2019 BMW X5 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2019 BMW X5, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical6929.4%
- Engine6025.5%
- Steering187.7%
- Powertrain (other)177.2%
- Driver assistance156.4%
- Airbags125.1%
- Brakes125.1%
- Seat belts73.0%
- Body & structure62.6%
- Fuel system52.1%
- Exterior lighting52.1%
- Visibility41.7%
- Interior & seats31.3%
- Suspension20.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I always service and baby my vehicle. Had recently got starter recall & fresh oil change done 2 months at my local BMW Atlantic City NJ dealership. On June 27th, as I was driving the vehicle normally a message popped on the dash stating engine oil is at a minimum level, add 1 liter of engine oil, refill oil immediately. So I went to my earliest autozone bought quart of mobile 1 oil and refilled it. After that the warning message went away and came felt fine. Unfortunately the next day same message popped up, so drove over to BMW service to get diagnosed. Due to the computer system in the vehicle not being able to read the oil level measurement. It would go from 0-18% oil level reading then message would pop up saying unable to read to try again or make sure vehicle is on ground level which I made sure it was. So next day I dropped it off at BMW dealership for diagnosing. After 1 day and half they came to the conclusion that it is a bad oil pump and wants to charge $6,362.31 for repairs. Advisor stated its due to older gen bmw b58 engines using plastic oil pumps inside which causes to break and cause leaks. So they are aware its an common issue but won’t do an recall or service bulletin to fix issue which is very dangerous because the engine could seize up and stall anytime I’m driving around due to not knowing the oil level measurements. It is super risky and unfair for consumers to pay for such a big bill repair. I hope there is recalls or something to help remedy this cause for current & future BMW affected vehicles. BMW is aware of this issue but won’t resolve it.
The vehicle is at A&L Motors in Monroeville Pa. The vehicle has suffered a catastrophic, cascading electrical failure caused by a known manufacturing defect in the roof antenna seal. Rainwater entered the vehicle through the defective shark fin antenna seal and flooded the Telematics Control Unit(TCU). Because the TCU communicates directly with the main iDrive head unit via the vehicle's MOST/bus central data network, the water-damaged TCU short-circuited and flooded the network with corrupt electrical data, hard-bricking the iDrive system. A dealership engineer confirmed that water did not physically touch the head unit, eliminating user-error fluid spills. This cascading electrical failure has completely disabled vital safety systems, including the backup camera, forward collision driver-assist radar warnings, blind-spot monitoring alerts, and critical dashboard diagnostic notifications, creating an immediate highway safety hazard. Simultaneously, the active grille shutters (active air flaps) failed due to a defective internal actuator motor, creating a severe risk of sudden engine overheating and thermal shutdown. This component is under a 150K mile manufacturer warranty extension(SIB01 12 19 and later sib01 03 25). BMW of North America Claims Manager Joe 1-800-831-1117Ext1427 has issued an arbitrary final denial for these repairs based on a hearsay rock wedged/strike despite no apparent physical damage and zero photographic evidence. BMW is actively evading its extended warranty obligations for the air dam and a pending class-action settlement framework (Craft v. BMW NA) on the IDrive components. Additionally, this vehicle is actively subject to the critical BMW Starter Motor Overheating Fire Risk Recall NHTSA Campaign No.25V644/26V056. The dealership is unable to complete this urgent fire-safety remedy due to the same bricked Idrive unit. Grounding an owner in an un-safe car with a bricked safety display and an outstanding unremedied recall
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The oil pump failed on my X5. The factory installed oil pump has a plastic housing that cracks and leads to oil pump failure. BMW replaced the part with a newer model that has a metal housing.
I was shocked by the failure of the oil pump on my 2019 BMW X5. Furthermore, through my research and discussions within the BMW community, it is evident that this specific oil pump associated with 2019 engine component has a documented history of premature failure and known defects (plastic). Given that this is a known vulnerability rather than standard wear-and-tear, I do not believe that I should bear the full burden of such an exorbitant repair cost of $6890. Why is issue has not been recalled by BMW??
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Transfer case on 2019 X5,yes available for inspection upon request. At stop position making right turn or left turn the vehicle jutters,also in reverse. Yes - confirmed by the bmw service center who tried to charge for diagnostic fee. Manufacturer knows of issue on 2019 X5 models. Video of these transfer case issues all over online in videos. Issue started about 6 - 9 months ago.
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.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am writing regarding my BMW X5 xDrive40i, model year 2019. For this G05 model coded cars, repeated transfer case failures have been reported due to a known issue: on the factory they put a wrong oil in it and then published a Technical Bulletin about it as if they are not the ones responsible for that. The problem is, due to that mistake, transfer cases of cars manufactured between 2018-2020 becomes dead in time. Cars shudders, jerking at low speeds, cannot deliver the power to the ground effectively due to intermittent and very disturbing, powerful shudders. This creates a huge safety concern cause: 1) if you are on an intersection the car might not join safely to the traffic in a perceived timing due to the shudders, intermittent power delivery. 2) If you are on a driveway and moving to the street the car might not move to the street for the perceived timing or once moved cannot move safely to join the traffic. 3) If there is a failure on the transfer case and if there is a sudden stop is needed. On the road with no shoulder access or if this is a bridge where there is no shoulder, it creates a huge risk to safely move the vehicle. An unavoidable sudden stop can create a huge accident risk for everybody. This is a very known and very common problem for BMW cars equipped with B58TU engine especially years 2018-2020. BMW is also definitely aware of that and this safety concern but instead of fixing it they moved away their responsibility as if they are not the ones made the mistake. But, when contacted with BMW NA, they refused to help.
My daughter was driving my BMW X5, it went to neutral and not moving, she was panicked and stopped the car and ignition. After restarting the car, it worked for a day, then it happened again, also, I see notifications on dashboard for restraint warning, saying, airbag, and seat belt tension are reduced. I took to Fairfax BMW in VA, BMW quoted $2662, informed that my BMW went out of extended warranty over a month, I asked Goodwill request to BMW, still declined.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
* Intelligent Braking system. * yes it is available for inspection * I was inches from colliding with the vehicle in front of me when my car finally stopped. * Yes local official BMW dealership inspected and diagnosed the IBS module is defective. * there was no prior warning.
The vehicle is at A&L Motors in Monroeville Pa. The vehicle has suffered a catastrophic, cascading electrical failure caused by a known manufacturing defect in the roof antenna seal. Rainwater entered the vehicle through the defective shark fin antenna seal and flooded the Telematics Control Unit(TCU). Because the TCU communicates directly with the main iDrive head unit via the vehicle's MOST/bus central data network, the water-damaged TCU short-circuited and flooded the network with corrupt electrical data, hard-bricking the iDrive system. A dealership engineer confirmed that water did not physically touch the head unit, eliminating user-error fluid spills. This cascading electrical failure has completely disabled vital safety systems, including the backup camera, forward collision driver-assist radar warnings, blind-spot monitoring alerts, and critical dashboard diagnostic notifications, creating an immediate highway safety hazard. Simultaneously, the active grille shutters (active air flaps) failed due to a defective internal actuator motor, creating a severe risk of sudden engine overheating and thermal shutdown. This component is under a 150K mile manufacturer warranty extension(SIB01 12 19 and later sib01 03 25). BMW of North America Claims Manager Joe 1-800-831-1117Ext1427 has issued an arbitrary final denial for these repairs based on a hearsay rock wedged/strike despite no apparent physical damage and zero photographic evidence. BMW is actively evading its extended warranty obligations for the air dam and a pending class-action settlement framework (Craft v. BMW NA) on the IDrive components. Additionally, this vehicle is actively subject to the critical BMW Starter Motor Overheating Fire Risk Recall NHTSA Campaign No.25V644/26V056. The dealership is unable to complete this urgent fire-safety remedy due to the same bricked Idrive unit. Grounding an owner in an un-safe car with a bricked safety display and an outstanding unremedied recall
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
My daughter was driving my BMW X5, it went to neutral and not moving, she was panicked and stopped the car and ignition. After restarting the car, it worked for a day, then it happened again, also, I see notifications on dashboard for restraint warning, saying, airbag, and seat belt tension are reduced. I took to Fairfax BMW in VA, BMW quoted $2662, informed that my BMW went out of extended warranty over a month, I asked Goodwill request to BMW, still declined.
Frequent Passenger Restraint System Issue
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
* Intelligent Braking system. * yes it is available for inspection * I was inches from colliding with the vehicle in front of me when my car finally stopped. * Yes local official BMW dealership inspected and diagnosed the IBS module is defective. * there was no prior warning.
Parking brakes can only be applied but cannot be released due to faulty design of the parking switch. This will cause the vehicle not able to move or be towed in an emergency especially when an engine failed to start. This problem confirmed by an independent repair shop and also has highlighted in several BMW group chats.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
My daughter was driving my BMW X5, it went to neutral and not moving, she was panicked and stopped the car and ignition. After restarting the car, it worked for a day, then it happened again, also, I see notifications on dashboard for restraint warning, saying, airbag, and seat belt tension are reduced. I took to Fairfax BMW in VA, BMW quoted $2662, informed that my BMW went out of extended warranty over a month, I asked Goodwill request to BMW, still declined.
Frequent Passenger Restraint System Issue
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving down the Long Island Expressway at around 60 miles per hour, the retractable part of my panoramic sun roof shattered. It felt like an explosion. Luckily, the sunroof and cloth cover was fully extended so the glass didn't fall in the car. The traffic was light, no one in front of me and wasn't driving under any structure. There were no construction or debris on the road. It's clearly a manufacturer defect. Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Emergency call malfunction light came on. System is an important vehicle safety features. Vehicle taken to dealership for inspection. No visual damage present on vehicle however water ingress from roof shark fin is causing damage to electrical components, TCB and emergency call function. Shark fin antenna cover determined to be causing water ingress after inspection by BMW dealership. Per their recommendation, further water ingress could damage additional electrical components, some critical and therefore immediate need to replace TCB, Aerial antenna, and emergency battery. Vehicle warranty not covering this type of issue. Cost of repair estimated at $2500.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The engine warning system came on and warned of low oil pressure. Knowing the oil level was good I stopped the vehicle to check oil leaks. Found none. Knowing engine mechanics I assumed it was a faulty oil pump. had it towed to BMW and told it was so. The replacement would be $8,000. Found out after lengthy research that the oil pump of the 2019 X5 (which I have) was made with plastic internal parts that would be a matter of when not if, the plastic parts would fail because the acidic nature of used oil. Presented this info to BMW and they lowered the price to $3986.16. Then I discovered BMW knew about the problem and changed the oil pump design from 2020 on.
The electronic oil level sensor was unable to complete an oil level measurement on the iDrive screen. Diagnostic inspection at a BMW Dealership (Mt. Kiso) and EuroTech Auto Repair (Larchmont, NY) revealed that the oil pump had degraded internally, specifically due to failure of plastic components. All Sensors were working fine and showed no faults. This failure could not be detected by regular maintenance and posed a risk to engine reliability and potential sudden loss of lubrication. The car had approx 55,000 miles, was purchased purchased after my 3-year lease (original owner of new vehicle), and the incident occurred during normal use. There were no warning lights or symptoms before the oil measurement stopped working. This defect appears to be a design/materials issue affecting other similar vehicles. The failed oil pump has been replaced at my expense. I am concerned this part presents a broader safety and reliability risk and should be considered for recall.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
I noticed one of my daytime running lights on the driver’s side laser headlight had turned yellow, instead of white like the others. I took the vehicle to the dealership and they said that the LED module that powers that daytime running light has overheated and caused the light tube to burn and melt. The dealership advised that the passenger side is also slowly starting to do the same thing. The repair the dealership recommended is to replace both headlights, at a cost of almost $18k! I’ve seen numerous BMWs on the roads with this same issue, and this should be addressed by BMW as a design flaw. If these modules are burning plastic pieces inside the housing, they could start a fire if they get hot enough.
