Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2019 BMW X5 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
Vehicle airbag/seatbelt warning light on 9/2022. Airbag (seatbelt) module replaced. Caused by condensation or leak due to BMW not sealing cupholders and placing KEY SAFETY EQUIPMENT directly under unsealed cupholders. I was told other modules likely damaged but airbags and seatbelt were first to go out. 2023 April/May - steering issues. Windshield wipers run continuously and cannot be turned off. Horn and turn signal also stopped working. Need steering column replaced. BMW said possibly also related to cupholder defect. I am concerned the unsealed cupholders are going to kill someone if airbags deploy unnecessarily or seatbelt/airbags fail. BMW should have not placed KEY safety equipment under unsealed drink holders.
The contact owns a 2019 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the horn and turn signals were inoperable. Additionally, the windshield wipers remained on constantly and failed to deactivate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. The VIN was unavailable.
BMW AUTO START/STOP WILL TURN OFF ENGINE BEFORE THE CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. THIS CAN HAPPEN UP TO WHILE THE CAR IS STILL MOVING AS HIGH AS 5MPH, OFTEN OCCURS BETWEEN 3-1 MPH WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *TR
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNDER 30 DEGREES F, THE STEERING WILL PULL LEFT OR RIGHT ON ITS OWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. SPEED DOES NOT MATTER AND IT WILL PULL/TWITCH THE STEERING RIGHT CONSISTENTLY OR SOMETIMES LEFT. VERY UNSETTLING AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WITH NO FIX AVAILABLE. CAR WILL DO THIS FROM SPEEDS OF 1-65 MPH.
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY FELT AS IF THE CAR DOWNSHIFTED AGGRESSIVELY AND AT THE SAME TIME I LOST POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND MY HUD FOR SPEEDOMETER, ETC. THE CAR DISPLAYED SEVERAL WARNINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY AS WELL.
VEHICLE HAS AGGRESSIVE STEERING CORRECTIONS/INTERVENTION. THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN THE LANE DUE TO STEERING WHEEL PLAY/WOBBLE.
THE VEHICLE HAS HAD ERRONEOUS, EXTREME, AND UNEXPECTED BEHAVIORS RELATED TO THE ACTIVE DRIVING ASSISTANT FEATURES. WHERE THE SYSTEM ACTIVATES TOO EARLY, TOO LATE, OR UNEXPECTEDLY. AFTER VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED IN NOVEMBER 2018 THE CAR TOOK AN UNCOMMANDED LEFT TURN NEARLY HITTING THE MOVEABLE CONCRETE BARRIER TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON THE WALT WHITMAN BRIDGE DURING HEAVY RAIN. CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WAS ADVISED TO TURN OFF ACTIVE STEERING INTERVENTION AS A SUB-FEATURE OF LANE DEPARTURE WARNING. SYSTEM REMAINED OFF. ON JUNE 10TH THE ACTIVE STEERING INTERVENTION WAS REACTIVATED AND PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH IF THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE HAD NOT PULLED OFF INTO THE SIDE MEDIAN. THE ACTIVE STEERING INTERVENTION WAS CHECKED 'OFF' AND SHOULD NOT HAVE ACTIVATED AND THERE WERE NO VISUAL CUES THAT THE SYSTEM WAS ON, ACTIVE, AND COULD TAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SHOP FOREMAN DROVE AND CONFIRMED THE SAME ACTION. TOOK VEHICLE BACK, AND STILL CAN ACTIVATE STEERING INTERVENTION WHEN IT IS IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT BMW ENGINEERING HAS CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS HOW THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED. AUTOMATION THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY DISCLOSED KILLED 300+ PEOPLE IN 2 SEPARATE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS. THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT NOTIFY, DISCLOSE OR IN ANY WAY WARN THE DRIVER THAT AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM MAY TAKE CONTROL AND IF THIS IS THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE IT IS NOT SAFE AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
DURING COLD TEMPERATURES, THE STEERING HAS A TWITCH WHICH CAUSES SMALL MOVEMENTS LEFT AND RIGHT WITHOUT ANY MANUAL INPUT. IT HAS THE FEEL THAT IT IS RECEIVING INPUTS FROM A SENSOR OR OTHER SYSTEM, WHICH REQUIRES OVERRIDE BY THE DRIVER. IT CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
1) SEVERAL INSTANCES OF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN DRY CONDITIONS, THE STEERING DRIFTS SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT REQUIRING CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTIONS. I HAVE THE STEERING WHEEL CENTERED IN THE LANE BUT THE CAR WILL SLIGHTLY DRIFT IN ONE DIRECTION, ONCE CORRECTED IT WILL DRIFT IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN IT DOES. WIND AND ROAD CROWN WERE NOT A FACTOR. IT REMINDS ME OF CARS BUILT IN THE 1970'S THAT HAD A BIT OF "PLAY" IN THE STEERING. 2) X5 WAS PARKED OUTSIDE ON A ROAD TRIP THROUGH DES MOINES IN EARLY FEBRUARY. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MID-TEENS. DEPARTING THE NEXT MORNING AND IMMEDIATELY DRIVING (DRY ROAD CONDITIONS) ON THE HIGHWAY THE STEERING WHEEL HAD SLIGHT JERKING MOVEMENTS TAKING THE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. YOU COULD DEFINITELY FEEL THE MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING AND IT REQUIRED CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT. THIS WENT AWAY AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES. IT APPEARS THE STEERING IS RECEIVING UNCOMMANDED INPUTS FROM SENSORS OR SOFTWARE WHICH IS UNSETTLING WHEN IT OCCURS.
