Home · 2017 BMW X5 Phev · Complaints

What 73 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 BMW X5 Phev

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 (73)Crash / fire / injury (4)Electrical system (17)Fuel system (15)Engine (12)Transmission & drivetrain (9)Brakes (7)Airbags (5)Body & structure (5)Fuel System, Diesel (5)Seat belts (5)Engine & cooling (4)

Newest first · 73 complaints · page 2 of 3

Jan 11, 2023Suspension

Second time rear suspension dropped, less that 30K miles since last repair. On December 15th 2022, my car suspension dropped and my ride got bouncy. If this condition had ocurred in a high speed highway it can make the driver to lose control of the vehicle and possibly have an accident. The unit was taken to the Service Center and was diagnosed with exact same parts that were replaced the first time. I reached BMW USA and explain the timeline in which both events happened. First Incident: 02/14/ 2020 Mileage:48661 Second Incident: 12/15/2022 Mileage:78641 They didn’t recognize this as a manufacturing defect in parts or system and they offered a 50 % discount in the repair. I think this a defective system and it has been demonstrated by its recurrence. No notification message was displayed prior to the incidents Please find attached evidence of first and second estimates showing the same parts.

NHTSA ODI 11501220

Nov 16, 2022Electrical system

Blower motor doesn’t work and BMW Has discontinued the part. So I have to form or heat or ac flow in my car

NHTSA ODI 11493786

Sep 8, 2022SuspensionFuel systemLane Departure

Hi, I have bought BMW x5 2017 from certified dealer in Nov 2020. From the beginning, vehicle is giving me problems. I spoke with BMW customer care and they are not helping me much. Below are the problems that vehicle has given me. They are so many other problems but I am noting the major problems. 1. Vibration during acceleration 2. The rear suspension got broke 3. Vehicle stopped on the road while traveling with an infant. Problem they said is fuel is not pumping into engine. They confirmed tank has 3/4th of gas. So that’s the problem with the vehicle. - they left us on the road for 4-5 hours until they tow the car. - my family including 3 months old baby has to get shelter inside a gas station for almost 12 hours until I get a rental car because they didn’t give loaner vehicle or not provided any help to rescue my family to bring to safe location. 4. The air suspension completely broke while traveling from Baton Rouge. Which caused back pain problem to my wife who recently has c-section. I am still dealing with her back pain treatment after that. And they took more than 20 days to repair and give the car back. I got an old Dodge Journey as a loaner from rental agency. Why do I need to pay for luxury car if I have to drive a Dodge Journey. 5. During the problem 3, BMW service center said fuel wasn't pumping into the engine and they said they fixed the issue. Again on August 14th 2022, vehicle was broken due to fuel pumping issue while I was in a city which is 2 hours from where I live. vehicle stopped on highway without any notice. They could have saved me and my family lot of stress and health issues if they supported us well and inspected the vehicle before selling us. They looted our money and played with us emotionally and caused physical and mental damage by doing it. I had to rescue my 3 months old baby because of this vehicle which stopped on high way during hottest season of summer mid June 2021. Your help is much appreciated in this regard.

NHTSA ODI 11483526

Aug 4, 2022Fuel System, Diesel

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel) and 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed. The approximate failure mileage 75,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11477562

Jul 9, 2022Engine

Failure of emission system. SCR active tank failed at 66K miles. Manufacture warranty does not cover the fix.

NHTSA ODI 11473146

Jun 14, 2022Fuel system

Fuel Tank Ventilation failed in my 2017 BMW X5 XDrive 40E at around 93k miles (ODO). The problem has been confirmed by the dealer and this is creating fuel odor and undesired gases to be leaked out of the system

NHTSA ODI 11469223

Jun 10, 2022Seat belts

When the vehicle is exposed to heat, the seat belt does not buckle. The release button stays jammed and the seat belt does not fully secure. The light goes off but the seat belt will release with some tension. It only happens when the car is hot. It could seriously put people at risk if it is not addressed.

