42 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
The integrated brake system in these vehicles can malfunction. When it does, you can lose the power assist that makes the brake pedal easy to press, so the pedal goes hard and the vehicle takes longer to stop. The fault can also stop the anti-lock brakes and the stability control from working, which can let you lose control of the vehicle. The dealer inspects the brake unit and replaces it if needed.
If you crank the engine over and over, the starter motor can draw too much electricity and get very hot. That heat can set fire to things near it in the engine bay. BMW is replacing the starter motor at no cost. Important: if your vehicle was already fixed under the earlier recall 24V576, it needs the repair again. Owner letters were mailed February 9, 2026, and your VIN has been searchable since November 17, 2025.
On these BMW cars and SUVs, the combined brake unit can act up. When it does, you may lose power brake assist, meaning the brake pedal gets much harder to push and the car takes longer to stop. The same fault can keep the anti-lock brakes and the stability control from working right, so the car may be harder to control. Dealers will replace the brake module. Even vehicles already fixed under earlier recall 24V-104 need this new repair.
Welds inside a small motor in the brake control unit can break. If that happens, you lose power brake assist and the rear brakes stop working, so the pedal gets hard and the vehicle needs much more distance to stop. The anti-lock brakes and the stability control may also quit, which makes the vehicle harder to keep under control. Dealers will replace the whole brake unit for free.
A wide range of BMW models from 2012 through 2018 are covered. The electrical plug that connects to the water pump, which circulates coolant to keep the engine from overheating, may not be sealed properly. Water can get into that connection and cause an electrical short. An electrical short in that area can start a fire. Dealers will check the pump and its plug, replace them if needed, and add a protective shield, all free.
If the starter motor fails, repeatedly trying to start the engine can push too much electricity through it and make it overheat. A starter that gets that hot can set fire to nearby flammable parts in the engine compartment. The risk builds up when you keep cranking a car that will not start. A dealer will update the vehicle's software free of charge so the starter cannot be overloaded this way. BMW mailed owner letters on September 27, 2024.
The system that senses whether front occupants are buckled up may wrongly think a belt is fastened. Two things can go wrong: the reminder light that warns you about an unbuckled belt may never come on, and the airbags may not go off the way they are supposed to in a crash. Either problem means you could be hurt worse in a collision. These vehicles also do not meet the federal crash protection standard. Dealers will inspect the front lower seat belts and replace them as needed, free.
The sticker that lists your tire size and the correct air pressure may show the wrong information. If you or a tire shop go by that sticker, the wrong size tire could be put on the vehicle, or the tires could be filled to the wrong pressure. Because of this, the vehicle does not meet the federal rule on tire and rim selection. A dealer will put on a corrected sticker at no cost.
The dashboard in your X5 or X7 may not have been built correctly. That matters because the front passenger airbag comes out through the dash. In a crash, the airbag may not inflate the way it is supposed to and may not hold the person in the seat properly. The dashboard itself can also break apart, sending pieces flying at the people inside. Your dealer will replace the entire dashboard at no cost to you.
Your vehicle has an integrated brake system that can stop working correctly. If it fails, the brake pedal can suddenly get much harder to push, so you have to press far harder and the car needs more room to stop. The same fault can also knock out the anti-lock brakes and the stability control, the systems that keep the car from skidding or spinning during hard stops and slippery corners. The dealer replaces the whole brake unit.
The cover on the transmission's control unit may not have been welded properly, which can let transmission oil leak into the electronics inside. If that happens, the gears in the transmission can seize up and the vehicle can suddenly lose drive power while you are moving — including at highway speed with traffic behind you. A dealer will replace the transmission control module and change the transmission fluid if needed, at no cost.
The airbag that sits low in the dashboard to protect the front passenger's knees may not inflate the way it is designed to. If the vehicle is in a crash, that airbag may not do its job, which raises the chance of injury for whoever is riding up front. Dealers will replace the knee airbag with a new one at no cost. BMW mailed owner letters on November 3, 2023.
The knee airbag on the driver's side, the passenger's side, or both may not have been built correctly. Knee airbags sit low in the dashboard and are meant to open in a crash to keep your legs and lower body from being thrown forward. One that was not made properly may fail to open the way it should, so you could be hurt more badly in a crash. Dealers will replace the affected knee airbag free of charge.
The head restraints — the padded headrests — on the two outer second-row seats may have been built without locking tabs in the sleeves that hold them in position. Without those tabs, a headrest may not stay where it should and may not support a passenger's head properly in a crash. BMW says these vehicles do not meet the federal head restraint standard. A dealer will inspect the guide sleeves and replace them if necessary. Owner letters were mailed May 31, 2023.
On some 2023 BMW X5 models, one of the four bolts that holds the driver's seat back to the seat frame may not have been put in correctly at the factory. The seat back is what supports you when you sit, and it needs all four bolts to stay firmly in place. If it is loose, it may not hold you properly in a crash. A dealer will check the driver's seat back and install the bolt if it is missing.
The windshield on these BMW SUVs may not have been bonded to the body properly when the vehicle was built. A poor seal can let rainwater leak inside the vehicle, where it can reach electrical parts. Water on those parts can cause a short circuit, and a short circuit can start a fire. A dealer will inspect the windshield seal and, if needed, remove the windshield and reinstall it with a new seal, at no cost.
The control unit that runs the sunroof was programmed incorrectly. Because of that, the sunroof can be closed even when the key fob is not inside the vehicle. Federal safety rules for power windows and roofs are written to prevent exactly that, so someone standing at the opening cannot be caught by a roof closing when they do not expect it. Dealers will reprogram the sunroof control unit free of charge.
These BMW diesels have a high-pressure fuel pump that can fail. If it quits, the engine can shut off while you are driving — you could lose power in traffic or on the highway. The recall covers a range of diesel models, including the X5 xDrive35d, 328d and 535d. Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump at no cost. Owner letters were mailed January 14, 2022.
BMW found that one 2019 X5 xDrive 40i was built with an instrument panel — the dashboard structure in front of the passenger seat — that was not made correctly. Because of that flaw, the front passenger airbag might not open the way it is supposed to in a crash, so someone in that seat could be injured more badly. A dealer will replace the entire instrument panel free of charge. Only this one vehicle is affected.
The head restraints — the padded headrests on top of the seats — on the two outer seats in the second row may be the wrong type for these vehicles. Because they are not the right parts, they could come loose and detach in a crash, leaving a passenger's head and neck unprotected at the moment they need that support most. They cause no trouble in normal driving. A dealer will look at the head restraints and swap in the correct ones if yours are wrong.
When you shift into Reverse on these BMW cars and SUVs, the backup camera may not work properly. Part of the picture can be blocked, or the screen may stay dark and show no image at all. Backup cameras are required so you can see people, pets and objects directly behind the vehicle. If you rely only on the screen while backing up, you could hit something or someone you cannot see. A dealer will check the camera software and update it if needed, at no cost.
The right front brake disc on some 2021 X5 sDrive40i and X5 xDrive40i vehicles may have been put together with the wrong fasteners. Over time those fasteners could let the brake disc work loose, which can change how the vehicle handles and steers. Dealers will check the right front disc, replace it if needed, and replace the left side disc too, at no charge. BMW says no owner vehicles are affected, so owner letters are not being sent.
The brake unit in these BMWs has a part inside — a rotor joined to a shaft — that may not have been welded correctly at the factory. If you brake hard, the two pieces can come apart. When that happens, the anti-lock brakes stop working and the power assist that makes the brake pedal easy to press is reduced, so stopping the car takes much more effort and distance. BMW dealers will replace the whole brake unit.
The shaft that connects your steering wheel to the steering gear has a joint held by a bolt. On these vehicles the bolt may not have been tightened enough at the factory, so the connection can work loose. If it does, the steering can feel sloppy or vague and you may not be able to control the vehicle the way you expect. Dealers will inspect it and replace or properly tighten the bolt, or replace the whole shaft and joint.
These BMWs have a 48-volt battery that works with a starter-generator, a combined starter and charging unit. The connection between that battery and the starter-generator may not have been put together correctly at the factory. A poorly assembled connection resists the flow of electricity and can heat up, and that heat can lead to a fire. Your dealer will inspect the connection and replace it if it is not right, at no cost to you.
A welded joint at the front of your BMW may come apart. It joins the front axle support to the bracket that holds the right front suspension arm, which is part of what keeps the front wheel in place and lets the vehicle steer and handle properly. If that weld separates, the vehicle may not steer or handle the way you expect. A dealer will replace the front axle support at no cost to you.
Debris may have gotten inside the hybrid battery cells of these BMW and MINI plug-in hybrids while they were being built. That debris can cause a short circuit in the battery, which can start a fire. BMW will inspect the battery and replace the battery module if needed, at no cost, but the full fix was still being developed. Until your vehicle is repaired, BMW says do not charge it and do not use sport mode, manual mode, or the shift paddles.
The headlights on these SUVs can give off a blue tint instead of the white light required by federal rules. Blue-tinted headlights can confuse drivers coming the other way, who may misjudge what they are seeing on the road at night. The issue is the color of the light, not whether the headlights turn on. A dealer will inspect the headlights and replace them if necessary, free of charge. BMW started this recall on October 30, 2020.
On certain 2021 BMW 330e and X5 xDrive45e, 2020-2021 BMW X3 xDrive30e, and 2020 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 plug-in hybrids, stray bits of welding material left inside the hybrid battery can connect cells that should stay separate. That can cause a short circuit inside the battery, which can lead to a fire. A dealer inspects the battery and replaces the battery modules if needed, free of charge. BMW says all affected vehicles have already been repaired.
Some Pirelli tires fitted to these X5 and X6 models were built with a damaged layer inside. The damage can let a tire lose air very quickly while you are driving, which can make the vehicle hard to steer and control. BMW says it already called every affected owner by phone and those vehicles have had the tires replaced, so no letters were mailed. The replacement tires cost the owner nothing.
A small group of 2020 BMW X5 sDrive 40i and X5 xDrive 40i vehicles, plus one X7 xDrive 40i, may have left the factory with an extra bolt sitting near the starter motor. That bolt can fall into the transmission housing, where it does not belong, and cause the engine to shut off suddenly while you are driving. Dealers will look for the bolt, remove it, and check the starter and transmission for damage.
Inside the steering column, the shaft that runs from your steering wheel down to the steering gear, there is a plate that holds a bearing in place. On these vehicles that plate may not have been attached correctly, so it can work loose. A loose plate can change how the steering feels and responds, making the vehicle harder to control. BMW says it telephoned every owner and all affected vehicles have already been repaired, so no notification letters were sent out.
On these BMW, Rolls-Royce and Toyota Supra vehicles, the camera and screen settings can be changed so the rear view picture no longer appears. The vehicle then remembers that setting, so the next time you shift into reverse the picture is still missing and you cannot see what is directly behind you. Federal rules require that image to appear, so these vehicles do not meet the standard. Dealers correct it with a free software update to the camera system.
The steering rack is the part that turns your front wheels when you turn the wheel. Inside it, a small gear meshes with a toothed bar. On these vehicles those gear teeth can break when they are under load, for example while you are turning. If they break, the steering wheel stops turning the front wheels and you lose steering control. Dealers replace the entire steering rack at no charge to you, and the recall started in August 2019.
The bolts holding the wheels on the left side of the vehicle may not have been tightened enough at the factory, and they can work loose as you drive. If they loosen far enough, a wheel can come off the vehicle while you are on the road. The dealer will replace the left side wheel bolts with new ones and tighten them properly. There is no charge to you for the parts or the work. BMW is contacting owners of the affected vehicles directly.
On these BMWs, the high pressure fuel pump may not have been attached to the engine correctly when the car was built. Over time, the flange where the pump bolts on can crack, and gasoline can leak out. Fuel leaking near anything hot or sparking can catch fire. Because the pump sits in the engine bay, a leak is not something most owners would spot on their own. Dealers replace the high pressure fuel pump at no charge to you.
On certain 2019 BMW X5 xDrive40i and xDrive50i models, the bolts holding down the driver's seat and/or the driver's seat belt anchor may not have been tightened enough at the factory. Those bolts are what keep the seat and the belt firmly attached to the floor during a crash. If they are loose, the seat or belt may not hold the driver the way it is designed to in an accident. A dealer checks each bolt and tightens it correctly.
On some 2019 BMW X5 models, the sun visor above the driver's or front passenger's seat has the wrong airbag warning label printed on it, or no label at all. That label is the sticker that tells you how to sit and buckle up safely around a front airbag, including where children should ride. Nothing mechanical is broken on the car, but the safety information you are supposed to see is wrong or missing. A dealer will check both visors and replace them if needed.
Small electrical parts inside a main control box in the body of the vehicle can short out and get very hot. That heat can spread to other parts nearby and start a fire. Every affected 2019 X5 xDrive40i was still sitting on a dealer lot, so BMW did not mail owner letters. Dealers replace the control unit free of charge. The recall began October 17, 2018.
The problem here is not the car itself but the TurboCord portable charging cord supplied with these plug-in and electric BMWs. Small electrical parts inside the charger can fail. If that happens, the cord can give someone an electric shock or catch fire. People usually use this cord to charge from a household outlet, often in a garage or driveway. A dealer will look at your charging cable and replace it if needed, at no cost to you.
A control arm is a metal arm that holds a front wheel in place and lets it move up and down with the road. On these SUVs, the bolt at one end of the front left control arm may not have been hardened properly when it was made. If that bolt fails, the arm can break. Losing a control arm while driving can make the vehicle swerve or go where you did not steer it. Dealers inspect the arm and replace it free if needed.
Bolts that hold part of the front suspension in place may not have been tightened properly when the vehicle was built. The suspension is what keeps the wheels planted and controls how the vehicle steers and handles, so loose bolts can affect the way it behaves on the road and raise the chance of a crash. A dealer will check the suspension arm bolts and tighten them at no cost. The repair has been available since January 2018.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the BMW X5. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 71 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2019 | 185 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | 110 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| 2021 | 105 | 9 | 3 | 7 |
| 2022 | 67 | 9 | 1 | 3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 145 | 9 | 1 | 3 |
| 2025 | 61 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: