What 271 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d

While driving on highway at 70 MPH, front AWD driveshaft failed and caused massive damage to engine and underside of car is destroyed. The flailing driveshaft punched a hole in engine and oil pan, causing all engine oil to spray on hot exhaust and the tires while driving. Luckily was able to slow car and steer it to shoulder, near miss accident. There is recall 17V-138 on this year of BMW X5 for exact issue that happened to me, but BMW states that my VIN is not affected. Yeah right.

NHTSA ODI 11642851

A recall on the prop shaft was done in 2017 and today 06/24 while driving on the freeway I heard a loud clunking noise and then a huge pop and I pulled over on the side of the road to find my prop shaft had exploded and messed up everything. Now im stuck with a nonfunctional car because a part that was allegedly replaced for safety ended up exploding while I was driving.

NHTSA ODI 11592244

The contact owns a 2012 BMW X5. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the driveshaft universal joint had failed, causing additional damage to the transmission and oil pan. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number 17V138000 (Power Train), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11544815

The contact owns a 2012 BMW X5. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard a loud thumping sound underneath the vehicle. The contact then stated that the vehicle hesitated then decelerated at low speeds while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated that his wife was able to navigate the vehicle safely to the residence. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front driveshaft failed and as a result the power steering hoses had ruptured and the front driveshaft and the power steering hoses needed to be replaced. The power steering hoses were replaced however, the front driveshaft had not yet been replaced. The contact referenced the NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V138000 (Power Train). The manufacture was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.

NHTSA ODI 11542756

The DPF exhaust emissions system failed. BMW dealership refused to replace only replaced a holding tank. That code was not shown. The x5 left shop with a engine light and emissions failure. Independent shop scanned car explained diesel dpf system has failed and is under warranty.. dealership refused to fix. Car runs sluggish, engine warning keeps coming on and take to service. ... The egr cooler failed. The independent shop confirmed codes. Exhaust smell in cabin, reduced power, sluggish, and car goes into LIMP mode while I was driving on the freeway. The shut down of power caused me to almost crash into on coming lane of vehicles at highway speed. Engine light on and warning of engine failure and car stuck in limp mode . System says to take to dealer. . Please help as the dealer will not warranty or recall repair, even though I am under 100,000 miles and there are multiple recall and manufacturer extension warranty for these specific repairs. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11419530

ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE CUSTOMER CARE PACKAGE WAS NEVER DONE ON VEHICLE TO SAVE ENGINE FROM KILLING ITSELF. THESE ENGINES IN THESE CAR ARE PROBLEMATIC DUE TO DESIGN OF ENGINE THEY EAT OIL AND VALVE STEMS DRYS OUT AND STARTS TO SMOKE

NHTSA ODI 11416219

FAULTY TRANSFER CASE

NHTSA ODI 11405127

AS I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE VEHICLE COMING AT A 40 MPH TO 50 MPH SPEED LIMIT.LOCAL POLICE HAD TO PUT OUT CONES TO MAKE SURE MY VEHICLE WASN'T GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY BATTERY WAS DRAINED FAST MYBE DUE TO THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11397432

ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT AND CAR OVERHEATING CAUSED BY WATER PUMP, THERE'S NO RECALL FOR MY VIN BUT IT SEEMS THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH BMW X5 MODELS... THE BMW DID A RECALL ON MY X5 AND AFTER THEY FINISHED THE RECALL THE TRANSFER CASE STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY, HOWEVER, THE TRANSFER CASE WAS WORKING PERFECTLY BEFORE THE RECALLED. THE BMW POWER TRAIN RECALL DAMAGE THE TRANSFER CASE

NHTSA ODI 11366858

SHUDDER AT LOW SPEED WHILE TURNING. THIS IS AN ISSUE WHICH I OBSERVE SINCE AN YEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11366232

THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS /LEARCHES WHILE TURNING DURING LOW SPEEDS. TRANSFER CASE ISSUE WHICH HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY BMW.

NHTSA ODI 11352972

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING NOISE AND SMOKE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HOME. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEVERED. THE LOCAL DEALER JACKY COOPER BMW LOCATED AT 14201 N. BROADWAY EXT. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICE UNDER A MANUFACTURES SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

NHTSA ODI 11331530

VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND DOCUMENTED VEHICLE....ENGINE SEIZED AT 95K MILES. NO CODES OR REASON GIVEN. VEHICLE HAS HAD $20-30K WORK DONE AT A REGISTERED BMW DEALER OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. BMW=BRING MONEY WITH. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER BMW AND IF SOMEONE TRIED TO GIVE ME ONE, I WOULD RUN THE OTHER WAY. I'VE OWNED MANY CARS AND THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE, WORST PURCHASE I'VE EVER MADE. COST TO REPLACE ENGINE, $12K. CROOKS IN MY OPINION AND DO YOUR RESEARCH IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS FRIENDLY WARNING. OH AND ONE MORE THING...AFTER I SPENT $12K TO REPLACE ENGINE, NOW THEY SAY THE TRANSFER CASE MAYBE COMPROMISED. DARE YOU LOOK UP WHAT THAT COSTS TO FIX. I WILL NOT PUT ONE MORE DIME INTO THIS VEHICLE. I AM DISGUSTED WITH THEIR ENTIRE OPERATION. THE ONLY POSITIVE IS THE WHEELS DID NOT LOCK UP WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED, OTHERWISE, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. ALL X5'S SHOULD BE RECALLED. DO NOT BUY BMW!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI 11329841

THERE WAS A WATER PUMP RECALL FOR MY BMW X5, I TOOK MY X5 DUE TO AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION, THE DEALER DIDN'T DO THE WATER PUMP RECALL, INSTEAD, THEY CHARGE ME FOR REPLACING THE IVM AND THE CHARGE AIR PIPE STATING THAT WAS THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION, AFTER I PAID APPROXIMATELY $2,500 THEY CAME BACK AND TOLD ME THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS DUE TO THE WATER PUMP, SO THEY CHARGED ME AN ADDITIONAL $1,380 FOR THE WATER PUMP. I JUST CHECKED THE RECALLS ON MY VEHICLES AND NOTICED THERE'S A WATER PUMP RECALL, HOWEVER, I HAD TO PURCHASE THE WATER PUMP AND OTHER ITEMS NOT NEEDED FOR THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION MESSAGE RELATED TO THE WATER PUMP. HOW CAN I SUBMIT A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE AMOUNT AMOUNT PAID WHEN THERE WAS A RECALL AND I PAY FROM MY POCKET THE AMOUNT OF $3,880.00 RELATED TO THE WATER PUMP. ALSO, THE DEALER DID A DRIVE SHAFT RECALL, HOWEVER NOW THE TRANSFER CASE IS NOT WORKING, CREATING THE FRONT UNIVERSAL JOINT TO FAIL AFTER THE DRIVESHAFT RECALL WAS DONE, THE FRONT WHEELS IS AFFECTING THE VEHICLE TRACTION. WATER AND DEBRIS MAY BE ENTERING THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT'S UNIVERSAL JOINT AND MAY CAUSE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND POSSIBLY RESULTING IN THE JOINT'S FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328657

IT IS MAKING A HORRIBLE CRYING NOICE AND IT'S VIBRATES. THE WATER PUMP WAS ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF BUT STILL ONCE AGAIN PROBLEMS

NHTSA ODI 11279345

MY 2012 BMW X5 DEVELOPED TRANSFER CASE PROBLEM. THE TRANSFER CASE SHUTTERS AND THE CAR START JUMPING WHEN I MAKE LEFT OR RIGHT TURN FROM THE STOP, WHICH IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CAR HAS 49200 MILES AS OF TODAY, SEP 2019. THIS REPRESENTS DANGER IN DRIVING THE CAR AND TRANSFER CASE HAS TO BE REPLACED. SEARCHING THE INTERNET REVEALED THAT IT'S A COMMON ISSUE WITH 2012 BMW X5 VEHICLES AND IN MY OPINION, BMW MUST FIX FAULTY TRANSFER CASE FREE OF CHARGE. AS IT STANDS TODAY, BRAMIN BMW IN MIAMI QUOTED ME $5000 PLUS TAX TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE.

NHTSA ODI 11255327

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH 250 MILES AWAY FROM HOME THE DRIVE SHAFT ON MY BMW X5 BROKE. I THINK THE RECALL NUMBER IS 17V-138. I WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN THE LEFT LANE. THE CAR WAS BUCKING AROUND, SMOKING AND WAS VERY VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. BEFORE THIS THE CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECTLY. IT HAPPENED IN AN INSTANT. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INJURING MYSELF OR MY PASSENGERS. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHO SAID IT WAS CATASTROPHIC. I LOOKED UP ON YOUR WEBSITE AND SAW THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS A RECALL. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS BY BMW. I HAD MY HOME GARAGE GO GET IT. THEY SENT IT TO A BMW DEALER WHO HAD IT OVER 2 MONTHS. THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE. IT WAS RETURNED TO MY GARAGE. I DROVE IT ABOUT 10 MILES BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST THE INABILITY TO ACCELERATE. I WAS ON THE THRUWAY SO THIS WAS VERY SCARY. BMW IS SAYING THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO W THE DRIVE SHAFT BREAKING AND KILLING THE ENGINE AS PARTS WERE FLYING AROUND INSIDE. 5 DAYS BEFORE THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT I HAD THE CAR CHECKED OVER BY MY GARAGE AS I WAS GOING ON A TRIP. I WAS TOLD MY CAR SHOULD HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGED NEXT TIME IN BUT IT WASN'T URGENT. I AM NOW LOOKING AT A $5000 REPAIR. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS FROM THE CATASTROPHE. BMW SHOULD PAY FOR THIS REPAIR, REIMBURSE ME FOR ALL THE TOWING CHARGES AND REIMBURSE MY GARAGE FOR LETTING ME HAVE A LOANER FOR OVER 2 MONTHS. PLEASE HELP. I HAVE PICTURES AND WILL TRY TO UPLOAD THEM.

NHTSA ODI 11246631

HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP AT 58,000 MILES. CAR IS SPEWING EXHAUST, AND ACCELERATION AND STEERING ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, LIKELY DUE TO UJOINT AND/OR WORN CONTROL ARM, WHICH I NOTICED WERE RECALLED FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT LISTED AS A RECALL FOR MY CAR/VIN. NEED TO RESEAL CRANKCASE JOINTING SURFACES. CAR HAS 8 RECALLS LISTED ON KBB, BUT BMW ONLY HAS RECORD OF 5 RECALLS. I DO NOT HAVE RECORDS OF REPAIRS THAT WERE DONE ON CAR BEFORE PURCHASE IN NOV. OF 2014. CAR CURRENTLY HAS 69,000 MILES AND IS DRIVING HORRIBLY

NHTSA ODI 11231411

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND AN UNKNOWN FLUID EMERGED FROM THE TRANSMISSION AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE DRIVE AXLE FRACTURED AND DAMAGED THE TRANSFER CASE, WHICH NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BMW OF MANHATTAN (555 W 57TH ST, NEW YORK, NY 10019), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED UNLESS IT WAS PAID FOR BY THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V138000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

NHTSA ODI 11219294

ON AUGUST 7, 2018, I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 95 IN MARYLAND (NORTH OF BALTIMORE) IN ROUTE TO NEW YORK STATE. DURING THE HIGHWAY DRIVE, MY BMW DRASTICALLY REDUCED SPEED TO 10 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I HAD TO MOVE MY CAR TO A SAFE PLACE TO AVOID BEING HIT BY THE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY CAR. AND, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND WAS AT RISK DUE TO THE BMW CAR ISSUE. I CALLED AAA AND MY CAR WAS TOWED TO PASSPORT BMW IN SUITLAND, MARYLAND FOR REPAIR. ON AUGUST 8TH, PASSPORT EVALUATED MY CAR AND DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED BY PASSPORT BMW THAT MY CAR ENGINE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL IGNITION SYSTEM WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. I APPROVED THIS OVER $570 REPAIR TO MY CAR. HOWEVER, WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. AGAIN, I WAS CONCERNED SINCE MY CAR WAS REPAIRED BY BMW YET THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN FIXED SINCE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE ADVISOR TO INFORM HIM OF THE PROBLEM. HE APOLOGIZED AND REQUESTED THAT I BRING THE CAR BACK IN TO PASSPORT BMW ON THE NEXT DAY. THE NEXT DAY, I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO PASSPORT BMW, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AN ESTIMATED $3388 REPAIR, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR BMW SERVICE MAINTENANCE AND RECALL REPAIRS SEVERAL TIME. MY CAR WAS IN FOR MAINTENANCE SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS NOT ACCURATELY DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE REPAIR DIAGNOSED ON AUGUST 8TH FIXED THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED MY CAR TO STOP RUNNING ON THE HIGHWAY ON AUGUST 7TH. I PAID FOR THAT REPAIR IN AUGUST AND IT DID NOT FIX THE CHECK ENGINE PROBLEM AND WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS EXPENSE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMEROUS REPAIRS TO MY BMW DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE PASSPORT BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11164436

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, GEAR SELECTOR SOMETIMES WON'T SET IN PARK, SOMETIMES TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO SAFE MODE RANDOMLY

NHTSA ODI 11151305

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V019000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,533.

NHTSA ODI 11150104

TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY GOES INTO PARK WHEN BACK UP OR MOVING FORWARD IN IDLE. CAR HAS ALSO COME OUT OF PARK RANDOMLY, WITH CAR ROLLING SLIGHTLY. SEPARATELY, HAD GASKET HAS LEAK AT 69000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11139351

I WAS DRIVING MY BMW X5 AND OUT OF NOWHERE AN "ENGINE MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT" CAME UP ACCOMPANIED BY AN ENGINE OVERHEATING, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND CALLED A TOW-TRUCK WHO TOOK MY X5 TO THE NEARS BMW DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED IT WAS THE IVM AND THE CHARGE AIR PIPE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AFTER SPENDING $1,500 ON THE 2 ITEMS, I DROVE OUT OF THE DEALER AND LESS THAN A MILE DOWN THE ROAD, THE SAME "ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND VEHICLE OVERHEATING LIGHT" CAME BACK UP. CALLED THE DEALER AND ANOTHER TOW-TRUCK PICK UP MY X5, THEN I REQUESTED TO SPEAK WITH THE SHOP MANAGER WHO INFORMED ME THE PROBLEM WITH THE X5 WAS NEVER PERTAINING TO THE IVM OR CHARGE AIR PIPE, AS THEY MISS OVERLOOKED THE DIAGNOSIS WHICH STATED THE DME WAS NOT WORKING. THEY CHANGE THE DME AND ANOTHER $2,000 WAS CHARGED, AFTER IT WAS REPAIR AND I DROVE AWAY, THE SAME ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT AND VEHICLE OVERHEATING LIGHT CAME UP, CALLED THE DEAELR AND THEY TOLD ME THAT AFTER CHANGING THE DME, THE NEW DIAGNOSIS STATED THE WATTER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS THE PART THAT WAS CREATING THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEATED VEHICLE WARNING TO COME UP. I ENDED UP CHANGING THE WATER PUMP AND OTHER VEHICLE PARTS, THAT DID NOT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AND NOW A RECALL FOR THE WATER PUMP CAME OUT. ON THE MEANTIME, I SPENT ALMOST $4,000.00 ON REPAIRS WHEN EVERYTHING COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IF THEY WOULD HAVE CONDUCTED THE WATER PUMP RECALL. WHO CAN REIMBURSE ME THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PAID? I SENT THE ORIGINAL DME TO SEE IF IT WAS DAMAGE, AND THEY CAME BACK STATING IT WAS NOT DAMAGE AT ALL, THEREFORE THE PROBLEM WAS THE WATER PUMP AND NOT THE DME, OR IVM OR CHARGE AIR PIPE. PLEASE HELP!!!

NHTSA ODI 11123312

2012 BMW X5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VARIOUS SAFETY RECALL NOTICES RECEIVED FOR VEHICLE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED AND REQUIRED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE VEHICLE'S AIR SPRINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE COOLANT TANK CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE OIL GASKET WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO REPLACED. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11024411