2025 BMW X5

Our 2025 BMW X5 50e was involved in an accident while slowly pulling into a parking spot at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. While turning right into the striped parking spot, the car suddenly accelerated, swiping the car parked to the right and continued on to break through a rung of the log fence barrier before manual hard braking stopped it from plunging into the canyon below. There was no audible alarm heard and apparently no emergency braking engaged to prevent impact with the other car or log fence. No airbags deployed. Emergency braking was enabled. Drive mode was Hybrid. With the grill damaged and a front sensor hanging below the damaged bumper. We are still awaiting the Park Ranger report.

NHTSA ID

11753465

Incident

Jul 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 BMW X5. The contact stated while the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact's son drove the vehicle to a local gas station. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, however the vehicle had not been inspected.The tow truck driver informed the contact's son that there was a leak in the brake fluid container. In addition, the contact stated that prior to the failure occurring, the vehicle was serviced on April 30,2026 and the recall, NHTSA Campaign Number 24V104000 (Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Service Brakes, Hydrauli) was performed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11738055

Incident

May 14, 2026

Reduced steering effort error message. No accident or injuries. Seems to be a known issue on BMWs. Likely covered under warranty but I feel should be reported

NHTSA ID

11732336

Incident

Apr 10, 2026

On April 15, 2026, while driving on the highway with my family in my 2025 BMW X5 (purchased new on September 25, 2025 from Principal BMW of Corpus Christi for approximately $75,000), the panoramic sunroof suddenly and violently exploded. The explosion sounded like a gunshot. Shards of glass sprayed throughout the cabin and got into our eyes. I was barely able to maintain control of the vehicle and prevent a serious accident that could have resulted in hospitalization or worse. Photos of the sunroof taken immediately after the explosion are attached to this email. These images clearly show the large shattered section, missing glass fragments, and debris inside the sunshade right after the failure. You can also see from the picture submitted from the front, the glass is pushed out from the car. This was an extremely dangerous safety failure that put my entire family at immediate risk. Because of this incident, I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle. I am now constantly on high alert, worried that the sunroof could explode again at any moment. This traumatizing experience has completely ruined my ability to enjoy what was supposed to be a luxury vehicle. Instead of the premium driving experience I paid for, I am left with fear and anxiety every time I get behind the wheel. This is not an isolated or “unheard of” incident. BMW has faced multiple reports and a class action lawsuit regarding exploding sunroofs dating back to at least 2017. Despite this known issue, when I contacted Principal BMW of Corpus Christi, the dealership claimed the problem was unheard of and showed absolutely no sense of urgency or willingness to address it properly. The service person took a quick look and told me that this incident has happened two other times within the last two months. Since the incident happened on 4/15/26 @ 6:35PM I was unable to speak to a service member.Service person told me to bring my car in for further evaluation on 4/20/26 since he’s only one working.

NHTSA ID

11731981

Incident

Apr 15, 2026

Incident Description: While driving with my two [XXX] children and husband under normal conditions, the panoramic sunroof glass on my 2025 BMW X5 xDrive50e suddenly and unexpectedly shattered without warning. At the time of the incident: There were no weather events (no hail, debris, or extreme conditions) I did not observe any object striking the vehicle There was no prior damage to the sunroof The glass failure was abrupt and loud, sounding like an explosion, consistent with a sudden break rather than gradual damage. There were no warnings or symptoms or sounds of impact prior to the explosion. I immediately documented the damage with photographs taken at the scene, prior to any inspection or handling. Safety Concern: This incident raises serious safety concerns: The sudden shattering of the sunroof could startle or distract the driver, increasing the risk of an accident Broken glass could fall into the vehicle cabin, posing a risk of injury to occupants The unexpected nature of the failure creates a hazard at highway speeds This type of failure appears consistent with reports of spontaneous tempered glass breakage, sometimes referred to as “exploding sunroofs.” Manufacturer Response: The vehicle was inspected by the dealership, BMW of San Rafael, and escalated to BMW of North America. BMW determined that the damage was caused by “impact” and denied warranty coverage. However: No clear point of impact (such as a chip, crater, or penetration point) has been identified No foreign object residue or evidence of impact has been provided The determination appears to rely on a visual interpretation of crack patterns, rather than confirmed physical evidence Based on my observations, the fracture pattern appears irregular and distributed, including along the edges, which may be consistent with stress-related or spontaneous failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11731967

Incident

Apr 11, 2026

I have owned my BMW for only 19 months and in that short period of time, I have had to replace my windhsield (with OEM BMW Glass) 2x due to small road debris impacts (normal gravel/sand) becoming major fractures in less than a day. I have been driving for 40 years and only replaced 3 windshields in my life--2 of them in the past 10 months in this brand new BMW. Same roads and weather I have driven on for the past 24 years, in the south [XXX] ) so no unusual road gravel of weather conditions. I have to believe that these windshields are somehow more fragile than they should be. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11726428

Incident

Mar 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 BMW X5. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, for an unknown reason, she lost control of the vehicle and hit a telephone pole, where the vehicle came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. The contact's wife was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The contact's wife did not suffer injuries. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard. The insurance company was notified. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer advised the contact that a field inspector would be sent to inspect the vehicle. The field inspector inspected the vehicle. However, no information was provided regarding why the air bags did not deploy. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.

NHTSA ID

11724623

Incident

Dec 18, 2025

Mileage

8,000 mi

The contact owns a 2025 BMW X5. The contact stated that while reversing, the back-over prevention camera display audio system failed to function as intended. The back-over prevention camera audio alert failed to beep when the vehicle was close to other vehicles or objects. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that a computer test was performed; however, the failure was not duplicated. Additionally, the technician test drove the vehicle, but the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact had a neck injury and stated that the failure of the back-over prevention system was an inconvenience. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30.

NHTSA ID

11724566

Incident

Jun 1, 2024

Mileage

30 mi

Shaft Return

This Service Bulletin provides instructions to clean the intake valves using the BMW Carbon Blaster Tool

In the affected vehicles, an incorrect screwlocking device (circled) may have been usedfor the mounting bolts of the door latch locks.

Due to an implementation error in various OBD diagnostics in the vehicle's control units, in very rare cases itmay happen that stored fault memory codes (DTCs) and the MIL (warning light) are not automaticallydeleted even though the underlying malfunction has already been rectified. This does not comply with the statutory OBD specifications.

Due to an implementation error in various OBD diagnostics in the vehicle's control units, in very rare cases itmay happen that stored fault memory codes (DTCs) and the MIL (warning light) are not automaticallydeleted even though the underlying malfunction has already been rectified. This does not comply with the statutory OBD specifications.

In these vehicles with an S68 engine, an incorrect diagnosis of the Valvetronic (VVT) may occur. Undercertain operating conditions, the software may detect a short-circuit in the valve control system even thoughthere is no fault. When the above-mentioned fault occurs, the red Check Control warning light ‘Drive system fault’ illuminates.This can result in the intake valves closing gradually, which may lead to misfires while the engine is running.