NHTSA ODI 11468680

Mar 17, 2022Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

My BWW X5 hybrid give me a sudden error in the middle of the road. The error was Drive train malfunction and suddenly it stopped couple of seconds after the warning. Leaving me in the middle of the road. Thankfully I was on a low traffic road, so there was no accident. It was a scary situation to be at. After that, I managed to start the car after couple of tries and pull it over to a safer place. The car was useless so I had to call my BMW dealer. To add to the bad experience the dealer took long to service my car. They are unable to find the problem and it is charging me extra $1,170 for another 8 hours of labor without any guarantees. My BMW is on excellent condition with 40k miles only. The car never alert me of any signs or warnings. This is a major failure that should not happen to any car owner in these days.

NHTSA ODI 11457200

Feb 16, 2022Brakes

Brakes are squeaking and vehicle is shaking when attempting to use brakes. Takes an excessively long time to brake and I fear for the safety of my family when using vehicle with faulty brakes. Vehicle paperwork shows that the vehicle is overdue for new front/rear brakes, yet BMW doesn't want to replace them since they key reader isn't indicating that they need to be replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11452218

Feb 9, 2022Body & structureSeats

Sunroof drain clogged, causing leaking of water into vehicle. The dealer tested and found the same issue. They stated that there is a fix for this, to reroute the drain, and that it was not done on my vehicle prior to it clogging.

NHTSA ODI 11451168

Feb 2, 2022Body & structure

Rear tailgate suddenly flew open while driving at a speed of roughly 25 mph without any user input. Car was fully locked and at speed, trunk/tailgate release button was not pushed. The tailgate was fully closed and locked, and there were no warning lights or chimes indicating otherwise. This has only occurred once as of today and has not been able to be replicated, so it is not necessarily "available for inspection upon request". My safety, as well as others, were put at risk by this malfunction as our family dog is often transported in her crate that is located in the trunk, and if this malfunction had occurred while she was back there, her crate could have very easily fallen out of the car at high speed, undoubtedly leading to death. In this same instance, her crate falling out of the trunk at highway speeds, or really anything else being transported in the trunk, could have easily penetrated another car's windshield, resulting in injury or death of another vehicle's inhabitants. As previously stated, this problem has not been able to be reproduced by a dealer or independent service center at the time of this writing. The tailgate has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or any other parties. There were no warning lamps, messages, or any other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, nor have there been after the fact.

NHTSA ODI 11449841

Jan 26, 2022Fuel System, Diesel

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11448997

Jan 19, 2022Fuel System, Diesel

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The part was not available for repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11448103

Dec 21, 2021Fuel system

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 ( FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL ) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph when attempting to accelerate the vehicle when the vehicle suddenly lost power and the fuel pump failed. The contact was able to maneuver and coast the vehicle to the side of the road. They then had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The contact stated that when the vehicle was towed they learned that the gear shifter was locked in position. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000. Vin tool confirms parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11444604

Dec 9, 2021Fuel System, Diesel

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle suddenly loss power, and the fuel pump failed. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact stated that when the vehicle was towed, he learned that the gear shifter was locked in position. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11443277

Oct 12, 2021Tether, Lower Anchor (on Car Seat Or Vehicle)

The contact owns a Cybex car seat. Model number: 519004435,Model name: Sirona S. The car seat was being utilized in a 2017 BMW X5. The contact stated that while, his daughter was in the car seat it wiggled and moved at the base. The contact stated the writing on the chest clip faded within a week. The occupant of the car seat was able to move the chest clip. The contact stated the latch and seatbelt failed to correct the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated the car seat was to narrow at the base and was not suitable for several vehicles. Consumer stated: 1.Not able to securely install with latch method across several vehicle types 2. Not able to securely install with seat belt method across several vehicle types 3. Top belt buckle is easily undone by children while in transit 4. Ink used on seat buckles and hardware fades and rubs off easily.

NHTSA ODI 11436381

Oct 6, 2021SteeringElectrical systemBrakes

Warning on screen came on suddenly while driving indicating charger system failure. While driving to the dealer for diagnosis and repair, power steering failed, then power brakes failed, then engine stopped running. Could not put vehicle in park and vehicle rolled back when foot brake was released. Car was diagnosed as alternator failure.

NHTSA ODI 11435736

Sep 27, 2021Fuel System, Diesel

The contact owns a 2016 BMW X5-Diesel. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact spoke with a dealer, and the dealer confirmed that part was not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11434549

Aug 17, 2021Fuel system

On July 30, 2021, my 2017 BMW X5 35d, which had only about 49,000 miles on it and which had been serviced only six weeks before, died without warning. My son and I could have been killed. The car went into Park and had to be towed on a flatbed to the dealer. After 5 days of no word, the dealer falsely accused me of putting gasoline in my diesel vehicle. The dealer eventually determined that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed, which caused exactly the problem listed in BMW's July 29, 2021 recall notice to its dealers: it caused metal fragments to contaminate the entire fuel system. BMW initially advised me that it had no "recall remedy," but when it did, it would replace the fuel pump but would not repair the nearly $13,000 in damage to the fuel system that the fuel pump failure caused. BMW eventually relented and advised it will complete all repairs caused by the fuel pump failure. But it has declined to reimburse me for the "overage" charges I've incurred in towing the vehicle to the dealer and in connection with the rental vehicle they obtained for me. And of course, not a single apology for the harrowing experience that could have resulted in our deaths, nor for the considerable inconvenience caused by this defect that BMW has known about for years.

NHTSA ODI 11429454

Jun 8, 2021Electrical systemBody & structure

Front passage door becomes unlocked/ not secure while driving My doors are set to auto-lock when I drive off. Today’s incident occurred when I hit a normal bump in the road. I heard a pop, which was the front passenger door unlocking. This jarred the door from the locked position to rattling in the door frame. The car’s auto lock issue is activated therefore, it’s trying to lock the door. Then car system reports a need to stop the car to prevent rolling as the doors are not secure. It Goes without saying how dangerous this is. Searchers this issue In the Internet. Seems some X5 owners reporting a issue with the door cables? Saw no recall. My car is out of warranty but this is a serious safety issue BMW should address Help! Note, this bumpis located in the parking lot entrance to my office’s garage.

NHTSA ODI 11420147

Jun 2, 2021

I was driving down the highway at approximately 55mph when the sunroof exploded. Fortunately the sunroof sliding cover was closed and the glass did not enter the car. I did see some pieces flying down the highway behind me. I was not driving under any overpass at time, nor did I hear or see any rocks or objects hit the glass.

NHTSA ODI 11419432

Nov 17, 2020EngineFuel system

THE CAR STOPPED WITHOUT ANY WARNING 3 TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING MY WIFE AND KIDS INSIDE THE CAR. I CONSIDER VERY LUCKY THIS HAPPENED ON COUNTY ROAD TWO TIME AND ONES IN THE SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT, INSTEAD OF MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SECOND TIME THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH GAUGES. LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS 11/13 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH THE DAUGHTER TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, GAS READING SHOWS ABOVE 1/4 TANK AND 146 MILES REMAINING (I HAVE PICTURES OF THE CLUSTER). BUT THE CAR ABRUPTLY STOP TWITHOUGHT ANY WARNING WHICH WILL BE A DEADLY SITUATION IF HAPPENED IN THE HIGHWAY. THE REASON FOR IT TO STOP WAS NO GAS IN THE TANK THOUGH IT GIVES A READING OF OVER 1/4 TANK 146 MILES REMAINING. MY LAST VISIT TO THE DEALER WAS ABOUT A MONTH BACK AND I WAS TOLD THEY REPLACED THE GAS TANK AND THE SENSOR INSIDE THE TANK WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER VEHICLE WARRANTY. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THIS CAR, I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUES BMW NA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE CAR IS WITH BMW OF ROCKVILLE.

NHTSA ODI 11375091

Sep 22, 2020Tires

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 BMW X5 EQUIPPED WITH DUNLOP RUN FLAT TIRES, TIRE LINE: SPORT MAXX SP, TIRE SIZE: 315/35/R20, DOT NUMBER: (UNKNOWN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER DUE TO LOW TIRE PRESSURE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR TIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OBSERVED THE TIRE AND STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 27,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 11360485

Jul 7, 2020

MY AUTO MECHANIC SAID THERE IS A SMALL LEAK IN OIL PAN

NHTSA ODI 11338011

Jun 17, 2020Suspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FROM A STOP, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE REAR SUSPENSION RESPONDED BEFORE THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE CONTACT CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,100.

NHTSA ODI 11329377

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Working with the data? Download all 73 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 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 2017 BMW X5 Phev verdict →