Problems · NHTSA complaints
2006 BMW X5 problems
Owners filed 280 complaints about the 2006 BMW X5 with NHTSA between Jan 2006 and Aug 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (134).
Complaints
280
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
14
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags134
- Electrical system41
- Seats34
- Service brakes30
- Power train15
- Engine13
- Exterior lighting13
- Seat belts10
- Service brakes, hydraulic10
- Visibility9
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Structure7
- Equipment6
- Vehicle speed control5
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
15
5
9
10
18
35
23
28
56
25
15
12
8
7
1
4
3
1
2
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 15 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2011 | 35 |
| 2012 | 23 |
| 2013 | 28 |
| 2014 | 56 |
| 2015 | 25 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
134 reports5 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“I have recently received a message from my city’s social media page stating that bmw vehicles 17-22 years or older with over 99,000 miles have had complaints of default airbags exploding which are injuring/killing people out of nowhere and was told to get it changed at no cost at all!.”
Electrical system
41 reports1 crash6 fires
“I put a new battery and I need to unplugged the negative every time I turn it off. If I don’t do this, the next day, the battery would be dead. I checked with the Ancel OBD2 and there’s nothing wrong. It doesn’t detect anything bad.”
Seats
34 reports9 fires
“When I switch on my driver seat for the heated seat it became so hot that the coils burned through my seat and make two round burn holes in the seat and burned my leg”
Service brakes
30 reports2 crashes
“The brake vacuum pump has leaked a small amount of lubricating oil into the hose. This contamination resulted in a loss of power assist braking. The loss of power assist in braking has increased stopping distance and lead to a near vehicle crash. No indicator lights were present. Repair: Replacement of the brake vacuum line with one that contains a check valve, eliminating the possibility that oil will reach the brake booster; as well as the brake booster and brake master cylinder will also be replaced.”
Power train
15 reports1 fire1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to increase in speed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who suggested that the failure was possibly related to a power train failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was aware of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V504000 (Power Train). The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 274,000.”
Engine
13 reports2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 5 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL AND THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY WHEN APPLIED AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW POWER BRAKE BOOSTER AND VACUUM PUMP NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,932. *DT”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.