RoadVitals

2010 BMW X6 Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Apr 18, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
53%
of 15 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2010 BMW X6 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Apr 18, 2023
Fire reported

On March 26,2023 my house was total loss due to the 2010 BMW X6 was caught on fire inside the garage. The vehicle has 79xxx mileage and all recall has been check. My two dogs save my life but I did not save them. The dogs was barking while I was in the master bedroom talking to my daughter. As soon I walk to the kitchen I hear crackling, popping noises, and smoke coming from living room. I open the door from the living room to the garage the BMW was on fire.

NHTSA ID
11517616
Incident
Mar 26, 2023
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 9, 2021

The engine oil keeps going down every couple hundred miles and needs to be topped. Embarrassing doing this every month.

NHTSA ID
11424027
Incident
Jan 15, 2021
Engine
Filed Apr 6, 2021

BOUGHT IN 2018 NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 2 OR 3 MONTHS LATER TO DEALER AT SERIVILLE IN BMW FOR OIL CHANGE AND THEN STARTED BURNING OIL, TOOK BACK TO DEALER WAS TOLD VALE STEM SEAT ARE LEAKING ASK TO CHECK MY WARRANTY ENDURANCE THE REFUSE TO COVER WITHOUT ME PAYING 10,000 TO HAVE ENGINE BROKE DOWN I REFUSE IF I HAD MONEY FOR THAT I WOULD HAVE FIXED IT NOT PAY FOR WARRANTY THAT WON'T COOPERATE AND IT'S STILL ACTIVE UNTIL 2023 OR 202033 MINE IS AT 116,695.THIS IS FROM MIX DRIVING MOSTLY WEEKENDS.

NHTSA ID
11406783
Incident
Jan 10, 2018
Engine
Filed Dec 4, 2018
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X6. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXCESSIVE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE AND HE DISCOVERED SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 110815. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY BILL JACOBS BMW (630-357-1200, LOCATED AT 2495 AURORA AVE, NAPERVILLE, IL 60540), BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY A RECALL AND IF THE VALVE STEMS HAD BEEN REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING EXCESSIVELY AND THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE TO DETERMINE A REPAIR REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11155900
Incident
Oct 28, 2018
Engine
Filed Feb 20, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X6. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V161000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER (BMW OF MANHATTAN, 801 11TH AVE, NEW YORK) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,912.

NHTSA ID
11073921
Incident
Dec 20, 2017
Mileage
80,912 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 28, 2017

WATER PUMP FAILURE, VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW WATER PUMP, THIS IS SOMETHING BMW IS WELL AWARE OF ON MANY OF THESE VEHICLES

NHTSA ID
11057060
Incident
Dec 19, 2017
Mileage
79,970 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 19, 2017
Fire reported

I STARTED MY STATIONARY VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND I SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, I SAW A SMALL FIRE ON THE CONNECTOR TO THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP. USING WATER I PUT OUT THE FIRE. I TOOK OUT THE PUMP AND HARNESS AND TOOK PICTURES. I CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA, WHO REQUESTED ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO BMW DEALERSHIP, WHO CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE WATER PUMP THAT FAILED. THERE ALREADY IS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR A WATER PUMP FOR MY VEHICLE, BUT AS MY VEHICLE HAS TWO WATER PUMPS, ACCORDING TO BMW, IT IS NOT FOR THIS WATER PUMP. HOWEVER THE FAILURE HAPPENED JUST AS DESCRIBED IN THE OTHER WATER PUMP RECALL. BMW NORTH AMERICA IS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID
11055536
Incident
Nov 1, 2017
Mileage
110,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Nov 14, 2012
Fire reported3 injuries reported

WITHOUT ANY WARNING, MY LATE MODEL 2010 BMW X6M BURST INTO FLAMES, EXPLODED AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. I PICKED THE CAR UP FROM CENTER BMW IN SHERMAN OAKS, CA, ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED FROM 10/25 THROUGH 11/2. CENTER BMW DESCRIBED THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL EIGHT (8) FUEL INJECTORS AND SPARK PLUGS FOLLOWING AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION, AMONG OTHER ITEMS. ALL WORK WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. ON THE LATE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 3, 2012, AFTER LEAVING AN AFTERNOON MOVIE WITH MY CHILDREN (THEY ARE 9 AND 12 YEARS OLD), I CAN BEST DESCRIBE THE EVENT AS A LOUD BANG WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES PER HOUR IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT AND ACTUAL FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT AND UNDER THE CAR ? THERE WAS NO DELAY WITH THE FLAMES, IT HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY. MY FAMILY AND I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, HOWEVER, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AND I HAD TO DRAG MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THE CAR OVER MYSELF AND FORCE MY DOOR OPEN WHILE BURNING MYSELF ON MY RIGHT HAND FROM THE FLAMES. THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND EXPLODED OVER THE NEXT 3-4 MINUTES. CENTER AND BMW N.A. HAVE DONE VERY LITTLE (EFFECTIVELY NOTHING) TO ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION NOR TO ALLAY ANY FEARS THAT MAY APPLY TO MYSELF OR THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC - INDEED, THEY WON'T EVEN AGREE TO AN INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. MY REPEATED QUESTIONS TO BMW N.A. AND CENTER BMW HAVE BEEN - IS THIS LIMITED TO JUST MY CAR OR IS THIS SYSTEMIC ACROSS MANY LATE-MODEL HIGH PERFORMANCE BMW?S CONSISTENT WITH THE MANY RECENT RECALLS CONCERNING WATER AND OIL PUMP FAILURES. PLEASE SEE THE VIDEO HTTPS://WWW.DROPBOX.COM/S/IL4O7IKEG9RT4TU/BMW%20X6M%20110312.MOV

NHTSA ID
10485542
Incident
Nov 3, 2012
Mileage
35,000 mi

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

Data on this page last refreshed .