Factory seal on headlight assembly weakens causing headlamp to retain water
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Around June 10th, I was on vacation when I noticed my AC was not very cold in this vehicle, which I had purchased used about a month earlier. I took it to get recharged while on my vacation, and it blew nice and cold until a few days ago. After doing a little digging, it appears that the 2019 and 2020 model year of the BMW X5 G05 have an evaporator core made of aluminum, and the refrigerant used (R1234yf) is known to be corrosive to aluminum, causing leaks in the core. While this is widely talked about in online forums amongst those who have experienced this issue, it appears no safety recalls have been made about this issue. The problems, as I see it, are two fold: 1> Without a working AC system, the vehicle cannot safely defrost the windows when conditions are favorable for frost or fogginess. 2> The health hazards of inhaling leaked refrigerant, along with it's by-products (like trifluoroacetic acid) do not need to be explained. Refrigerants are known to be dangerous both to human health as well as to the environment, so this is not an acceptable environment to be exposed to. While I have not had an accident caused by this, I believe preventative steps should be taken to prevent them from occuring, given this is a fairly common problem with the 2019/2020 model year of this vehicle.
The AC evaporator failed due to a known manufacturing defect common across the BMW G-chassis platform (G05, G07, G30). This has created two severe safety hazards: The refrigerant leak causes the windshield to fog up instantly and unexpectedly while driving, completely obstructing my visibility and nearly causing an accident. Chemical fumes and oil from the leaking evaporator are entering the cabin through the vents, causing dizziness and respiratory irritation for the occupants. BMW is aware of this systemic issue through numerous owner reports and petitions but refuses to issue a recall or provide assistance. This is a critical component failure that directly impacts vehicle safety and occupant health.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
Frequent Passenger Restraint System Issue
Driver seat is ripped at the base interior The seat frame is not mounted to the base.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Transfer case on 2019 X5,yes available for inspection upon request. At stop position making right turn or left turn the vehicle jutters,also in reverse. Yes - confirmed by the bmw service center who tried to charge for diagnostic fee. Manufacturer knows of issue on 2019 X5 models. Video of these transfer case issues all over online in videos. Issue started about 6 - 9 months ago.
I AM WRITING TO ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN MY MATTER OF MY 2019 BMW X5 I40 SUV, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY HAS BEEN REPAIRED 6 TIMES FOR NUMEROUS ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, ELECTRICAL, AND SUSPENSION FAILURES SERVICED AT 3 DIFFERENT BMW COLORADO DEALERSHIPS. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH LEASE JUNE 2019, AND CONTINUOUSLY REPORTED & EXPERIENCED FAILURES/ISSUES BY OWNER, NUMEROUS PASSENGERS, INCLUDING MULTIPLE BMW SERVICE MANAGERS: ENGINE BUTTONS NOT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY, OR NOT TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL POWER. AFTER HIGH ACCELERATION ON A INTERSTATE HIGHWAY COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE ENGINE WOULD TERMINATE AND THEREBY HAVING TO QUICKLY PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO PARK TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THIS HAD TO BE DONE RAPIDLY DUE TO HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WOULD REPEAT ISSUE ON RURAL ROADWAY STOPS, BUT NOT AS OFTEN ON INTERSTATE ABOVE 60MPH. GPS HAD SOFTWARE MALFUNCTIONS AFTER BEING REPAIRED 2X FOR ELECTRICAL STABILITY ISSUES THIS CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION THEN CORRECTED AT AN ALTERNATIVE BMW DEALERSHIP. SIDE ASSIST ALERTS AND NOTIFICATIONS WERE CONTINUING TO FAIL AFTER 4-5 ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY. KEY FAB WOULD FAIL TO COMMUNICATE AND FAIL TO LOCK VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX BY BMW. VEHICLE SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING WOULD NOT MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY WITH VARIOUS COMPONENT RESPONSE FOR BACK DOORS, TRUNK/TAILGATE FAILURE TO RESPOND MOST IMPORTANTLY VEHICLE POWER OVERALL. FINALLY, THE VEHICLE HAS SUSPENSION ISSUES, STILL A CONCERN THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE NUMEROUS TIMES UNDER BMW REPAIR SHOPS BEING LIFTED BY PRESSURIZED COMPONENTS; OR WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY DELIVERED OFF THE TRUCK FROM MANUFACTURER TO DEALERSHIP? THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE & HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE PURCHASED. THIS IS CONSIDERED A LEMON PER THE COLORADO LEMON LAWS, IN ADDITION PER THE NUMEROUS BMW SERVICE MANAGERS WHO HAVE REPAIRED THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .