2020 BMW X5 Problems & Owner Complaints

Electrical System 38 4 fire

“While driving through west Los Angeles, the vehicle suddenly began emitting white smoke from the engine compartment. There were no prior warning lights, messages, or symptoms indicating a problem. The smoke quickly intensified and turned dark. Thick smoke filled the air, and the cockpit, with the smell of toxic fumes. I safely maneuvered to the shoulder and exited the vehicle with my passenger. Flames erupted from the front of the vehicle. We called 911, which dispatched the fire department. The LAFD responded, cutting open the hood in order to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to a y…”
NHTSA complaint #11722345, 2026 · fire

“I own a 2020 BMX X5 S40i. Car was parked and turned off. When I tried to turn the car ON, the car refused to start and smoke and fire smell started coming from engine compartment. I opened the hood and could smell a burning smell. Waited for smell to disappear and tried starting the car again. Car would not start and burning smell appeared again. Got a warning on the dashboard that engine compartment was overheated and car would be ready to start after 180 seconds. Called AAA to jump start car and same behaviour was observed and car refused to start. Technician also stated that battery was com…”
NHTSA complaint #11663702, 2025 · fire

“The car caught on fire spontaneously when it was parked and locked. The fire started approximately 5 minutes after it was driven for 20 minutes. The fire started under the hood. There was light smoke to begin with which got worse after around 13 minutes and then flames started spewing out at the opening between the hood and the windshield. The car was fully engulfed in flames 5 minutes later with flames going as high as 2 floors. It was finally extinguished by the fire department. The car is currently with my insurance company in their tow yard.”
NHTSA complaint #11641479, 2025 · fire

Engine 29 4 fire 2 injury 1 death

“This vehicle has AC problem it’s blowing hot air. It has evaporator leaking. I called multiple shops and they said this problem is very popular for the X5 2019 to 2023 in my car is 2020. Please recall the Evaporator Core problem. It is too dangerous to drive in the car without AC and is too expensive to Have the Evaporator Core replacement.”
NHTSA complaint #11754754, 2026 · 1 death(s)

“While driving through west Los Angeles, the vehicle suddenly began emitting white smoke from the engine compartment. There were no prior warning lights, messages, or symptoms indicating a problem. The smoke quickly intensified and turned dark. Thick smoke filled the air, and the cockpit, with the smell of toxic fumes. I safely maneuvered to the shoulder and exited the vehicle with my passenger. Flames erupted from the front of the vehicle. We called 911, which dispatched the fire department. The LAFD responded, cutting open the hood in order to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to a y…”
NHTSA complaint #11722345, 2026 · fire

“I own a 2020 BMX X5 S40i. Car was parked and turned off. When I tried to turn the car ON, the car refused to start and smoke and fire smell started coming from engine compartment. I opened the hood and could smell a burning smell. Waited for smell to disappear and tried starting the car again. Car would not start and burning smell appeared again. Got a warning on the dashboard that engine compartment was overheated and car would be ready to start after 180 seconds. Called AAA to jump start car and same behaviour was observed and car refused to start. Technician also stated that battery was com…”
NHTSA complaint #11663702, 2025 · fire

Power Train 16 1 crash

“WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IN A HEAD-ON PARKING SPOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND HIT A WALL. THE CAR THEN WENT INTO REVERSE AND SPED UP RAPIDLY UNTIL IT HIT A CONCRETE PATIO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH SUBSTANTIAL FORCE THE ENTIRE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP MOVING. THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. I DO NOT RECALL HOW THE CAR WENT FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO PEOPLE OR CARS IN THE PARKING LOT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE AUTO BODY SHOP THAT CURRENTLY HAS POSSESSION OF THE…”
NHTSA complaint #11492772, 2022 · crash

“It’s a common issue between 2019-2020 where the oil pump which came from factory has plastic impellers which crack/disintegrate causing catastrophic failure to the engine disabling the vehicle the only warning signs before this happens is you cant read oil level and or the car prompts with a warning low oil messages if untreated the car will have catastrophic engine failure with little to no warning the car was mass produced and this is a common issue therefore should be recalled”
NHTSA complaint #11751677, 2026

“Front Differential input bearing failure. Sudden jerking that almost causes loss of control. This poses a safety risk. This seems to be a know problem for the 2020 BMW X5 M50i No warning lights and I did not experience hearing any sounds as other have reported.”
NHTSA complaint #11739184, 2026

