4.6

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
23,300 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 BMW X5 drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2016 BMW X5 Owner Comments

problem #10

May 172024

X5

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2016 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal banging sound. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled into a parking lot and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who diagnosed and determined that front drive shaft and u-joint had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

- Spokane, WA, USA

problem #9

Apr 262024

X5

  • miles
While running house errands April 26,2024, late in the afternoon around 4:15 pm to 4:30 pm or so estimated BMW X5 suddenly shutdown in the middle of road from a major stop light intersection with no warning signs displayed on the dashboard no display of any indicators on the dashboard just suddenly shutdown car would not move & could not operate the car : many cars behind us were inconvenienced & some drivers pissed off since I was blocking traffic Called towing services & got the the car finally moved physically to our home address : hazard signal could not be operated due to shutdown off the car Very scary & a major safety concern for me & wife due to this incident on top creating a very stressful situation & scenario for road conditions due to the car incident How can a car suddenly shutdown & not able to operate it w no warnings for any driver ? I was driving the car when this incident took place Please investigate this matter as it-??s very concerning from a risk & safety matter

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #8

Mar 272024

X5

  • miles
Vehicle looses power with " Powertrain Malfunction' displaying on the dashboard. Several codes for the Hybrid Battery failure. Per BMW USA, Hybrid System has 8 years 80000 mile warranty. BMW USA and or authorized BMW Dealership does not want to honor the warranty, claiming the Hybrid Battery might have been OVERUSED. Vehicle only has 65K miles and it is within the warranty period.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #7

Mar 072024

X5 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Hello, I took this vehicle in for a service at 100,000 miles. Part of that service was to change the transmission fluid. While the BMW dealership replaced the fluid, they found that the level was higher than it should have been. They voluntarily removed the transmission, and found that the electric drive buffer spring had been making extremely excessive contact with the transmission, so much so that the buffer spring had worn a hole in the transmission casing. Not a single code, or check engine light had illuminated saying there was anything wrong with any part of the transmission. The only reason this was found was because of regularly scheduled preventative maintenance. After discussing options with the BMW dealership, their recommendation was to put it back together as is, drive it to somewhere like CARMAX, and trade it in with the issue, since it was not showing any faults, codes, or errors with the transmission. The BMW dealership also stated this is not the first X5 edrive that they have seen with the exact same problem, so there is the start to a trend with this vehicle. The transmission could have failed even more catastrophically while driving at highway speed, with no indications that a long term problem was occurring within the transmission, as there is no sensor or error that is being monitored for this type of failure. Although the problem was found at 100,000, the BMW service has stated this issue must have been going on for a significant amount of time for the significant amount of damage. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. I am really shook up that my family was driving what I thought was a very safe vehicle with a ticking time bomb underneath it. Please please look into this. I am a helicopter pilot in the USAF, as well as Mechanical Engineer, and everything I know about vehicles and systems tells me this is a serious problem. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #6

Jan 022023

X5

  • miles
I have received two emails from two different shop foreman-??s. One from Niello BMW and the other BMW Fairfield. They both said the malfunctions I am experiencing- slipping, delay in accelerations- is the way BMW manufacturer made the car. One foreman said all the cars like mine he has driven have the same issue. It is a hybrid that needs the hybrid battery to have charge to not experience these malfunctions, but the car was not made to allow me to have constant battery charge as it only lasts up to 14 miles for 2016 X5 40e hybrid. I-??ve been in situations where charging is not possible- like on vacation at a hotel with no way to charge car. Due to this, I have to deal with these malfunctions that BMW says is not fixable. This has put me in situations where I-??m at risk of an accident because my car won-??t properly accelerate when I need it to. The approximate date I-??ve given is only one situation, but has happened several times before and after.

