2023 BMW X5

Routine

Owners filed 34 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the transmission. It has been recalled 4 times.

Not among the BMW X5 years to avoid. Which BMW X5 years to avoid →

Most common 2023 BMW X5 problems

8 of the 34 complaints (24%) are about the transmission.

ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train · transmission8
000
Electrical System6
000
Unknown or Other4
000
Structure › Body · body and frame4
000
Engine3
000
Service Brakes · brakes2
201
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly1
000
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Suspension1
000
Lane Departure › Warning · lane-keeping assist1
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (tcm/Pcm/Tecm)23V821000
Filed Dec 6, 2023552 vehiclesBMW of North America, LLC

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota GR Supra, 3 Series Sedan (330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, M3), 5 Series Sedan (530i, 530i xDrive, M5), 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 4 Series Convertible (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 8 Series Coupe (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Convertible (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Gran Coupe (850i xDrive, M8), X3 SAV (X3 xDrive30i, X3M), X4 SAV (X4 xDrive30i), X5 SAV (X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M), X6 SAV (X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i, X6M), and Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i vehicles. The weld seam of the integrated transmission control unit's cover may not have been manufactured properly, which could allow automatic transmission oil to leak into the transmission control unit.

Risk. Transmission oil that leaks into the control unit can lead to a seizure of the transmission gears, causing a sudden loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the transmission mechatronics module and the automatic transmission fluid, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Seats › Mid/Rear Assembly › Head Restraint23V253000
Filed Apr 6, 2023235 vehiclesBMW of North America, LLC

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5 M and X5 xDrive45e vehicles. The head restraints for the second-row outboard seats may have been improperly manufactured without locking tabs in the guide sleeves. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."

Risk. A head restraint without a locking tab may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and replace the second-row outboard seat head restraint guide sleeves, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Seats › Critical Fasteners22V942000
Filed Dec 19, 20224 vehiclesBMW of North America, LLC

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 X5 sDrive40i, X5 M50i and X5 xDrive 45e vehicles. One of the four bolts that connects the backrest to the driver's seat frame may not have been correctly installed.

Risk. A loose driver's seat backrest may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect the driver's seat backrest and if necessary, install an attachment bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 17, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Visibility › Windshield22V820000
Filed Nov 2, 202247 vehiclesBMW of North America, LLC

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, xDrive45e, and X7 xDrive40i vehicles. The windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle which could allow water to enter the vehicle and contact electrical components, possibly resulting in a short-circuit.

Risk. An electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect the windshield seal and as necessary, remove and reinstall the windshield with a new seal, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

All 4 campaigns on file, newest first.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train
Filed Oct 26, 2026MO

The vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic structural drivetrain failure while operating at low speed (under 10 mph) on a flat, paved surface while exiting a youth soccer complex parking lot. There was no outside influence due to the road or contact with any curb or obstacle prior to the incident, which has been explicitly confirmed by an authorized BMW dealership inspection. While leaving the complex, a mechanical pop was heard from the rear of the vehicle. The rear axle bolt cleanly sheared in half, causing the axle shaft to pull completely out of the rear differential housing, instantly destroying the wheel bearing, axle seal, and related hardware. The vehicle immediately lost all motive propulsion and became completely disabled in a high-traffic pedestrian zone, creating an immediate safety hazard to surrounding motorists and pedestrians. Because this critical structural chassis fastener sheared under zero-impact, standard low-speed turning speeds, this represents a severe manufacturing defect and a critical safety risk that results in immediate loss of vehicle control.

Power Train
Filed Sep 28, 2026TX

The X5 transfer case has a defect that causes the vehicle to shudder when in reverse and at lower speeds. It can be felt sometimes at highway speeds, but is worse at low speeds. Our X5 has only 54,000 miles.

Engine
Filed Sep 18, 2026CA

Check Control : Add engine coolant. Risk of scalding. Engine coolant level low. Risk of engine damage. Add engine coolant as soon as possible. sign came up. When take the vehicle to the dealer shop for inspection, leak had occurred and sprayed the coolant to top of the hood as well as surrounding parts. Certain modern BMW models have a 7-year / 70,000-mile extended warranty specifically covering the Heat Management Module, however my car is not included. My current mileage is at 56,000 miles.

Engine
Filed Aug 10, 2026TX

2023 BMW X5 had a defective water pump replaced under warranty at 27,585 miles on 9/12/2024. Today 8/10/2026 at 52,907 miles the water pump again needs to be replaced. BMW has had water pump recalls in the past for similar years of x5 SUV, but our VIN is not included in the current recalls. Photographs of the recalled water pumps look exactly like our pictures. I believe the recall should be expanded to include additional BMW models/VIN ranges.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 29, 2026WI

A manufacturer defect caused connector pin corrosion and thus the head unit dash stopped working completely and needs to be replaced. The head unit is what the back up camera comes through causing safety concern. It is no longer under warranty because of the miles, otherwise yearwise it would be. BMW won’t provide any good will assistance. This happened in 2026 on a 2023 model year. It has been brought to a bmw service center with a quote of over 6k to fix. No warning symptoms.

Structure › Body
Filed Jun 23, 2026WA

Sunroof leaks into cabin and there is no known solution for this model year 2023 BMW X5. It is my understanding that model years 2020-2023 all have this issue and a class action lawsuit is being reviewed. BMW has also issued a TSIB but there is no known recall. They will replace the seals under warranty but that is only a 2-3 year solution and will need to be redone.

Power Train
Filed May 7, 2026IL

Noticed noise. Took to dealer. Dealer confirmed bad front pinion/bearing and need front differential. Will be very dangerous if not fixed! Dealer has had this issue before and online forums state big issues

Power Train
Filed Mar 17, 2026TX

Drivetrain malfunction reoccurring 2x in 45 days. First error message the dealer charged me $600 to fix. Bringing car in second time now. Unsafe to drive due to power cutoff. This is a PHEV. Car is under the original mfr warranty and less than 3 years old.

Electrical System
Filed Mar 17, 2026TX

Drivetrain malfunction creating error message of critical failure on brake system and chassis. The first of 2 such issues so far in 4 months of ownership. Car is under original mfr warranty. Dealer charged $600 to fix. This is a PHEV and with the electrical system issues it prevents the car from functioning safely

Structure › Body
Filed Mar 8, 2026CA

While driving under normal conditions with no external impact, debris, rock strike, or other identifiable cause, the panoramic moonroof shattered explosively (with a loud report resembling a gunshot). Glass fragments dispersed across the roof area, and portions of the panel collapsed inward into the interior mesh roof cover. This occurred without warning and posed a serious safety risk. Th problem has not been reproduced by the dealer and only been inspected by the dealer and denied as a warranty claim. Nothing in the vehicle warning system went off prior to the failure.

Structure › Body
Filed Feb 20, 2026CT

The seal on the sunroof of the car allows water into the car. My car will be available for inspection upon request. This issue allows water into the car around the b pillar airbag and the side window airbag which can damage the airbag and make it deploy without any accidents or make them not deploy in the case of a accident. BMW has an internal document in which acknowledging the issue with the seal but even though they recognize placing a defective part on the vehicle. They will not assume the cost of the repair if outside de 50k miles warranty. In order for the dealership to take a look at the issue an 200 dollar diagnostic is required but I was informed that if they determined that the issue on hand is due to the defective part. I will still have to pay for the repairs. There weren’t any other signs before the incident.

Service BrakesCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 30, 2025VA

While driving the vehicle at highway speed, the vehicle did not respond as expected during braking. Upon attempting to slow the vehicle, control was lost, the vehicle became unstable, left the roadway, and rolled. As a result of the incident, the driver sustained serious injuries requiring emergency transport and hospitalization. No warning lamps, messages, or brake-related alerts were observed prior to the incident. After the crash, the BMW mobile application displayed a brake system malfunction warning indicating an integrated system brake failure, with a timestamp shortly after the incident. The vehicle has not yet been inspected or diagnosed by a BMW dealer or independent service center. The vehicle remains available for inspection following the crash and has been retained post-incident pending salvage processing.

