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What 15 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 BMW 550i Xdrive

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (15)Crash / fire / injury (1)Engine (8)Fuel system (5)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Seats (2)Brakes (1)Electrical system (1)Lights (1)Suspension (1)Tires (1)Wheels (1)

3 of 15 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters

Feb 9, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

GUIBO FLEXIBLE DISC FAILED DURING ROUTINE PA INSPECTION. TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS CRACKED AND FAILED THE INSPECTION. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 62000 MILES ON IT AND THE CV JOINT FAILED. I BELIEVE THEIR WAS A RECALL FOR 2011 AND 2012 MODELS FOR THE SAME ISSUE.I WAS CHARGED MORE THAN 1000 DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FLEXIBLE DISK AT THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FIX IT SO IT WOULD PASS STATE INSPECTION. I DID NOT WANT THE DRIVE AXLE TO FALL OFF THE CAR. THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR A CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE.

NHTSA ODI 11395492

Aug 11, 2018Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel system

WHILE DRIVE BELOW 30 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT BROKE AND RUPTURED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE'S UPPER OIL PAN. THE FLEXIBLE JOINT OR UNIVERSAL JOINT SEIZED AND BROKE THE FRONT PART OF THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT. THEN THE VEHICLE HAD METAL IN THE ENGINE OIL AND THAT HAS DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND THE TURBOCHARGERS. THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO NEED A NEW ENGINE, NEW TURBOCHARGERS, AND A NEW FRONT DRIVESHAFT. THE REPAIR ESTIMATES ARE: NEW ENGINE - $3800.00 TURBO CHARGERS - $1100.00 FRONT DRIVESHAFT - $1500.00 AUXILIARIES PARTS - $1200.00 LABOR/REPAIR COST - $7000.00 TOTAL COST - $14,600.00

NHTSA ODI 11119363

Aug 10, 2013Transmission & drivetrainEngine

ENGINE CONTINUES TO BURN THROUGH OIL APPROXIMATELY EVERY 1,500 MILES, WHICH COULD LEAVE THE VEHICLE STRANDED AND INOPERABLE. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE IN A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10534669

Working with the data? Download all 15 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 BMW 550i Xdrive verdict →