2018 Bmw X5

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Bmw X5 has 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: i was driving in the number 1 lane (leftmost lane) when the dashboard display indicated there was a transmission fault and warned that i should pull over to a safe spot immediately. with the vehicle rapidly slowing, i had to maneuver through traffic to the right side of the road with great difficul. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 1 crash report

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

19 complaints

20%

• I was driving in the number 1 lane (leftmost lane) when the dashboard display indicated there was a transmission fault and warned that I should pull over to a safe spot immediately. With the vehicle rapidly slowing, I had to maneuver through traffic to the right side of the road with great difficul
• Need asap reply, Hello this is the worse service I ever had to encounter March 10 2022 till present date I haven’t gotten my vehicle back from https://www.mckennabmw.com/ had been a back n forth matter. This recall has gone way too far my pregnant wife n mother in law we’re in vehicle when it broke
• The dealer performed the EGR Cooler recall in Feb 2023, a month later and the part failed again. BMW should be required to issue a lifetime warranty on these defective parts that have now been recalled twice.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I was driving in the number 1 lane (leftmost lane) when the dashboard display indicated there was a transmission fault and warned that I should pull over to a safe spot immediately. With the vehicle rapidly slowing, I had to maneuver through traffic to the right side of the road with great difficul”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

17 complaints

18%

• ENGINE STALL AND OR FLUTTER WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS
• Fuel system has failed twice resulting in the vehicle shutting down while driving. My safety was put at risk because the vehicle unexpectedly shut down while driving without any warning in the midst of traffic. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer both times and the fuel system replaced each
• I was driving in the number 1 lane (leftmost lane) when the dashboard display indicated there was a transmission fault and warned that I should pull over to a safe spot immediately. With the vehicle rapidly slowing, I had to maneuver through traffic to the right side of the road with great difficul

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“ENGINE STALL AND OR FLUTTER WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

14 complaints

15%

• THE CAR DISPLAYED DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING MESSAGE MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE CAR REACHED 10K MILES. THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND DEALER FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER EXPLANATION AS WELL AS FAILED TO PERMANENTLY FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS HYBRID AN
• THE PASSENGER BLIND SIDE DETECTION WILL NOT PICK UP VEHICLES ONLY 20% OF THE TIME.
• In the last week my BMW's wires are chewed by the rodents twice. After doing some research, I found that BMW uses soy/oil based wire coatings or coverings that attract rodents and cause damage to the vehicle. I found many forums where this incident is reported or discussed, but no action has been ta

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE CAR DISPLAYED DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING MESSAGE MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE CAR REACHED 10K MILES. THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND DEALER FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER EXPLANATION AS WELL AS FAILED TO PERMANENTLY FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS HYBRID AN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

11 complaints

11%

• THE PASSENGER BLIND SIDE DETECTION WILL NOT PICK UP VEHICLES ONLY 20% OF THE TIME.
• VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AFTER BEING SERVICED. 9,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. WHEN DRIVING OUT OF DRIVEWAY NOTICED GLASS NOISE FROM ABOVE. ROLLED BACK SUNSCREEN AND GLASS FELL DOWN INTO VEHICLE. ON FURTHER INSPECTION THE GLASS AROUND THE HOLE IS RAISED UPWARD AS IF COMPRESSED FROM THE OUTSIDE FRA
• Moon Roof - shattered while driving on free way . Glasses shattered & falling inside & outside car making scary experience.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“THE PASSENGER BLIND SIDE DETECTION WILL NOT PICK UP VEHICLES ONLY 20% OF THE TIME.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

9 complaints

• THE CAR DISPLAYED DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING MESSAGE MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE CAR REACHED 10K MILES. THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND DEALER FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER EXPLANATION AS WELL AS FAILED TO PERMANENTLY FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS HYBRID AN
• I was driving in the number 1 lane (leftmost lane) when the dashboard display indicated there was a transmission fault and warned that I should pull over to a safe spot immediately. With the vehicle rapidly slowing, I had to maneuver through traffic to the right side of the road with great difficul
• On 11/10/2021 while driving on US Rte 29 in Silver Spring, MD, the car stalled during stop & go rush hour traffic. The car would not move forward in drive but I had enough momentum to move partially in the shoulder lane. Next the car began to drift backwards so I kept my foot on the brakes until the

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 96 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I was driving in the number 1 lane (leftmost lane) when the dashboard display indicated there was a transmission fault and warned that I should pull over to a safe spot immediately. With the vehicle rapidly slowing, I had to maneuver through traffic to the right side of the road with great difficul
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: ENGINE STALL AND OR FLUTTER WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE CAR DISPLAYED DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING MESSAGE MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE CAR REACHED 10K MILES. THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND DEALER FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER EXPLANATION AS WELL AS FAILED TO PERMANENTLY FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS HYBRID AN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE PASSENGER BLIND SIDE DETECTION WILL NOT PICK UP VEHICLES ONLY 20% OF THE TIME.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)