2006 BMW X5 Sav
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2006 BMW X5 Sav. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
27 complaints1 involved a crash1 involved a fire1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Service brakes
I purchased a 2006 X5 4.4I (n62b44 engine)used with 138,000 miles. Went to leave driveway, car was in reverse, presses brakes to adjust mirrors, let off to keep backing out, had to press again for another adjustment, I looked up and I was driving through the bushes in my front yard. Brakes were…
I purchased a 2006 X5 4.4I (n62b44 engine)used with 138,000 miles. Went to leave driveway, car was in reverse, presses brakes to adjust mirrors, let off to keep backing out, had to press again for another adjustment, I looked up and I was driving through the bushes in my front yard. Brakes were pushed but not engaging. I thought that to be odd, so I wanted to run to a certified BMW repair facility. I was in traffic going about 40 and had to utilize the breaks again, the car stopped. Within one minute I had to press again and the car would not stop, I pumped the breaks and the pedal was so hard there was no give. I plowed through a red light almost causing a several car pile up, and was finally able to get the vehicle to stop. At the repair shop, I was told the vacuum pump was leaking oil everywhere because it was busted, the oil was backing up into the master cylinder and had mixed with the break fluid and the break booster was bad. I am having to pay 2400 for the service when it was just purchased 3 days ago. There were no warning lights on at time of purchase which would have kept me from purchasing with cash. There are still no warning lights although I have taken down several bushes because the X5 would not stop and almost caused a head on collision because the X5 would not stop again. The 2007 X5 has been recalled to the exact same issue with the exact same diagnosis and symptoms, the 5 series from that year was also recalled. Just not the X5 due to an obvious oversite. This IS a very dangerous vehicle when it IS operated without being repaired. The vacuum pump, break booster and master cylinder are all part of the recall, which IS exactly what a BMW certified mechanic stated needed to be replaced on mine. I
- Air bags · Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification · Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger · Seats
Occupancy seat sensor failure after recall campaign 17v-605 completed. the sensor mat failed within 16 months of the repair which means the parts used for the campaign are faulty as well. BMW refuses to fix the issue. this failure will result in the passenger front air bag to not deploy as so stated in the original recall campaign.
- Air bags · Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Front passenger air bag mat sensor warning light came on. Defective mat sesnor has been replaced and service at BMW of las vegas on 2 separate ocassions at 44,794 and 67845 miles 6-15-2011 and 5-14-2014 respectively under warranty and at owners cost. This vehicle was produced on 8-22-2006 but was not part of the recall. The vehicle currently has 130,000 miles.
- Service brakes
BMW X5 brake booster failed. I was driving in town and attempted to stop and noticed that the truck needed more brake pedal pressure the longer I applied the brakes. The pedal began to rise and the truck would begin to creep forward unless more pressure was applied to the pedal. I drove to the BMW…
BMW X5 brake booster failed. I was driving in town and attempted to stop and noticed that the truck needed more brake pedal pressure the longer I applied the brakes. The pedal began to rise and the truck would begin to creep forward unless more pressure was applied to the pedal. I drove to the BMW dealership to have a recall performed on the passenger seat occupancy mat. During that visit I informed the service writer of the brake issue and asked if it would be corrected under a recall as well. I was told that my vehicle was not covered by any other recalls. I researched it and found that some BMW X5'S we're experiencing some issues with the brakes and were being recalled but not my vehicle. I ordered all necessary parts and replaced them myself. Which consisted of a new updated pump, all updated oem lines with check valves and a new trw oem brake booster. Research shows that engine oil vapor travels into the lines and up to the booster which caused the rubber diaphram to fail in the brake booster. These are all the same parts mentioned in the recalls on other BMW X5'S covered by the recalls.
- Fuel/propulsion system
The car showed no signs of any failures, no warning or service lights, and as I was backing out of a crowded parking lot the car started emitting white smoke out of both tail pipes and stalled suddenly. the car would not immediately restart and I had to push it back into a parking spot to avoid…
The car showed no signs of any failures, no warning or service lights, and as I was backing out of a crowded parking lot the car started emitting white smoke out of both tail pipes and stalled suddenly. the car would not immediately restart and I had to push it back into a parking spot to avoid other traffic. the car was able to be restarted after 10 minutes and again emitted clouds of heavy white smoke. at this point I called a tow truck and had it towed to my local BMW dealer. I was informed that the crank case vent valve apparently froze up and needs replacing. this part also called pcv valve heater IS under recall for model years 2007-2011. my car IS a 2006 and from online searches it appears other 2006 and older BMW X5S also have experienced the same issue identified in the recall (17v-683, issued in dec 2017). I am told this problem could cause the car to catch fire if continued in operation and even at idle or off. how can the recall be expanded to include other impacted model years?