Structure › Body
Filed Dec 19, 2025MO

My sunroof spontaneously exploded yesterday, which sounded like a loud shotgun blast going off. Fortunately my vehicle was stopped at the time, but no rocks or debris had hit it to cause this then or previously, and nothing had fallen on it. No warning or other symptoms prior to this happening, the car was in mint condition and always garaged, 34,750 miles. Could have been much worse had I been driving at highway speeds and not stopped at a traffic light.

Electrical System
Filed Dec 11, 2025TX

While on a stretch of two lane highway with no shoulders I got some flashing error messages that were too quick to read, then the car made the shutdown sound like when you turn the car off, and said “Goodbye” on the screen. The gas pedal was unresponsive, pulled itself away from my foot. The screen showed what it normally shows when you turn the car off - option to charge immediately or precondition now. Car was just coasting. Eventually I hit the start button and the car turned back on. I think one of the error messages that flashed said Driver Assistance Disabled… the car doesn’t have any advanced drivers assistance packages so not sure what that could mean. I have a vague memory of this happening to me once over a year ago, pulling out of the driveway, and having to hit start to turn it back on.

Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera
Filed Aug 25, 2025NJ

While driving, the information LED screen on the car flickered and went black within a second. Other electric components malfunctioned as well, e.g. radio, air conditioning/heating. Obviously, the cameras and safety systems associated with the screen also did not work. There was no warning that this was going to happen and, without these safety features, I felt that I was at a greater risk. The next day, I took the car to a BMW dealership, and was told that the Head Unit High was malfunctioning due to corrosion. The car has just under 51,000 miles and the unit should have been insulated against any moisture (the car was never flooded). I feel that this is a manufacturing defect that has put me, as the driver when it occurred, at risk.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 20, 2025NJ

On the driver's side the headlight's smaller light stopped working. I brought the car to BMW and they said the LED burned out, which also caused burn marks on the headlight assembly, so the entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced.

Power Train
Filed Jun 9, 202550,900 milesHI

The contact owns a 2023 BMW X5. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the contact noticed a fluid leak underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that upon driving from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to exceed 5 MPH. The check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The messages " Drivetrain Malfunction" and "4-WD Component" and other unknown messages were displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that while driving 40-50 MPH, with her one-year-old daughter in a car seat in the rear of the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving, causing the contact to pull over to the side of the road several times. The contact stated that there were significant safety concerns and did not feel safe driving the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V821000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,900.

Power Train
Filed Apr 8, 2025CA

Two incidents I was driving the vehicle and the notification popped up saying drivetrain error at that moment the Car Detail and I was unable to go over 30 mph while driving in the fast lane on California highways 2/13/2025 3/30/2025

Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency BrakingCrash
Filed Aug 20, 2024GA

The car safety features should not allow the vehicle to move with an open door. It should also alert driver with warning if passenger door is ajar before and when in motion. The car did not register at any point (sound, dash light or otherwise) while the car door was moving that the rear driver side passenger door was ajar and door hit something. Even after collision, the vehicle still did not send any collision notice, signal driver door was open or stop automatically at any point.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 12, 2024CA

On June 1, 2024, I was driving on the highway at about 70 MPH, when all of a sudden there was a loud boom and the glass on the panoramic sunroof blew out. Was not close to other vehicles, nor did I hear any impact from any object. Immediately drove my car to the local dealership. Dealership indicated it was not a known issue that they have seen and said it was outside influence that caused the issue. However, the glass was pointed upward and the glass exploded outward. Fortunately, I had my sunroof cover in the closed position so none of the glass dropped on me, but it could have been harmful to me, causing me to get into an accident. No vehicle warnings appeared just before the explosion.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 26, 2024CA

When driving down the highway at 65 mph there was a loud bang and wind started blowing through the roof. Small shards of glass came through the moon roof. I pulled over at the next exit and stopped. I looked at the moon roof and it had exploded. At the time of the incident the moon roof was closed. It was daylight and I was not near an overpass, so no one could have thrown a rock to cause the damage. The moon roof clearly failed for no apparent reason. I was fortunate that the moon roof was closed because the vinyl part of the moon roof prevented all of the glass from falling into the car while I was driving. I have looked on line and there are several, perhaps many, such instances reported. BMW seems to be unaware of this issue.

Lane Departure › Warning
Filed May 20, 2024CA

The car model I have includes an additional fee for a "drivers" assistance package; this feature doesn't work as designed. BMW likes to call it 'limitations of the system', but will not offer any repair, correction or refund for this "issue". Unfortunately, this issue is such a hazard and pops up so spontaneously, if there were any cars around I would have collided with them. BMW says this is called "greying". The systems doesn't recognize or sense the terrain and attempts to warn the driver, BUT the car will veer on it's own into the second lane or try to cruise into the median. I have this incident on video. It will also not slow to stop when exciting the highway offramp; there have been many times where it has actually dangerously accelerated. I will attach the slip from the dealership, which I have been to 3 times, with no solution. I have communication with the dealership stating that they agree it's a hazard, but don't know how to fix it due to the "limitations of the actual system". Asking for the feature to be removed and get my money back is apparently not something BMW is interested in doing. They would rather keep unsafe and unpredictable vehicles on the road in the name of profit. I am deeply concerned that there are other models like mine on the road that will cause a fatal accident.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 17, 2024NY

Drivetrain failure reported on dash. Car stutter during drive but continued without any breakdown.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Nov 22, 20235,700 milesFL

The contact owns a 2023 BMW X5 equipped with Continental Tires, Tire Line: Premium Contact 6 SSR, Front Passenger's Side Tire Size: 275/40R/21, DOT Number: A349D74A, Rear Passenger's Side Tire Size: 315/35/R21 YXL, DOT Number: A372D74B. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, there was an abnormal clunk while the tires were rotating, and a message indicating that the tire pressure was low was displayed. The contact pulled in front of the residence and parked the vehicle. Upon inspecting the tires, the contact noticed that there was a large bulge on the tread of the front passenger's side tire. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the front passenger's side tire was replaced. The tire was original equipment. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle on another occasion a message indicating that the tire pressure was low, was displayed. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that there was a bulge on the tread of the rear passengers' side tire. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, BMW of Sarasota (5151 Clark Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233), where the tire was replaced. The tire was original equipment. The vehicle manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the tire manufacturer. The tire manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The front passenger's side tire failure mileage was approximately 5,700. The rear passenger's side tire failure mileage was approximately 7,400.

Engine
Filed Nov 3, 2023TN

On Nov 1, 2023 while accelerating on a freeway entrance ramp so as to merge into traffic on the interstate, vehicle suddenly lost all engine acceleration power and was steered to the side of the ramp so traffic behind could proceed. Vehicle stayed "on" but no engine response from the accelerator pedal being depressed, just idling of the motor. There were no messages or warning lights illuminated prior to, during or after the event. Vehicle was switched off and restarted, function resumed as normal. Dealer has not been able to reproduce the issue and no electronic trace of the incident was recorded by the vehicle on subsequent dealer inspection.

Electrical System
Filed May 24, 2023CA

The car had been preconditioned and driven within 45 minutes of my starting a route to the gym, all surface streets/neighborhood. I was in electric mode. I came to a stop at an intersection and when the light turned green, I pulled into the intersection to turn left and the car stalled. No power, no power steering. I put it in park and tried to restart in sport (ICE) mode and nothing happenned. After a few tries it did start to limp and I cleared the intersection and pulled over. I was still unable to restart in sport mode, and kept getting red screens, or blank screens. After a few minutes, the car was able to start as if everything was normal, and I continued to drive. It was a very dangerous situation, and there were no further warnings or alerts. I was able to drive it home and to the dealership where it is now.

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed Apr 4, 20236,000 milesID

The contact owns a 2023 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the sunroof inadvertently exploded. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

Service BrakesCrash
Filed Apr 3, 2023NC

The vehicle rolled away after the driver exited the vehicle with the transmission in Neutral and the parking brake was not applied. This negligent design flaw is because BMW has chosen to not revert the vehicle to Park if the door is opened like other car manufacturers. A simple software update or design change could prevent a potentially fatal incident caused by BMW’s negligence in this matter.

Electrical System
Filed Mar 14, 2023FL

I bought my 2023 BMW X5 brand new on 1/9/23- was driving through West Pam Beach on the way home from vacation and spilled a little water on my console. I immediately got a message on the dash that there was something wrong with the drive train. It then said not to turn off the car as it may not start again. Luckily I was 1.5 miles away from a BMW dealer and took it there where they said the water most likely seeped into the electrical compartment. After diagnostics were done, that was found to be the case and I was told I needed a new part but eventually was told that the part was 5 weeks out so they would take it out and dry it off and see if that works-which it did. My concern is that the electrical system is not protected at all. It sits under the shifter- right by the drink holders- and because I squeezed a water bottle and some water got onto the console it shut the car down. I believe this to be a safety issue. Once I got to the dealer the car would not shift into park.

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 2, 2023IL

My X5 was accelerating on its own. I was able to control the speed with the brakes but once I took my foot off the brake the vehicle would accelerate again. It went as fast as 50 MPH. I did shut off the vehicle at a stop light to disengage any possible system. The car continued to accelerate once I let off the brake. Once home, my garage smelled horribly of burnt rubber from riding the brake pads. No system dash board notifications appeared. BMW dealership took the vehicle for inspection and couldn’t find an issue. National BMW then sent an engineer out. They told me there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and it was user error?! I refused to take back the vehicle. No one ever drove the car to try to reproduce the unintended acceleration issue. Overall, very concerning that the vehicle will be sold to an unsuspecting driver.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 28, 2023DC

Car computer stopped working. Prior to this, computer would not recognize either of two keys.

Power Train
Filed Dec 27, 2022CO

I was accelerating from a green light in ELECTRIC only mode, once nearing 25 mph, felt a single strong jolt that caused acceleration to pause, the Hybrid mode automatically kicked in and acceleration continued under engine power. Received several warnings and alerts on the display- Stop Carefully: Power Supply Drivetrain Malfunction Continued Driving possible: Drivetrain Electric drive limited I was fortunate enough to continue driving the final 1/2 mile to my parking lot at work. After work, the engine started with the same errors as above and attempted to move, but the engine was making strange cycles of revving high and low. I called Roadside and as I idled waiting for a tow truck to arrive, the gas engine began revving high again, then low, then sputtered, then shut off and would not turn back on, leaving me in the cold. Fuel was about 1/2 tank, battery was at least 30%. Tow arrived and tried to restart to drive it up the tow ramp but the 12v battery ended up depleting in the process so it had to be winched. Jump box required to get it into Neutral.

Power Train
Filed Dec 6, 2022AL

11/21~11/24: Transmission shift from D to N while driving and the vehicle lost power. system down and change to Charging Mode, which shows when power off. Need to push the start button couple of times to turn X5 on. These things happen 3 times. 11/28~12/2: BMW service tech updated software. I pick it up on 12/3 12/4: There was error message that "Four wheel drive limited" and engine stops and system changed to Charging Mode. I had to push the start button to turn it on.

Suspension
Filed Oct 19, 2022PA

Left front air strut broke two weeks (600 miles) after delivery. There was no warning, just a loud noise when it broke. Warning light showed chasis issue. BMW towed car and replaced strut under warranty.

All 34 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2012
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202629200Routine
202563510Routine
2024145810Routine
2023 — this page34400Routine
202272110Routine
20211111230Routine
20201131170Routine
20191941310Routine
201873520Routine
201775601Fatalities reported
201674500Routine
2015152671Fatalities reported
2014998100Routine
2013149670Do not drive
201227110100Do not drive
201126314150Do not drive
20101241450Do not drive
20091381280Do not drive
200821510120Do not drive
200771820Do not drive
20061682110Routine
200582351Fatalities reported
2004644100Routine
2003993130Do not drive
2002102371Do not drive
200116012160Do not drive
200029610Do not drive
19990100Routine

Compare every X5 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Dec 6, 2023. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.