2020 BMW X5 MRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“While driving home vehicle began to smoke. Pulled over thinking it may be overheating, not realizing it was smoke. No warnings or messages were displayed. Parked, turned off ignition and called husband from vehicle. When smoke became overwhelming I got out of vehicle. Noticed sparks dripping from under vehicle. Called 911 as sparks became a fire. Entire engine was engulfed in flames as fire department arrived. Police arrived on scene and vehicle was towed and inspected the following day by Geico who declared vehicle a total loss.”

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving, the ignition switch message was displayed. The contact stated that later in the day, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brake malfunction message displayed. The contact forcefully depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was parked and turned off. The vehicle was restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a brake master cylinder reservoir failure. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder reservoir needed to be replaced. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V062000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was contacted by phone, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the failure was regular wear and tear. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.”

“I am reporting a severe structural safety failure on my 2020 BMW X5. While driving, the front suspension assembly suffered an abrupt mechanical failure. A subsequent inspection by an independent service facility revealed that the front control arm brackets had "burst" / fractured. This exact mechanical failure perfectly mirrors NHTSA Campaign Number 20V678000 (issued for 2020–2021 BMW X5 vehicles), which states that the weld connecting the front axle support to the right front control arm bearing bracket can fail and separate, resulting in a loss of steering control. Despite suffering from the identical, dangerous structural defect outlined in the federal recall, my specific VIN was excluded from BMW's active recall campaign. I had to pay out-of-pocket for an independent repair to make the vehicle safe to drive. I have attached the itemized mechanic's receipt explicitly stating "front control arm brackets burst" as empirical evidence. I request that the NHTSA investigate whether BMW's recall scope for this weld defect needs to be expanded to include omitted VINs.”