What 263 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW X5 Xdrive35d

Headlight wiring insulation dry rots prematurely within headlight causing system failure, which includes Headlight malfunction and system shorting. Headlights are known to stop working due to wiring shorting out, issues may cause an electrical fire besides malfunction.

NHTSA ODI 11588833

Our car get on fire from begin low on oil, we stopped on the side and went on another car to get oil at the gas station and Suddenly star on fire and our entire car truck burned. Luckily we were able to get out off the car on time.

NHTSA ODI 11470883

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EMITTING A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STOPPING THEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN TURNING OR DECELERATING. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (ROADSHOW BMW, ADDRESS: 405 N GERMANTOWN PKWY #6207, CORDOVA, TN 38018, PHONE: (901) 365-2584) WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), AS WELL AS, THE RECALLS FOR THE AIR BAGS AND ENGINE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS UNKNOWN). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 190,000.

NHTSA ODI 11328543

UPON STARTING MY CAR AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE, I HEARD A BRIEF ELECTRICAL BUZZING NOISE THAT THEN STOPPED. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE RADIATOR FAN, BUT THE FAN WASN'T MOVING. I DROVE MY CAR APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES HOME AND PARKED IT. ABOUT 2.5 HOURS LATER, FROM INSIDE MY HOME, I HEARD THE SOUND OF WHAT SEEMED TO BE A SMALL EXPLOSION. I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND MY CAR'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT HAD PARKED, UNUSED WITH THE MOTOR OFF FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS ON A COOL DAY WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S WITH NO WARNING INDICATORS LIGHTS OR MESSAGES. I LATER LEARNED BMW HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR ELECTRICAL FIRES, HOWEVER, I NEVER RECEIVEDA RECALL NOTICE. PRESS REPORTS NOTE THAT MORE THAN 90 SUCH FIRES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO YOUR AGENCY, AND I CAN STILL FIND NO DOCUMENTATION ON YOUR WEBSITE OF THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11265230

ME AND MY KIDS WERE DRIVING OUR 2011 BMW X5, WE WENT TO A FULL STOP ON THE FREEWAY, A SEMI WAS DRIVING TOO FAST BEHIND US, THE SEMI WAS ON ITS WAY TO CRUSHING ME AND MY THREE DAUGHTERS IN THE CAR. WE TRIED TO MOVE OUT OF ITS WAY AND CRASHED IN THE CAR INFRONT OF US AS THERE WAS NO PLACE TO GO. THE ONE SECOND DECISION WAS THE TOUGHEST DECISION I HAD TO TAKE IN MY LIFE, EITHER THE SEMI IS GOING TO KILL US ALL I I CAN CRASH IN THE CAR FRONT OF US TO AVOID DEATH, WE WERE RELYING ON THE AIRBAG TO SAVE OUR LIFE, THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON JULY 17TH. THANKFULLY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY OR WE WOULD'VE BEEN ALL DEAD FROM THE DEFECTIVE BMW AIRBAG, YESTERDAY (JULY 31ST) WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE DMV THAT WE NEED TO CONTACT BMW TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. WHAT IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED THAT DAY? HOW MUCH IS A HUMAN LIFE WORTH? WE PURCHASED A BMW TO PROTECT US DURING AN ACCIDENT AND WE FEEL CHEATED. WE WOULD'VE ALL LOST OUR LIVES. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED AND SITTING IN OUR DEIVEWAY. IT'S INOPERABLE AND THE AIRBAG HASN'T DEPLOYED. WE ARE SCARED TO EVEN GO INSIDE THE CAR TO GRAB OUR THINGS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. IMMEDIATELY. MY DAUGHTERS ARE SCARED TO RIDE INSIDE A CAR, AND I'M SCARED TO DRIVE AGAIN. THERE HAS BEEN 24 REPORTED DEATHS FROM TAKATA, WE COULD'VE BEEN NUMBER 29.

NHTSA ODI 11240850

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, THE FIRE ALARM ACTIVATED. AFTER RETURNING TO THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11231281

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V336000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. WHILE DRIVING, THE IDLER PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 18V248000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11130277

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 BMW X5. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED FLAMES AND SMOKE INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (JMK BMW IN SPRINGFIELD, NEW JERSEY) WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

NHTSA ODI 11098631

MY WIFE'S BMW WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE UPON RETURNING FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHERE A SERVICE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED. THE CAR SELF COMBUSTED DESTROYING THE BMW X5 , MY BMW 328 XI, OUR GARAGE AND PORTIONS OF OUR CONDO ADJACENT TO THE GARAGE.

NHTSA ODI 11043735

FIRE OCCURRED IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR (TOP SPEAKER) SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE AND DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAD A STRONG ODOR AND SMOKE WAS POURING OUT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND LOCATED THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE AND SAW A FLAME. I TOOK A PHOTO OF THE FLAME TO DOCUMENT IT. I SHUT OFF THE RADIO AND THE FLAME AND SMOKE DISSIPATED.

NHTSA ODI 11001801

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE AT HOME AND RANDOMLY BURST INTO FLAMES AT APPROXIMATELY 2AM. FIRE CAUSED OVER $800,000 IN DAMAGE AND HOME TOOK WELL OVER A YEAR TO REPAIR. INSURANCE AND FIRE INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANYTHING IN THE GARAGE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CAR, BUT I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF FORMAL REPORT AND IT HAS BEEN OVER THREE YEARS.

NHTSA ODI 10991810

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND SMOKE EMITTED UNDER THE HOOD WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL DIESEL HEATHER FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V339000 (FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 10927609

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING HOWEVER, A LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE OIL RESERVOIR MELTED ONTO THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO FLAME VISIBLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,400.

NHTSA ODI 10846430

MARGINING ONTO FREEWAY ACCELERATED CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND BRAKES WENT HARD ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHTS ON THE DASH BUILD DATE DEC 2010 FALLS INTO VANOS REPAIR FIXED ONCE ALREADY AND HAS MADE THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE BMW CORPORATE IS CLAIMING NOT AT FAULT WHEN HUNDREDS OF CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED ONLINE EVERY VEHICLE MADE FROM FEB 2010-DEC 2010 IS A TICKING BOMB

NHTSA ODI 10825256

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING CAUSING SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE COOLING PRESSURE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V521000 (ENGINE, ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,716.

NHTSA ODI 10822907

FOR THE PAST YEAR OR MORE, DRIVING ANY DISTANCE STARTED FITS OF YAWNING. ON OCCASION IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO STAY AWAKE. ON JULY 27, 2015 I APPARENTLY BLACKED OUT IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC AND WOKE UP HAVING COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. DIAGNOSED AS PRE-DIABETIC, I BELIEVED THIS WAS MY PROBLEM, AND UNRELATED TO MY VEHICLE. HOWEVER, MY CAR TOOK 31 DAYS TO REPAIR, AND WHILE DRIVING THE RENTAL CAR THIS YAWNING NEVER AGAIN OCCURRED. YESTERDAY (SEPTEMBER 24, 2015) IT HAPPENED AGAIN. NO COLLISION, BUT GREAT DIFFICULTY GETTING HOME, EVEN WITH THE DRIVER'S WINDOW OPEN FOR MAXIMUM FRESH AIR. I AM CONVINCED THAT THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING CARBON MONOXIDE INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN. IT'S GOING BACK TO THE DEALER TODAY

NHTSA ODI 10776551

I WAS RECENTLY IN AN ACCIDENT. I REAR ENDED SOMEONE AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I HAVE CHEST AND RIB PAIN. EVEN DEPLOYED THE AIR BAG WAS NOT FULLY INFLATED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10659213

OUR 2011 BMW X5D (DIESEL) STARTED HAVING STEERING ISSUES IN JUN OF 2012. MULTIPLE REPAIR ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. LATER IT WAS INVOLVED IN A LOW SPEED CRASH, INJURING THE DRIVER IN DEC 2012 DUE TO A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THIS WAS JUST MONTHS BEFORE ISSUING A RECALL FOR THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM ALTHOUGH BMW IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS BEFORE THE INITIAL PROBLEM WAS NOTICED. THE VEHICLE STILL TO THIS DAY HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, DIFFICULT LOW SPEED MANEUVERS AND UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR. WE DO HAVE A RECORDING OF A BMW OF NORTH AMERICA MASTER TECHNICIAN ADMITTING TO THE PROBLEM THAT BMW REFUSES TO CORRECT. IN FACT BMW REFUSES TO EVEN PERFORM WORK ON OUR VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT'S ADVERTISED AS "NO MAINTENANCE FOR 4YEARS/50,000 MILES" THIS IS AT ANY DEALERSHIP WE HAVE GONE TO DUE TO A NOTE IN THE DATABASE FROM BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. ALSO VEHICLE SERVICE HISTORY HAS BEEN FRAUDULENTLY ERASED FROM THEIR DATABASE AND BMW REFUSES TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2010 AND IS STILL UNDER FULL FACTORY WARRANTY. THEY INSIST THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE OFFICIALLY, WHILE UNOFFICIALLY ADMITTING THAT IT IS DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10543104

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TPM ERROR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE SURGED. IN ADDITION, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10525563

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 02/06/12 AT 0300 WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE. ACCORDING TO MIAMI'S FIRE DEPARTMENT THIS WAS NOT DEEMED ARSON/VANDALISM, NO EVIDENCE OF FORCED ENTRY OR ACCELERATE WAS NOTED. A RECALL FOR HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SUCH MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10447356

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, HE ATTEMPTED TO PARK. WHILE ENGAGING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TWO DIFFERENT AUTHORIZED DEALERS FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHERE BOTH WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. ALSO, AN ENGINEER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND PROVIDED NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR SIX WEEKS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,783.

NHTSA ODI 10415546