STEERING IS ALWAYS MOVING EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT. WILL NEVER STAY IN CENTER FEELS KIND OF FILMSY. WHEN TURNING CAR SOMETIMES SLIPS AND WILL CHANGE DIRECTION OF WHEEL AND AFFECT ACCELERATION
WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE <10 DEGREES, STEERING WHEEL TWITCHES AND PULLS LEFT AND RIGHT, THE COLDER THE TEMPERATURES, ESPECIALLY IN SUB ZERO TEMPS, PROBLEM WORSENS GREATLY!! VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY TO DRIVE CAR. TOOK THE CAR TO BMW SERVICE, THEY COULDNT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, DID SOFTWARE UPDATE WHICH MADE ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE. ACCORDING TO BMW BLOG, MANY MANY COMPLIANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN COLD CLIMATES IN WINTER. APPEARS BMW IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT SO FAR HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, AGAIN, THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED ASAP. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. ONCE THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE 15 DEGREES, PROBLEM GOES AWAY.
WHEN THE CAR HAS SAT OUTSIDE AND THE COLD THE STEERING IS VERY LOOSE CAUSING THE CAR TO BE UNRESPONSIVE TO TURNING. THE DRIVER ASSIST IS ALMOST NO. FUNCTIONAL TURNS ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN. SHUTTING DOWN THE BLIND SPOT AWARENESS AS WELL AS FRONT COLLISION AUTO BRAKING
DURING VERY COLD CONDITIONS (BELOW 10 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT), THE VEHICLE'S STEERING FEELS LOOSE, NUMB AND DISCONNECTED. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS/LANE KEEP ASSIST. I TURNED ALL THOSE SYSTEMS OFF AND THE ISSUE PERSISTED. WHEN CONDITIONS BECAME WARMER, THE ISSUE WENT AWAY. IT HAS ONLY OCCURRED IN EXTREME COLD. MY BMW DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER'S VEHICLE IS DOING A SAME THING. THEY INDICATED THAT BMW ADVISES A SOFTWARE UPDATE IS FORTHCOMING, BUT WHEN? WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE DELIVERY IN NOVEMBER. ALL SOFTWARE RELATED, AND NONE HAVE BEEN CORRECTED BY UPDATES YET. THE REST OF THEM ARE ANNOYANCES, UNACCEPTABLE YES, BUT THIS STEERING ISSUE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS CONCERNING THAT IT EXISTS IN THE FIRST PLACE AND SHOCKING THAT WEEKS LATER, IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. OTHER OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE IN OWNERS' FORUMS.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN COLD TEMPERATURES (<10 DEGREES F), THE STEERING WILL RANDOMLY "TWITCH". THE WHEEL WILL MOVE SEVERAL DEGREES IN EITHER DIRECTION USUALLY OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION OF THE CURRENT WHEEL POSITION. THIS PULL IS NOT CAUSED BY THE DRIVER OR EXTERNAL FACTORS -- THE CAR'S AUTONOMOUS DRIVING MECHANISMS SEEM TO BE MALFUNCTIONING. THE CAR ESSENTIALLY FEELS LIKE IT IS SLIPPING OR "FLOATING". THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS, BUT ONLY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS VERY COLD. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM, WHICH MAKES THE CAR A DANGER TO ANYONE INSIDE IT, OR WITHIN THE VICINITY OF IT. BMW IS SUPPOSEDLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT NO FIX HAS ANNOUNCED. THE WEBSITE BELOW DETAILS OTHER USERS ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS. HTTPS://G05.BIMMERPOST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1577605
#1: STEERING WHEEL JERKS FROM SIDE TO SIDE ALMOST LIKE A TWITCH IN VERY COLD WEATHER ON A COLD START. ALMOST FEELS LIKE DRIVING ON ICE. TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE AND THEY SAID "BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND NOT SURE ON ETA FOR FIX". UNACCEPTABLE AND UNSAFE IN COLD CLIMATES. #2: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING DOESN'T WORK. I'VE HAD MULTIPLE INSTANCES WHEN THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. BOTH ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAY DRIVING
IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 15 DEGREES, THE STEERING BECOMES ERRATIC AND WILL PUSH THE CAR IS DIRECTIONS WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS (BELOW 35). AT HIGHER SPEEDS ON FREEWAYS THE STEERING IS REQUIRES CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS, VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT IS DRIVING THROUGH HIGH WINDS. BOTH SITUATIONS ARE DANGEROUS.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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