What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2006 BMW X5

Typical pattern

0.8% of complaints about the 2006 BMW X5 came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2006 vehicle — around the middle of the 250 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 8.3 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (106 complaints), typically at 8.3 yr or about 76,000 miles.

Complaints
257
Median age at failure
8.3 yr
Median mileage
87,000 n=205
Crash / fire / tow
12.5% of reports
Safety recalls
2

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Air bags
106 reports · 76,000 mi
8.3 yr
1.9%
Seats
31 reports · 85,000 mi
8.3 yr
45.2%
Service brakes
27 reports · 108,000 mi
9.3 yr
7.4%
Electrical system
22 reports · 93,000 mi
8.3 yr
27.3%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

13V564000 2013-11-12
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model year 2006 760i sedans, model year 2006-2007 750i, 750Li, and 760Li sedans, and model year 2006 X5 sports activity vehicles, equipped with certain seat types. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue an

Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.

05V504000 2005-11-01
Power train:automatic transmission

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL GUIDE PLATE.

THIS COULD CAUSE THE PARKING LOCK SYSTEM NOT TO ENGAGE, AFTER THE TRANSMISSION IS PLACED IN THE PARK ("P") POSITION. IF THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE, AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGED, THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ROLLAWAY CONDITION.

In owners’ own words

Air bags 19,000 mi 2.2 yr in service crash / fire / tow
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT SIDE QUARTER PANEL OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH SIDE AIR BAGS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS PRESENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED. THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN AN AMBULANCE BECAUSE HER HEAD HIT THE DOOR WINDOW. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 19,000.
Air bags 56,000 mi 3.3 yr in service crash / fire / tow
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE BUMPER, MUFFLER, AND TRUNK WERE DAMAGED. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED AND RELEASED PREMATURELY. THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,500.
Air bags 90,000 mi 5.4 yr in service
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,091.
Seats 27,000 mi 3.2 yr in service crash / fire / tow
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRIC SEAT HEATER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAUGHT FIRE. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, HE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WAS SMOKING AND HIS LEG WAS BURNED. THE SEAT HEATER WAS ACTIVATED PRIOR TO NOTICING THE FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF THE RISK OF HAVING SEAT HEATERS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 27,000.

Other X5 model years

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