2011 BMW X5 problems and complaints
Owners have filed 308 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW X5. The most-reported areas: Engine (128), Air Bags (77), Power Train (63).
Key takeaways
- 308 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 6 involve a crash, 15 a fire, 6 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 128 | 42% |
| Air Bags | 77 | 25% |
| Power Train | 63 | 20% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 45 | 15% |
| Unknown Or Other | 25 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 21 | 7% |
| Steering | 21 | 7% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 10 | 3% |
| Fuel System | 8 | 3% |
| Gasoline | 8 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2011 BMW X5
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 BMW X5 SUV 4WD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Fuel System, Gasoline - filed 2026-10-29
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and the fuel pump message was displayed. The vehicle was able to restart. The contact stated that there was an abnormal gasoline odor coming from the vehicle after the failure. The contact stated that the veh...
Engine - filed 2026-05-09
There's currently an open recall for a number of BMW engines involving aluminum bolts in the vanos assembly that shear, strip, and break off completely. The open recall is somehow excluding some vehicles with the same exact problem like my 2011 BMW X5 xdrive35i N55 E70 with the inline 6. Currently my vanos bolts are al...
Electrical System,unknown Or Other - filed 2025-07-21
The comfort access door handle, got so hot it started to melt the plastic exterior handle and produce a lot of smoke would have caught fire if i didn't turn off car and disconnect electrical signal to the cas handle
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More for the 2011 BMW X5
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.