Unknown Or Other 15 1 crash 3 fire 5 injury 1 death

“This vehicle has AC problem it’s blowing hot air. It has evaporator leaking. I called multiple shops and they said this problem is very popular for the X5 2019 to 2023 in my car is 2020. Please recall the Evaporator Core problem. It is too dangerous to drive in the car without AC and is too expensive to Have the Evaporator Core replacement.”
NHTSA complaint #11754754, 2026 · 1 death(s)

“The AC system blowed hot air. There's must be a problem with this model because my friend also have the 2021 BMW X5 and its AC also have problem. We're suffering from this due to Manufacturing defect.”
NHTSA complaint #11748457, 2026 · 3 injury(ies)

“While driving through west Los Angeles, the vehicle suddenly began emitting white smoke from the engine compartment. There were no prior warning lights, messages, or symptoms indicating a problem. The smoke quickly intensified and turned dark. Thick smoke filled the air, and the cockpit, with the smell of toxic fumes. I safely maneuvered to the shoulder and exited the vehicle with my passenger. Flames erupted from the front of the vehicle. We called 911, which dispatched the fire department. The LAFD responded, cutting open the hood in order to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to a y…”
NHTSA complaint #11722345, 2026 · fire

Engine And Engine Cooling 14

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the message "Low Oil Pressure - Stop Vehicle Immediately" was displayed, and the oil warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil pump was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11704232, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that while stopped at a red traffic light, the vehicle lost power. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V576000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The vehicle was previously repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of th…”
NHTSA complaint #11689437, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact made several attempts, and after approximately an hour, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle failed to start and was towed to a local dealer. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the starter motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure t…”
NHTSA complaint #11667694, 2025

Air Bags 6 1 crash 2 injury

“The contact owned a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated while the contact's mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle attempted to make a left turn and crashed head-on into the front driver and passenger side of the vehicle. The driver's air bag did not deploy. During the impact, the driver's head hit the windshield causing it to crack. The police and paramedics arrived on the scene. The contact and the contact's mother were transported to the local medical center. The contact's mother was treated for a severe concussion and severe cuts and bruises. In addition, the contact's…”
NHTSA complaint #11648949, 2025 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that the message "Driver Restraint System Malfunction" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver’s side knee air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 39,500.”
NHTSA complaint #11629873, 2024

“Due to a small coffee spill srs light for front and back were triggered, with the potential of having air bags deployed, this is a defect that needs to be addressed. There was a class acton lawsuit that has since been concluded, but how about for new owners of old vehicles. This should be a safety concern.”
NHTSA complaint #11620270, 2024

Exterior Lighting 5

“Vehicle has excessive condensation in driver headlight. Garage kept only. Problem discovered because of parking vehicle outside on driveway while the garage hosted moving boxes. This was the only time this vehicle has spent the night outside.”
NHTSA complaint #11717301, 2026

“Headlights continually fog up and puddle water in them. It takes a major effort to dry them out. Dealer says they are vented and that they will clear themselves but don't. This is a continual problem and poses a safety issue because of headlight failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11663666, 2025

“The front headlight enclosure repeatedly fogs because moisture gets inside. It has just happened again to us. This has been widely reported by BMW owners and is a significant safety issue that BMW has not addressed. In the interest of public safety BMW should recall and replace whatever defective parts cause the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #11565451, 2024

Service Brakes 5 1 crash

“WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IN A HEAD-ON PARKING SPOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND HIT A WALL. THE CAR THEN WENT INTO REVERSE AND SPED UP RAPIDLY UNTIL IT HIT A CONCRETE PATIO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH SUBSTANTIAL FORCE THE ENTIRE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP MOVING. THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. I DO NOT RECALL HOW THE CAR WENT FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO PEOPLE OR CARS IN THE PARKING LOT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE AUTO BODY SHOP THAT CURRENTLY HAS POSSESSION OF THE…”
NHTSA complaint #11492772, 2022 · crash

“2020 BMX X5 xDrive40i experienced recall issue 24V-104. Year of vehicle is not included in recall 24V-104. I did not receive a notice of recall issue 24V-104. This recall should be extended to additional Years of this model of vehicle. Was driving in traffic on a state highway. Utilized breaks to stop the vehicle and brakes failed. Received warning notices through the cars system that aligned exactly with the errors expected to be received in Recall 24V-104. If I had been driving at a higher speed, I would not have been able to stop the vehicle and would have crashed into the vehicle…”
NHTSA complaint #11645245, 2025

“Vehicle Purchase from BMW of Devon Dear BMW Customer Relations Team, I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frustration regarding my recent experience with a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle purchased from BMW of Devon. As a loyal BMW customer, I expected a higher standard of quality and service than what I have experienced. I purchased a 2020 BMW X5 (VIN: [XXX] in October 2023 with the confidence that it had undergone a rigorous inspection process, as advertised under your CPO program. However, after driving the vehicle for only 5,000 miles within a single year of ownersh…”
NHTSA complaint #11629757, 2024

Structure 4

“Sunroof - explosion of glass while driving down the road. No other cars or anything that would cause flying debris. I decided to file this report after reading of multiple accounts being reported.”
NHTSA complaint #11707928, 2025

“When it rains water comes into the drivers side from the roof (sun visor area), and under the dashboard. Depending on how much rain, it leaves a puddle on the floor mat, and constantly drips on the driver as I drive.”
NHTSA complaint #11666151, 2025

“The front passenger door remained open as I was pulling out of my garage with my kid sitting in the front passenger seat. I thought he didn't close the door, but he was unable to close it. I got out of the car and it turns out the door wouldn't latch. There was no warning to the failure of the soft closing door mechanism. Just an alert that door is open. I had to drive it to the dealership the next day with rope securing the door to the pillar and the rear passenger door.”
NHTSA complaint #11588598, 2024

Seat Belts 3 1 crash 2 injury

“The contact owned a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated while the contact's mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle attempted to make a left turn and crashed head-on into the front driver and passenger side of the vehicle. The driver's air bag did not deploy. During the impact, the driver's head hit the windshield causing it to crack. The police and paramedics arrived on the scene. The contact and the contact's mother were transported to the local medical center. The contact's mother was treated for a severe concussion and severe cuts and bruises. In addition, the contact's…”
NHTSA complaint #11648949, 2025 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“Passenger Seat Belt Malfunction indicator on stating the system has a malfunction. Passenger safety systems are reduced in the stated malfunction. It has not been inspected by the dealer or service center. There were no known issues prior to the vehicle indicator stating the system malfunctioned.”
NHTSA complaint #11618326, 2024

“Purchased the car Feb 2020. Over 6 months ago, back seat belts (middle and left side) stopped working. Seat belt will not click. Brand new car with nonfunctioning seat belts. Been trying to get hold of the dealer to fix and did not get anywhere. After months of hassle, they ordered the seat belts to be replaced. After dropping off the car, I get an email asking me to approve the fix for a cost of $1,100. Want to report malfunctioning unsafe car with nonworking seat belts (brand new car, a little over 1 year old) and a dealer that want to charge me for their malfunctioning seat belts.…”
NHTSA complaint #11443270, 2021

Back Over Prevention 2

“My 2020 X5 is equipped with Rear Cross Traffic Warning however it does not warn when traffic is crossing. The car will be in reverse, i can be very close to either a car or a person and there are no audible or visual warnings until the object stops moving or is within inches of the vehicle. I have taken it to my dealership several times however they are stating its in full working function even though it does not do what BMW advertises how that system should work. This is both very dangerous and false advertising by BMW! I have videos to prove this claim however the upload section doesn't…”
NHTSA complaint #11434061, 2021

“Backing out of my garage to a street with a 25 mph speed limit, the vehicle is supposed to alert the driver with a warning sound and or brake if a vehicle is crossing behind the vehicle. This feature has never worked and the dealer can't find any problem. This condition has been report on several internet websites with no resolution.”
NHTSA complaint #11426368, 2021

Forward Collision Avoidance 2

“Shark fin antenna - Telematic control module malfunctioning. Seems to have a leak issue causing modules inside/under antenna to get wet from rain or car washes. This is causing an error message "SOS emergency call system malfunctioning", you will not be able to make calls under an emergency. Other issues include GPS, remote start, lane assist, adaptive cruise control etc... not working properly and potentially causing an accident on the road.”
NHTSA complaint #11635188, 2025

“Automatic braking system. Traveling about 50 MPH the automatic brake activated, there was nothing even close to my vehicle, my passenger's head was jerked forward. I had the vehicle in for computer problems about two weeks ago, concerning the radio and dash board displays, not knowing about the automatic braking problem at that time, ( this is the second incident involving the automatic brake, first time I didn't think too much about it since I had just purchased the vehicle I thought maybe a new car bug ). I was told that there was no fix for the problems I took it in for , and that Germany…”
NHTSA complaint #11418267, 2021

Fuel/Propulsion System 2

“Fuel pump failure. Resulted in car losing speed and power and car coming to a halt. Car went into park. Had to be towed from the road but the car had to be dragged onto the flatbed due to no parking selector release accessible from the side of the road. Resulting in total destruction of the front differential resulting in $10000 repair bill.”
NHTSA complaint #11667994, 2025

“Vehicle Purchase from BMW of Devon Dear BMW Customer Relations Team, I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frustration regarding my recent experience with a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle purchased from BMW of Devon. As a loyal BMW customer, I expected a higher standard of quality and service than what I have experienced. I purchased a 2020 BMW X5 (VIN: [XXX] in October 2023 with the confidence that it had undergone a rigorous inspection process, as advertised under your CPO program. However, after driving the vehicle for only 5,000 miles within a single year of ownersh…”
NHTSA complaint #11629757, 2024

Steering 2

“Recall 19v-631, I am experiencing a faulty steering issue as reported in the recall. My vehicle was in production around the same time as the recall vehicles.”
NHTSA complaint #11706532, 2025

“squeaking and grinding in steering column, overheated steering column to the touch. Took to local BMW and was informed it was an issue with steering rack (after two visits there) and part has to be ordered and replaced.”
NHTSA complaint #11482223, 2022

Suspension 2

“Hello, my front differential recently failed on my BMW. based on some research, this appears to be a manufacturing defect that BMW isn't covering affecting many owners of this car.”
NHTSA complaint #11749436, 2026

“Suspension "clunking noise" when going slowly over bumps. Oct. 14, 2024 32,688 miles. BMW dealer replaced left front Tension Strut due to Balljoint failure/defect @ owner expense. Tire wear indicated excessive "play" in joint for some time. I had complained to BMW dealer since the car was new that it did not track straight. Car was previously aligned several times by BMW dealer but defective ball joint was not identified until i brought "clunking" noise to their attention. Balljoint failure can result in loss of control resulting in a CRASH.”
NHTSA complaint #11680730, 2024

Vehicle Speed Control 2 1 crash

“I was parking the car in a parking lot. I had my foot completely off of the gas pedal while allowing the car to roll forward into a parking spot. The car suddenly accelerates and I could not slam on the brakes fast enough to prevent damage. This was the 3rd time this type of incident occurred in this car.”
NHTSA complaint #11584943, 2024 · crash

“I own a 2019 BMW X5 xDrive40i with the B58 3.0L turbocharged inline-six engine. While driving in Minnesota, the vehicle suddenly displayed an urgent warning stating “oil pressure too low” and instructed me to stop the engine. This occurred while the vehicle was being operated on the road, requiring me to stop driving immediately. The vehicle was later inspected by an authorized BMW dealer. The dealer diagnosed the failure as a defective oil pump and stated that the oil pump must be replaced. The estimated repair cost was approximately $7,500 or more. This is a serious safety concern because…”
NHTSA complaint #11739764, 2025

Firerelated 1 1 fire

“The contact owned a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that she parked the vehicle in her garage. No warning light was illuminated. The contact entered her home and 15 minutes later, a neighbor knocked on the door, alerting her that the garage had caught fire. When the contact opened the garage door, she saw flames. The contact called 911 and evacuated her family. There were no injuries sustained. The police and fire departments arrived on the scene, and the firefighters extinguished the fire. The fire destroyed all three vehicles in the garage and engulfed the residence. Police and fire departme…”
NHTSA complaint #11610221, 2023 · fire

Lane Departure 1

“I was driving in the rain and I experienced an issue with a vehicle’s automatic safety systems that are designed to aid you from crashing and it would have been the proximate cause of my fatal accident had I not realized what was happening and stopped the system’s actions. The system kicked in when I touched the rumble strip with my front left tire but I brought it back before the system could because it detected the event and created a countering event to correct my mistake, hence begins the issue. When the car veered right it didn’t need to so I had to counter that movement to keep from hi…”
NHTSA complaint #11550208, 2023

Latches/Locks/Linkages 1

“The front passenger door remained open as I was pulling out of my garage with my kid sitting in the front passenger seat. I thought he didn't close the door, but he was unable to close it. I got out of the car and it turns out the door wouldn't latch. There was no warning to the failure of the soft closing door mechanism. Just an alert that door is open. I had to drive it to the dealership the next day with rope securing the door to the pillar and the rear passenger door.”
NHTSA complaint #11588598, 2024

Visibility 1

“For my 2019 BMW X5 SDRIVE40i, The A/C evaporator core failed and began leaking refrigerant, resulting in complete loss of cold air from the A/C system. The vehicle had approximately 50,000 miles. The repair required full dashboard removal and cost approximately 4,500 including a rental vehicle. This appears to be a widespread issue on 2019–2025 BMW X5/X6/X7 models, suspected to be caused by R-1234yf refrigerant incompatibility with the aluminum evaporator core. The leaking R-1234yf refrigerant is also an environmental concern. R-1234yf is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) greenhouse gas with a glob…”
NHTSA complaint #11741425, 2025