2001 BMW X5 Interior & seats Problems

SEATS HAVE HEAT CONTROL L OPTION N. DRIVERS SIDE GETS TOO HOT AND BURNS DRIVER CREATING A BURN HOLE ON THE SEAT.

NHTSA ID

10956555

Incident

Feb 4, 2017

Mileage

170,000 mi

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TURNED ON WHEN I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD GO OFF AFTER A FEW START CYCLES WITH NO PASSENGERS, BUT THEN COME BACK ON THE NEXT TIME A PASSENGER WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I WAS ABLE TO READ THE CODES WHICH INDIRECTLY INDICATED A FAULT IN THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I REPLACED THE SENSOR MAT AND RELATED WIRING INTERFACE AND THE WARNING LIGHT AND ERRORS HAVE NOT RETURNED. THERE ARE MANY OWNERS GROUPS THAT DISCUSS THE APPARENT HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THESE OCCUPANCY SENSOR MATS AND WE HAVE NOTED THAT MORE RECENT X5 MODELS WERE RECALLED, BUT THAT EARLIER MODELS WERE NOT. I SUSPECT THAT THE EARLIER MODELS HAVE THE SAME - OR A RELATED - PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10597253

Incident

Mar 15, 2014

Mileage

138,000 mi

FAILURE OF DRIVER SEAT HEATING MECHANISM. HOLE BURNED IN BOTTOM SEAT CUSHION AND BURN TO OCCUPANT'S (ME) LEG. THIS APPEARS TO BE DUE TO A SHORT OR BREAK IN THE HEATING ELEMENT. ON-LINE RESEARCH I'VE DONE INDICATES THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10430782

Incident

Oct 1, 2010

Mileage

145,000 mi

FRONT DOORS ARE FREEZING UP IN COLD WEATHER. ONCE THE TEMPERATURE RISES THE DOORS WILL OPEN. HAPPENS EARLY IN THE MORNING/ LATE NIGHT WHEN I NEED TO LEAVE FOR WORK. SOMETIMES YOU CAN FORCE THE HANDLE TO OPEN BUT THEN THE DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE AND HAVE TO DRIVE HOLDING THE DOOR SHUT. THERE MUST BE A RECALL ON THIS,THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME DOZENS OF TIMES. WENT TO DEALER MANY TIMES, REPLACED BOWDEN CABLE/ACTUATORS. COST ME $600.00 TO FIX, WILL SEE IF IT WORKS NEXT WINTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10238612

Incident

Dec 28, 2007

Mileage

83,000 mi

MY 2001 BMW X5 HAS SERIOS ISSUES WITH ITS DESIGN THAT BMW CORP REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR FIX. 1ST THERE IS A FAULTY DESIGN ON THE PVC CAUSING THE VALVE TO FREEZE AND DRAIN THE OIL INTO THE ENGINE. THIS ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE IN MY CAR. AND COST ME ABOUT $1200 TO FIX. 2ND THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE FRONT DOORS WHEREBY THE EITHER FREEZE SHUT OR REFUSE TO LOCK IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 17F. THIS IS A HAZARD WAITING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE HELP US ( CONSUMERS) SINCE BMW APPARENTLY HAS NO INTEREST IN ADRESSING THESE ISSUES.*CN

NHTSA ID

10213628

Incident

Jan 2, 2008

Mileage

88,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN FREEZING CONDITIONS, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FREEZES SHUT. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE LATCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT IS UNAWARE IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER DOORS, SINCE THEY ARE NOT USED. UPDATED 03/09/06

NHTSA ID

10149111

Incident

Jan 31, 2006

Mileage

67,000 mi

THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR MECHANISM FREEZES (FREQUENTLY) IN COLD WEATHER SUCH THAT THE DOOR WILL OPEN BUT WILL NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED. THE RESULT IS THAT A DRIVER MUST DRIVE HOLDING THE DOOR CLOSED OR NOT DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL, WHICH IS DIFFICULT IF YOU NEED TO GET HOME. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147840

Incident

Jan 14, 2005

Mileage

5,000 mi

MY 2001 BMW X5 DOOR LOCKS GET STUCK WHEN IT IS VERY COLD, USUALLY BELOW 15 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE KEY REMOTE DOES NOT WORK & IF I CAN GET THE KEY TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR, AND GET INTO THE VEHICLE, WHEN I GO TO SHUT THE DOOR THE LATCH IS STUCK "OPEN" AND WILL NOT CLOSE, THEREFORE MAKING THE CAR UN-DRIVABLE BECAUSE THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH CLOSE. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS W/ BMW ON 8/16/05 & THEY REVIEWED IT. A BMW DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOTICED THAT THE CURRENT "LATCHING/LOCKING" SYSTEM CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO GET INTO THE LOCKS & MAKE THEM UNUSABLE. THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE ALL 4 LOCKING MECHANISMS BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 1/2 PART & LABOR, COST TO ME $450.00 OUT OF POCKET. THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM THAT BMW SHOULD RECALL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS INVESTIGATED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10135132

Incident

Aug 26, 2005

1. HAD CAR SERVICED AT 60,000 MILES, ONLY 3 WEEKS LATER THE GREEN DASHES STARTED APPEARING AGAIN AND STAYING ON, AS IF I NEEDED TO HAVE CAR SERVICED. CALLED DEALER AND THEY SAID NOT TO WORRY, THIS HAS BEEN KNOW TO HAPPEN, JUST IGNORE IT. 2. VERY LOUD NOISE FROM SUN ROOF (CLOSED) WHILE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AND LEAKS DURING CAR WASHES? DEALER SAID THEY CAN REPLACE THE SEAL AND THIS SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. 3. BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR ON DASH COMES ON AND OFF, AS IF BULB IS OUT, BUT JUST REPLACED BULB, THEN REPLACED AGAIN, SOMETIMES THIS BRAKE LIGHT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. 4. WINDOW ON FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD NOT GO BACK UP AFTER OPENED, THEN A DAY LATER, THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN OR CLOSE. DEALER REPLACED THE WINDOW MECHANISM THAT CONTROLS BOTH THE DOOR HANDLE AND THE WINDOW AT MY COST MIND YOU THE REAR WINDOW AND DOOR HAD BEEN DONE ONLY A YEAR BEFORE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS ON ALL GERMAN CARS, DOESN'T MATTER THE AGE OF CAR OR MAKE. HOW FRUSTRATING - SPEND $45,000 AND KNOW WINDOWS WILL EVENTUALLY QUIT WORKING?? 5. FRONT RIGHT HEADLAMP GETS MOISTURE IN IT AND IT TAKES 3-5 DAYS TO CLEAR UP. 6. DRIVER CUP HOLDERS, WHAT IS UP WITH THAT - CAN ONLY PUT ONE CUP IN IT, WHEN TRY TO PUT 2 IN, THEY OVERLAP, VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN DRIVING. 7. STORAGE IN FRONT MINIMAL AND A HASSLE, YOU HAVE TO REACH BACK AND SORT OF BEHIND YOU TO GET INTO COMPARTMENT - DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING. 8. LEATHER SEATS ARE VERY HARD, NEED A PLUSHIER LEATHER. 9. WHEELS, BRAKE "DUST" GETS ALL OVER THE WHEELS MUCH MUCH MORE THAN ANY OTHER LUXURY CAR I HAVE EVER HAD. 10. CARGO COVER IN REAR NEEDS WORK, CHECK OUT THE ONE LEXUS USES IN RX30. 11. NEED MORE CARGO SPACE - COMPARED TO RX330 AND THE VOLVO X90, SPACE IS EXTREMELY SMALL. 12. DISAPPOINTED IN MY CAR - WANT TO SELL IT, WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER BMW. *NM

NHTSA ID

10135032

Incident

Aug 3, 2005

Mileage

63,200 mi

ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS FAIL, NO ENTRY IN TO THE VEHICLE. WAS REPAIRED AND THEN FAILED AGAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10133293

Incident

Aug 2, 2005

Mileage

42,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 BMW X5 WHICH HAS PROBLEMS WITH FREEZING FRONT DOORS (BMW HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE DESIGN DEFECT, REFERENCE # 200503100195, SI 510204, AND S.I. 51 51 02 DATED MARCH 2002.) THAT POSE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD, AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE IN DEALING WITH THE MATTER. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. I AM AN ACTIVE DUTY ARMY OFFICER STATIONED IN GARMISCH, GERMANY. THE CAR WAS WITH US IN CALIFORNIA AND KANSAS FROM 2001 TO 2004. THE CAR DID NOT HAVE THE DOOR FREEZING PROBLEMS WHILE UNDER WARRANTY; WE KEPT IT IN A GARAGE AND THE BOWDEN CABLES DID NOT GET WET DURING COLD WEATHER. WE HAVE NO GARAGE HERE, AND ANY TIME THE WEATHER GETS A FEW DEGREES BELOW FREEZING, THE FRONT DOORS CEASE TO OPERATE. ONE MUST RUN THE CAR BETWEEN 15 MINUTES TO 1.5 HOURS BEFORE THE DOORS OPERATE NORMALLY. WHEN THE CAR COOLS DOWN, THE DOORS FREEZE AGAIN. THE PROBLEM WITH THE DOORS HERE IN GERMANY IS SEVERE AND POSES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK; DOES BMW REALLY WANT TO RISK LITIGATION FOR SOMEONE TRAPPED IN THE CAR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CAR WAS NOT RECALLED FOR SUCH A SERIOUS AND ACKNOWLEDGED SAFETY DESIGN DEFECT. OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN GARMISCH IS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE BELOW SI IN HIS DATABASE. HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM ALSO DISTURBED THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY UPWARDS OF $1000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM---THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED WHEN THE CAR WENT UNDER SERVICES IN LATE WINTER OF 2004 (AND ALSO HAD OTHER SI WORK DONE, SUCH AS A FAULTY RADIATOR FAN THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR TO BURN----HECK OF A COMBINATION IF THE FREEZING DOORS HAD BEEN ACTING UP AT THE SAME TIME!).*AK

NHTSA ID

10110233

Incident

Feb 9, 2005

Mileage

33,000 mi

I HAVE 2001 BMW X5 3.0. AFTER LAST WEEK'S SNOW STORM AND COLD WEATHER IN BOSTON AREA, MY 2001 X5 DOORS ARE FROZEN. ACTUALLY, I OPENED THEM FROM OUTSIDE YESTERDAY MORNING (FEELS LIKE DOOR HANDLE GOT FROZEN). BUT THEN I COULD NOT GET THEM CLOSED. SO, I HAD TO PUSH DOWN DOOR LOCK (LITTLE KNOB) BY WINDOW AND PULL HARD TO GET THEM CLOSED. NOW, I COULD NOT OPEN THEM AT ALL. I AM CLIMBING IN AND OUT OF THE TRUNK DOOR TO GET INSIDE. FORTUATELY, THERE IS NO ACCIDENT. BUT, I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN AN ACCIDENT DOES OCCUR (HARD TO ESCAPE). BMW NORTH AMERICA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM (SI 51 51 02), HOWEVER THERE IS NO PROPER ACTION FROM THEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10108039

Incident

Jan 26, 2005

Mileage

96,000 mi

2001 BMW X5. IN COLD WEATHER THE DOORS FREEZE UP NOT ALLOWING ACCESS IN OR OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD TO CRAWL THROUGH THE HATCH OR REAR DOORS TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND CREATES A REAL HAZARD AS YOU CANNOT EGRESS THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. ALSO THE LATCH FREEZES AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO CLOSE SO THE DOOR CAN FLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING. I AM AN ACTIVE MEMBER ON A BMW OWNERS MESSAGE BOARD AND THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR MANY DRIVERS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10107665

Incident

Jan 21, 2005

1) COLD WEATHER 2) NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS/NOT ABLE TO CLOSE IT SINCE THE INTERNAL LOCKS FREEZE 3) HEAT UP THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR FOR LONG PERIOD (@25 MIN) WITH DOOR PUSHED IN SO IT WILL FINALLY STAYS SHUT! THIS IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM AMONG BMW X5'S BUT THE MFG REFUSES TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10107577

Incident

Jan 18, 2005

Mileage

65,100 mi

I LIVE IN UPSTATE NY. LAST NIGHT THE TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO A VERY CHILLY 0 DEGREES F. OR SO. IN THE MORNING I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF MY BMW X5 4.4 (2001). THE LATCH SEEMED TO WORK BUT THE DOOR SEEMED FROZEN SHUT, SO I PULLED HARDER. THE DOOR FINALLY CAME OPEN - BUT ALL LATCHES ON THAT DOOR HAVE CEASED TO WORK - FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR SEEMS TO BE SHOWING SIMILAR SYMPTOMS BUT I HAVE NOT PULLED THE DOOR OPEN YET FOR FEAR OF FURTHER DAMAGE. FORTUNATELY I WASN'T DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT I COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN LOCKED INSIDE MY CAR WITHOUT ANY WAY TO EXIT IT! I'LL BE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ASAP TO GET IT REPAIRED BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT BMW HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO ADDRESS! *NM

NHTSA ID

10107530

Incident

Jan 18, 2005

EVENT: COLD WEATHER BELOW 15 DEGREES F. FAILURE: DOOR LOCKS FREEZE SO THAT DOORS CAN NOT BE CLOSED OR PASSENGERS CAN NOT GET OUT. DOOR LOCKS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THAT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10106416

Incident

Jan 14, 2005

Mileage

89,000 mi

READ THAT THE BMW X5 HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT'S DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. I HAD EXPERIENCED THE LOCKS NOT OPENING IN THE COLD MYSELF, AND HAD SEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE PROBLEM. DURING A SKI TRIP TO MOUNTT SNOW VERMONT MY DOOR LOCKS WERE SLOW TO OPEN. THE PASSENGER DOOR WOULDN'T CLOSE AT FIRST. THEN WHEN PUSHED HARD IT CLOSED. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN WITH MY PASSENGER INSIDE. SHE TRIED THE DOOR HANDLE, FROM INSIDE AND I HAD TRIED IT FROM OUTSIDE. THE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED, BUT WOULD NOT OPEN AT ALL. I THEN TRIED THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND IT WOULDN'T OPEN. THE PASSENGER HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE REAR DOORS. IT TOOK ABOUT A HALF HOUR OF THE CAR RUNNING BEFORE THE DOOR WOULD OPEN. IN AN EMERGENCY, THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER WOULD HAVE BEEN TOAST. *AK

NHTSA ID

10106150

Incident

Jan 8, 2005

Mileage

39,900 mi

FAILURE OF PASSENGER DOOR WIRING HARNESS, CONNECTIONS WERE CORRODED, CAUSING THE DOOR TO STOP FUNCTIONING I.E. DOOR OPENING, DOOR LOCK, WINDOW WOULD NOT WORK. THE DOOR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED FOR A BROKEN DOOR LOCK HANDLE. THERE WERE 3-X5'S AT THE SHOP WITH SAME PROBLEM THAT WEEK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100924

Incident

Nov 14, 2004

Mileage

530,000 mi

DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE/LATCH IN WEATHER OF 25 DEGREES. DOOR FINALLY CLOSED, BUT HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. LATCH/MECHANISM IN DOOR FROZEN. WEATHER WARMED UP TO OVER 32F AND THE DOOR FINALLY OPENED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100622

Incident

Nov 24, 2004

Mileage

64,000 mi

THE DOOR LOCKS FAILED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10007368

Incident

Feb 11, 2003

FRONT DOORS LOCK OCCUPANTS INSIDE OF VEHICLE AND CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. OCCUPANTS MUST CRAWL OUT OF REAR OF VEHICLE TO EXIT. DOOR LOCKS APPEAR TO UNLOCK, AND HANDLES PULL, BUT THERE IS NO UNLOCKING OR RELEASE OF THE DOOR LATCH. *AK

NHTSA ID

738261

Incident

Dec 15, 2000