- Stockton, CA, USA

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problem #5

Nov 232022

X5

  • miles
My bmw x5 40e is having issues accelerating from a dead stop. My safety was put at risk because I was stuck in the intersection going very slowly even after put the accelerating pedal to the floor. It did not properly engage until I got to the other side of the intersection and the stoplight went back to red. It has happened several times after. BMW North America stated that they could not duplicate but the foreman actually did feel it when pulling the car up the day I was to pick it back up and recorded the issue. There were no warning lamps or faults and still do not show any faults, though it still has the same issue. BMW North America Engineer was shown a video I recorded of it in a parking garage going to 4000 rpm but speed remaining under 10 mph for proof after they returned the car to me and he still states -??vehicle is operating as designed-??. I noticed 2016 bmw x5 40e has a recall on it but only for those produced 7/2015-9/2015, mine was produced in 2/2016. Yet, when reading the recall my car acts very similar to the discription. This is a safety hazard because it puts me at an increased risk of a crash. I cannot get my car worked on because BMW of North America says nothing is wrong with it and won-??t allow it to be fixed. We have tried talking to several people with bmw North America and they either say nothing can be done or stop communicating with us. I-??ve tried communication through both email and phone.

- Stockton, CA, USA

problem #4

Dec 172021

X5

  • 49,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2016 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that no issues were found. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where the air shaft suspension and the cylinder were replaced, and other unknown repairs were completed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic who informed the contact that the failure might be associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V919000 (Electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

- Linden, NJ, USA

problem #3

Feb 072022

X5 6-cyl

  • miles
Our 2016 BMW X 5 axle is broken. Can't drive ( very loud noise ) steering and directional control are a safety risk. We purchased new on 9/19/2015 and are the original owners. The car has approximately 60,000. plus miles on it. Living in Ketchum ID we have had all service and Maintenance work done locally because it is 160 miles to Boise ID. We also have a home in Cincinnati OH. where our second car is also a 2016 BMW X5, as was our 2007 and our 2002 X5's. Our local mechanic diagnoses is a broken front axel !! We hope BMW will make a one time exception to tow our 2016 X5 to Boise ID. BMW dealership and have it repaired at no cost to us. We also own presently two Mini Coopers and had one previous Mini also. We hope BMW will make this one time exception to cover the repair. Please advise. Respectfully [XXX]. My e mail is [XXX] my cell is [XXX]. Respectfully[XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Ketchum , ID, USA

problem #2

Sep 012021

X5

  • miles
The electric drivetrain, electric engine and the gasoline malfunctioned while the car was driving at speed from 40-50 miles. The car was build with two engine, the electric motor and a twin turbo gasoline engine. The Electronic drivetrain system was designed for first off start the electric engine will drive car until the battery is depleted then the gasoline engine will take over or some time inter exchange the drive. The problem was in cold weather regarding event with the electric battery is fully charged while driving at speed from 30 miles up to 50 miles per hours the electric engine stall for 5-10 second and the gasoline engine does not run either. As result the car was moving at speed 30-50 mile per hours with no power pushing the car at all, when the driver push on the accelerator pedal the car electric engine or the gasoline engine is not respond in 5-10 second. When driving under certain condition that needed the driver to change lane or accelerate the car out of traffic the car simply stall and not respond in 5-10 second on the road or freeway during traffic hours is serious dangerous. BMW does acknowledge of the problem and called " Electrical Machine Electronics' EME wiring harness connector warranty but not recall or admit the dangerous nor the serious of the issue. BMW simply sending out letter to car owner saying due to customer satisfaction regard EME common issue they extend the EME (Electrical Machine Electronics) to 10 years/120,0000 miles warranty. And this is not recall just an extend warranty. BMW even explained by their own word in the letter "if the issue occur your vehicle will store the corresponding fault codes that will be generated, and additionally, the malfunction Powertrain Malfunctions warning light will be on with an illuminated." I took the car to dealer, they keep the car 3 days concluded it was faulty batter cable, charging me $680, one month later same issue, they claim the car batter was the issue, replaced, same issue again

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #1

Apr 072021

X5

  • 109,000 miles
Front driveshaft needs to be replaced due to excess wear, perhaps transfer case as well. Very similar to safety recall campaign 17V-138:from April/2017 (same issue, my model is one year older than recall notice), but BMW na will not cover the repair cost for this defect.

- Chicago, IL, USA

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