2008 BMW X6 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 2008 BMW X6, 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
- Airbags120.0%
- Driver assistance120.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Engine120.0%
- Interior & seats120.0%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
DEFECTED AIR BACK HAS BEEN RECALLED SINCE MARCH. SO FAR, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPEN TO THE REPLACEMENT PART. CAN YOU PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE TO THE COMPANY FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS SUV SINCE I RECEIVED THE RECALLED LETTER. EVERY TIME WE GET OUT WITH THIS SUV, WE PUT OUR LIFE ON THE LINE. HOW CAN WE DO TO GET IT REPLACE SOONER. PLEASE HELP.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRYING TO PASS A CAR ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE POWER TO MY ENGINE WAS CUT BY THE CAR'S COMPUTER. THE CAR FOLLOWING ME ALMOST RAN INTO THE BACK OF ME. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES OVER 4 MONTHS. IN NUMEROUS WRITTEN LETTERS TO BMW AND TO THE DEALER, THEY RESPONDED BY SAYING IT WAS MY FAULT, BECAUSE I HAD NOT INSTALLED THE "PROPER" TIRES ON THE CAR WHEN THE ORIGINAL ONES WORE OUT. OR COURSE, THEY SOLD AND INSTALLED THE REPLACEMENTS, AND NEVER WARNED ME ABOUT ANYTHING. THE ORIGINAL 20" TIRES, AND THE ONLY "APPROVED" ONES, ARE RUN-FLAT HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES THAT RIDE TERRIBLY, AND ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR WINTER DRIVING. SO I WANTED TO INSTALL ALL-SEASON TIRES - BMW DOESN'T APPROVE ANY ALL-SEASON TIRES FOR THIS CAR- NOT IN THE 20" SIZE REQUIRED. SO I PICKED A MODEL TIRE THAT MICHELIN SALES FOR SUMMER AND WINTER USE, AND THE DEALER OBTAINED THEM INSTALLED THEM - SAYING NOTHING ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT - THE BMW STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WAS PROGRAMMED FOR ONLY THIS ONE TIRE, AND NOW WITH DIFFERENT TIRES THE COMPUTER THINKS THE CAR IS SLIDING WHEN IT IS NOT, AND CUTS FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENS IF I TRY TO PASS A CAR ON A CURVE. SO NOW I HAVE A CHOICE - I CAN DRIVE ON ALL SEASON TIRES THAT ARE REASONABLY EFFECTIVE IN THE SNOW - AND HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO ACCELERATE IN A CURVE ON INTERSTATE - OR I CAN USE THE RECOMMENDED TIRES - THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR WINTER DRIVING IN KY. FRANKLY, THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SEVERAL ELECTRIC FEATURES FAILED TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED WITH AN INTELLIGENT BATTERY SENSOR CABLE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF HONOLULU (777 KAPIOLANI BLVD, HONOLULU, HI 96813) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED OF AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER'S RECALL THAT WAS INITIATED ON SIMILAR VEHICLES HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 58,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRYING TO PASS A CAR ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE POWER TO MY ENGINE WAS CUT BY THE CAR'S COMPUTER. THE CAR FOLLOWING ME ALMOST RAN INTO THE BACK OF ME. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES OVER 4 MONTHS. IN NUMEROUS WRITTEN LETTERS TO BMW AND TO THE DEALER, THEY RESPONDED BY SAYING IT WAS MY FAULT, BECAUSE I HAD NOT INSTALLED THE "PROPER" TIRES ON THE CAR WHEN THE ORIGINAL ONES WORE OUT. OR COURSE, THEY SOLD AND INSTALLED THE REPLACEMENTS, AND NEVER WARNED ME ABOUT ANYTHING. THE ORIGINAL 20" TIRES, AND THE ONLY "APPROVED" ONES, ARE RUN-FLAT HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES THAT RIDE TERRIBLY, AND ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR WINTER DRIVING. SO I WANTED TO INSTALL ALL-SEASON TIRES - BMW DOESN'T APPROVE ANY ALL-SEASON TIRES FOR THIS CAR- NOT IN THE 20" SIZE REQUIRED. SO I PICKED A MODEL TIRE THAT MICHELIN SALES FOR SUMMER AND WINTER USE, AND THE DEALER OBTAINED THEM INSTALLED THEM - SAYING NOTHING ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT - THE BMW STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WAS PROGRAMMED FOR ONLY THIS ONE TIRE, AND NOW WITH DIFFERENT TIRES THE COMPUTER THINKS THE CAR IS SLIDING WHEN IT IS NOT, AND CUTS FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENS IF I TRY TO PASS A CAR ON A CURVE. SO NOW I HAVE A CHOICE - I CAN DRIVE ON ALL SEASON TIRES THAT ARE REASONABLY EFFECTIVE IN THE SNOW - AND HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO ACCELERATE IN A CURVE ON INTERSTATE - OR I CAN USE THE RECOMMENDED TIRES - THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR WINTER DRIVING IN KY. FRANKLY, THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR
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
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2008 BMW X6 IN APRIL 08 AND VARIOUS PROBLEMS KEEP RE-OCCURRING WITH IT. THE MAIN PROBLEM NOW IS THE BACK COVERS OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEAT KEEP COMING OUT OF PLACE. IT HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME IF THE CAR IS IN AN ACCIDENT, THE BACK COVER WOULD LOOSE AND DETACH FROM THE SEAT DURING IMPACT AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO MY 20 MONTHS CHILD. THE BMW DEALERS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE ISSUE AND CLAIMING THAT THEY ARE ONLY COSMETIC PROBLEMS. BUT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RETESTED BY NHTSA FOR THE SEAT ISSUES AND RECALL THE VEHICLES FOR SUCH PROBLEM DUE TO CHILDRENS' SAFETY CONCERNS. *TR
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 .