Research · complaint index

BMW X5 M years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 6 model years of the BMW X5 M by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. No single year stands far above the rest.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
201312
20178
20202
202119
202214
20231
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
2023410.100Fewest complaints
202272141.209Typical
2021114191.6010Typical
20201120.100Fewest complaints
20177580.603Typical
2013162121.002Typical
  • 20234 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 202272 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 2021114 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 202011 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 201775 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 2013162 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 10, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2023, 2020.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What BMW X5 M years have the most complaints?

No BMW X5 M model year drew more than twice the typical complaint rate among the 6 model years compared. The highest was 2021.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.