG AND ALTERNATOR REPAIR THEY DID..I PAID FOR THE ALTERNATOR BUT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ITEM! NOW MY BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK BACK R/H SIDE. 5. 1 HEAD LIGHT OUT 6. ENGINE LEAKS OIL ON THE SIDE ONTO MY X5 RUBBER COMPONENTS AND I ALREADY HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW BOOT AND ARM! OTHER RUBBER ITEMS ARE ALL BAD AND GETTING WORSE! WHERE IS THE RECALL? WHY ARE THESE SAFETY ITEMS NOT BEING RECALLED BY YOUR GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10928444

130,000 miles · Nov 16, 2014

Exterior Lighting

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THE "CHECK BRAKE LIGHT" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. IT CONTINUED TO PERSIST EVEN AFTER I REPLACED THE BULB. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE TO BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS (DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES). I REPLACED BOTH TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLIES 6 MONTHS AGO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE OCCURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM IS AN INDICATION OF A DESIGN FLAW AND NOT DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET THERE SEEMS TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF X5 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE HELP WITH MAKING IBM RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10655269

78,727 miles · Jun 21, 2014

Exterior Lighting

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MY RIGHT TAIL LIGHT KEEPS BURNING OUT CAUSING MY BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO WORK. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS UNTIL I WAS STOPPING AT A CORNER AND SOMEONE CAME VERY CLOSE TO MY REAR END, BLEW HIS HORN AND YELLED GET YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS FIXED. WHEN I WENT HOME MY HUSBAND FOUND OUT THE SOCKET THAT HOLDS THE LIGHT WAS BURNT. WE BOUGHT ANOTHER 1, DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WE KEPT REPLACING THE SOCKET UNTIL ONE DAY I RESEARCH ONLY TO FIND THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE SUV'S THAT IS VERY COSTLY TO FIX. I AM SCARED THAT IT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND MY CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS WITH ME. MY NOTIFICATION FOR THE BAD LIGHT NEVER CAME ON UNTIL AFTER THE FACT, NOW ITS ON CONSTANTLY EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE UNIT. THERE ARE MANY X5 OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM, THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THESE VEHICLES WITH THESE RECURRING PROBLEMS!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10604921

Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2006

Exterior Lighting

HID LIGHTS FROM OTHER CARS ARE BLINDING ME FROM BEHIND. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10159935

Official recalls

13V564000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Nov 12, 2013

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model year 2006 760i sedans, model year 2006-2007 750i, 750Li, and 760Li sedans, and model year 2006 X5 sports activity vehicles, equipped with certain seat types. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, free of charge. Additionally, owners of model year 2006-2007 3 Series with standard seats, 5 Series with comfort seats, and Z4 models, will receive an extended warranty on their front passenger seat occupant detection mat. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

05V504000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Nov 1, 2005

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL GUIDE PLATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE PARKING LOCK SYSTEM NOT TO ENGAGE, AFTER THE TRANSMISSION IS PLACED IN THE PARK ("P") POSITION. IF THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE, AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGED, THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ROLLAWAY CONDITION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR AND REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GUIDE PLATE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-332-4269.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

EA08001 · BMW Airbag Light Illumination

Opened Jan 4, 2008 · Closed Dec 31, 2008

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

BMW IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON APPROXIMATELY 200,000 MY04 THROUGH MY06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05 TO CORRECT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AREMY04- 06/ 5-SERIES WITH STANDARD AND SPORT SEATS, MY04-06/ X3-SERIES AND MY06/ 3-SERIES WITH SPORT SEATS. IN ADDITION, BMW WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT TO 10-YEAR/UNLIMITED MILEAGE ON APPROXIMATELY 120,000 REMAINING MY04-06 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/30/05. THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ARE MY 06/ 6 SERIES, MY 06/ 3-SERIES WITH STANDARD SEATS, MY04-05/ Z4, MY04-06/ 7 SERIES, MY 06/ X5, AND MY04-06/ 5-SERIES WITH COMFORT SEATS.THE AVERAGE FREQUENCY OF FAILURES AMONG THE EXTENDED WARRANTY GROUPS WAS LESS THAN 1/7TH OF THE RECALL VEHICLE GROUPS.PLEASE SEE BMW'S 08V-384 RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR FURTHER DETAILSDEPENDING ON SEAT CONFIGURATION AND VEHICLE GEOMETRY, THE OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT CAN FATIGUE DURING USE DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT.SPECIFICALLY, OVER TIME, MICRO-CRACKS COULD DEVELOP IN THE SIDE FLANKS OF THE MAT CAUSING A BROKEN CIRCUIT.A BROKENCIRCUIT CAN LEAD TO THE DEACTIVATION OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE ILLUMINATION OF BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Air Bags

Air Bags:frontal

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE