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BMW X5 SAVYears to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 203 owner complaints and 9 safety recalls on record for the BMW X5 SAV.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints203Top: Air bagsSafety recalls92000–2013 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

BMW X5 SAV years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the X5 SAV median. Tap a year for its full report.

'00'01'02'03'04'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2013Not rated–/10013 complaints · 1 recall2012Not rated–/10021 complaints · 4 recalls2011Not rated–/10024 complaints · 3 recalls2010Not rated–/10019 complaints · 5 recalls2009Not rated–/10019 complaints · 4 recalls2008Not rated–/10020 complaints · 3 recalls2007Not rated–/10059 complaints · 5 recalls2006Not rated–/10027 complaints · 0 recalls2004Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2003Not rated–/1001 complaint · 1 recall2002Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2001Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2000Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common BMW X5 SAV problems

All model years combined: 203 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags545
Engine410
Fuel/propulsion system281
Electrical system282
Power train280
Service brakes264
Seats132
Vehicle speed control102
Structure82
14 other systems472
9 recalls

BMW X5 SAV recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

27%Emission control: crankcase (pcv)22V-119 · 2007–2010 · Mar 2, 2022 · 917,106 vehicles23%Driver side: inflator module19V-015 · 2000–2004 · Jan 14, 2019 · 157,549 vehiclesDo not drive47%Driver side: inflator module16V-071 · 2007–2013 · Feb 5, 2016 · 840,000 vehicles81%Engine and engine cooling: engine14V-176 · 2010–2012 · Apr 10, 2014 · 156,137 vehicles–Service brakes13V-045 · 2007–2010 · Feb 7, 2013 · 30,265 vehicles–Engine: diesel12V-550 · 2009–2012 · Nov 27, 2012 · 29,800 vehicles–Other fuel types: turbo/supercharger12V-161 · 2012 · Apr 10, 2012 · 2,846 vehicles–Engine and engine cooling07V-479 · 2007 · Oct 12, 2007 · 29,250 vehicles–Service brakes, hydraulic07V-391 · 2007 · Aug 29, 2007 · 6,595 vehicles
3 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the X5 SAV

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2007–2013 · still open
    Open
  2. Idler Pulley Bolt FailureRQ18001 · 2009–2013 · closed Dec 1, 2018
    Led to recall 18V-336
  3. BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATIONEA08001 · 2006 · closed Dec 31, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-384