- Electrical system
Fire hazard, potential engine shutting of unexpectedly: battery cable at charge point under hood melted and charred . Discovery preceded by noticeable burning smell idling in traffic. Plastic terminal mounting base melted and charred, terminal disconnected from base, plastic insulation around cable…
Fire hazard, potential engine shutting of unexpectedly: battery cable at charge point under hood melted and charred . Discovery preceded by noticeable burning smell idling in traffic. Plastic terminal mounting base melted and charred, terminal disconnected from base, plastic insulation around cable terminal crimp charred and missing. Parts affected: 12 42 7 531 720 main power cable charge point to alternator; 12 52 1 439 674 base b+; 61 13 8 371 016 cover base b+. Examination of the crimped terminal connecting the cable to the charge point bolt shows the cable not fully inserted in the terminal before crimping and the terminal not completely soldered to the cable resulting in a high electrical resistance at the terminal and excessive heating when the electrical system under load when the engine IS running. Possible consequences of overheating of the cable include the possibility of fire in the engine compartment, failure of the electrical system and unexpected shut down of the engine and all power assisted systems while driving.
- Service brakes
Recall : brake vacuum pump recall mentioned that all X5 affected vehicles were built from september 12, 2006 through march 18, 2010. My car has same issue and its built year IS 2006 but company says that my vin doesn't come under recall. This doesn't make any sense, when I have issue which can…
Recall : brake vacuum pump recall mentioned that all X5 affected vehicles were built from september 12, 2006 through march 18, 2010. My car has same issue and its built year IS 2006 but company says that my vin doesn't come under recall. This doesn't make any sense, when I have issue which can cause serious accident then they should fix it. I am not getting any help from BMW dealers so I have to spend my own money to fix the issue which should be taken care under recall mentioned in the beginning. My vehicle IS with the mechanic and it shows the leak from vacuum pump which can create serious accident while driving. I dont want to take any risk driving vehicle in a condition when brakes wont apply, specially having kids in my car. My car broke down because alternator generated high voltage which screwed up my battery so I gave my car to certified mechanic to fix it. While fixing the mentioned issue, he find out oil leak from vacuum pump. I did research about this issue and find out that people got lucky that they got saved in accidents due to oil leak in vacuum pump that's what made me scared. *js
- Service brakes
Brake lines corroded and ruptured with loss of brake fluid and decreased braking ability. Brake light came on after gentle braking on the road at low speed.
- Service brakes
The power braking system has stopped work ,brake pedal goes to the floor and will not stop the vehicle ,i see that BMW has a recall on the 2007 X5 made the same year and model with the V8 engine, I am a member on my forms and there are hundreds of BMW X5 with the same problem, and some people have…
The power braking system has stopped work ,brake pedal goes to the floor and will not stop the vehicle ,i see that BMW has a recall on the 2007 X5 made the same year and model with the V8 engine, I am a member on my forms and there are hundreds of BMW X5 with the same problem, and some people have had accidents because of the braking system suddenly not working , I had my BMW X5 at the BMW shop and they diagnose was the vacuum pump has failed , vacuum tube IS leaking and the brake booster has failed also. this IS a serious problem , this IS not a tail light not working , this IS putting people lives in danger. the repair cost IS $2300.
- Air bags · Seat belts
When a passenger IS seated in the right front seat, the airbag warning light stays on and the passenger airbag off light stays on. Also, seatbelt warning does not work for passenger or driver seat
- Air bags
Recall listed for seat sensor mat for several model year BMW. I have a 2006 BMW X5 and the air bag light comes on intermittently(more on than off actually. I have read the recall notice for seat mat failure, however my vin IS not listed. I have read several similar complaints on your site from…
Recall listed for seat sensor mat for several model year BMW. I have a 2006 BMW X5 and the air bag light comes on intermittently(more on than off actually. I have read the recall notice for seat mat failure, however my vin IS not listed. I have read several similar complaints on your site from other BMW owners saying there vin was not included either. How many complaints have to be filed before the recall IS expanded? IS the recall by seat sensor model? Since my 2006 BMW X5 IS not listed( others are), was a different seat sensor used in mine? Where can I find information on the seat sensor used in my model? *tr
- Service brakes
The issue IS specifically with the braking system. the car developed a sudden dangerous loss of braking power. one moment the brakes were working correctly and the next they were not. BMW has 2 recalls for this issue but for unknown reasons my car IS not included in either recall. the recall…
The issue IS specifically with the braking system. the car developed a sudden dangerous loss of braking power. one moment the brakes were working correctly and the next they were not. BMW has 2 recalls for this issue but for unknown reasons my car IS not included in either recall. the recall campaigns are 10v-446 & 13v-045. the description of the problem IS the following: "this recall involves the power assist braking function. A small amount of oil could leak from the brake vacuum pump into the brake vacuum hose. Over time, contamination of the brake booster could occur. This could affect the power assist braking function. In certain cases, loss of power brake assist could occur. If this happened, it would require greater brake pedal force, increase the stopping distance, and increase the risk of a crash. " my car has the exact issue as described in the recalls. there IS no warning light to indicate there are any issues with the brakes. I called BMW na and described the issue to them and they told me to take it to my local BMW dealership to have the issue diagnosed. The local dealership determined my car had the issue as detailed in both BMW recalls. as instructed by BMW I reported this back to them and after several weeks they followed up with me (2/10/15 to be exact) only to tell me they will not fix the issue as part of the recall and thus I would have to pay for it out of my own pocket. this decision was made despite the fact that my car meets nearly all parameters of the recalls (my exact model IS not listed as part of the recall but the model of braking system and engine matches the recall details). this IS a serious safety issue and one that I do not believe BMW should be overlooking or denying coverage for. this brake issue affects more than just the cars listed in the two BMW recalls. *tr
- Exterior lighting
My passenger side light keeps burning out causing my brake light not to work.when I went home my husband found out the socket that holds the light was burnt. there are many X5 owners with this problem, this could be very dangerous. There should be a recall for these vehicles with these unsafe recurring problems!! *tr
- Air bags · Seats
We received an important safety recall from BMW in june 2016 that we needed to replace the passenger side front air bag immediately as the air bag does not work as part of the "recall campaign no. 13V-564: front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat." we immediately contacted the perillo BMW…
We received an important safety recall from BMW in june 2016 that we needed to replace the passenger side front air bag immediately as the air bag does not work as part of the "recall campaign no. 13V-564: front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat." we immediately contacted the perillo BMW dealership in chicago (1035 north clark street, chicago, il 60610, (312) 981-0000) where we purchased the car. Over the following six months, we called monthly to inquire about whether they had the replacement seat to fix the car. Perillo actually had us bring the car in two separate times only to tell us each time that they didn't have the part needed for our type of repair. We happened to have the worst possible outcome where the sensor mat IS broken and the air bag IS disabled on the passenger side of the vehicle. The condition of the car makes it very dangerous for anyone to sit in the front passenger seat. We live in chicago and therefore drive on highways and in heavy traffic frequently. I am now pregnant with our second child so we absolutely have to have this fixed before the new baby comes in april 2015. Since we last brought the car in this fall, we have called perillo non stop to inquire and each time they say they don't have the part. It IS not only a terrible customer service experience but it puts our family at risk every time we drive the car. Perillo remains unhelpful and unresponsive so we are filing a report nationally. *tr
- Air bags
I am the original owner of a 2006 BMW X5, vin: [xxx]. In the early years of ownership the passenger seat occupancy detection mat was faulty and was replaced. this august the airbag light on the instrument display went on again and as a result my vehicle failed the massachusetts state inspection…
I am the original owner of a 2006 BMW X5, vin: [xxx]. In the early years of ownership the passenger seat occupancy detection mat was faulty and was replaced. this august the airbag light on the instrument display went on again and as a result my vehicle failed the massachusetts state inspection safety inspection. in september of this year I brought my X5 to BMW to have BMW review the airbag issue . the technicians at BMW diagnosed the problem as a failing passenger seat occupancy mat. the total cost to me for replacement of the failed passenger seat occupancy mat was $1,460.89 + ma sales tax of $39.15. I recently found that on 11/18/2013 BMW issued a recall relating the front passenger seat occupant detection mat. The recall campaign for the X5 passenger seat occupancy detection mat IS identified as #13v564000 I never received notification of this safety recall in january of 2014. I called BMW this morning to explain my issue and they advised that the nhtsa did not include the vin of my vehicle in the recall and therefore they would not reimburse me. my response was that perhaps the replacement passenger seat occupancy mat that failed many years ago that BMW installed as a replacement when my vehicle was under warranty was in fact a part that would have been included in the recent recall. they told me that I had a very good point, and that may be the case, but I would have to write to nhtsa to request that my vehicle be included in the recall, otherwise they would not reimburse me. since the passenger side occupancy mat has failed twice in this vehicle it IS quite obvious to me that there IS an issue with this part in my vehicle. it IS an integral part of the safety system of my vehicle and with this e-mail request the consideration and assistance of nhtsa in connection with this matter. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6). *tr
- Air bags · Seats
The airbag indicator on dash came on initially and then after about a month the overhead console "passenger air bag off" light came on. Both lights came on ever since and 2 attempts were made to clear code by professional and seems to be the problem with the passenger sensor mat being faulty. My…
The airbag indicator on dash came on initially and then after about a month the overhead console "passenger air bag off" light came on. Both lights came on ever since and 2 attempts were made to clear code by professional and seems to be the problem with the passenger sensor mat being faulty. My vehicle was equipped with a sport seats from manufacturer and estimated cost was from $800-$1200 for that sensor. I have received a letter for this recall showing my vin as an affected vehicle in 12/2013, however, it's now 6/2014 and still no feedback from nhtsa or BMW na. *tr
- Air bags
I rec'd a recall notice from BMW about 30 days ago and heard nothing. I called them and they said the recall was vin specific. this involves air warning that goes on and off intermittently. I am having problems with this and am concern if in an accident will air deploy. I do believe the recall IS more wide spread then what they are admitting to. *tr
- Air bags
I received a recall notification from bwm a couple of months ago; 'recall campaign no. 13V-564: front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat'. The recall notice said that the parts were not yet available to fix the issue but that they would be shortly and BMW would send out a notice once they…
I received a recall notification from bwm a couple of months ago; 'recall campaign no. 13V-564: front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat'. The recall notice said that the parts were not yet available to fix the issue but that they would be shortly and BMW would send out a notice once they were available. my vehicle was experiencing the exact issue described in the recall letter which was 'the air bag warning lamp on the instrument cluster and the front "passenger air bag off" lamp in the overhead console are illuminated at the same time'. I took my car into a service center (center BMW in sherman oaks, ca); they acknowledged the recall and told me to come back in march when the parts would be available. not only are the parts still unavailable, but the recall notice has been cancelled for some reason. My front passenger seat air bag IS still not functioning though. I am forced to have passengers travel in the front seat at times and am very concerned that if an accident happens they will be seriously hurt. who can I contact to help with this??? *tt
- Air bags
Passenger air bag sensor. *tr
- Air bags · Seats
Production date 03/2006 front passenger seat occupant detection mat malfunction. Vehicle was brought to independent shop for code reading to verify that 'airbag light off' illuminated was triggered from seat sensor. Light stays illuminated (indicating airbag IS off) with adult occupant on passenger…
Production date 03/2006 front passenger seat occupant detection mat malfunction. Vehicle was brought to independent shop for code reading to verify that 'airbag light off' illuminated was triggered from seat sensor. Light stays illuminated (indicating airbag IS off) with adult occupant on passenger seat,approximately less than 1,000-miles after, driver dash airbag light illuminated permanently also. Vehicle was purchased as a cpo. Airbag/seat sensor code began after cpo warranty expired. During the period of my ownership, vehicle was never involved in any collisions. Vehicle was last brought in for brake and oil service at BMW dealership. some research seem to indicate a recall regarding very similar situation (nhtsa campaign # 08v384000) was available for certain model BMW. Summary of the campaign letter does not include 2006 X5, however, extra notes does state that it includes "my 2006 X5." both BMW dealership and BMW of na were not able to find any recall associated with my vin. There were made aware of the letter and were firm that vehicle was not part of the recall and repair/replacement cost at owner's expense. *tr
- Air bags
Passenger side seat sensor has failed, leaving airbag in permanently deactivated state. This defect was previously subject of recall in other vehicles in same model year, but not particular month of manufacture of mine according to vin. have reported to BMW dealer and BMW na; customer service…
Passenger side seat sensor has failed, leaving airbag in permanently deactivated state. This defect was previously subject of recall in other vehicles in same model year, but not particular month of manufacture of mine according to vin. have reported to BMW dealer and BMW na; customer service agent at BMW na initially indicated they might cover it but then request was denied by management. I have requested they simply deactivate the sensor and leave the airbag on, which would seem to be a low-cost repair. they have stated there IS no safety issue in doing so. the stated purpose of the sensor IS to prevent unnecessary cost for airbag replacement after an accident. this seems to be a clear design defect: if the sensor fails, the airbag should be left in the active condition, not a disabled condition. the dealer IS requesting $1276 to replace the defective seat sensor. BMW knows they are making money off this repair and has no incentive to find a low cost repair that would save lives. software deactivation of the sensor would increase safety since some will be unable to afford a repair of this expense and driving without a passenger side srs puts occupants at significant risk. I am a university professor and I have notified BMW na of this and if BMW continues to refuse to provide a low-cost repair for this condition I will be willing to testify at trial attesting to the fact that BMW was informed of this issue and advised of their possible liability if anyone has an accident in a 2006 X5 and the passenger airbag does not deploy resulting in increased passenger injury; contact me at [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6). *tr
- Air bags
The sensor in the passenger's seat failed so the airbags light stayed on as well as the fasten seatbelt. Transport canada issued a recall # 2008307 aug. 26, 2008 confirming the problem and that"the occupant detection mat will be granteda warranty extension of 10 years" BMW will not honor this. I had to enter washington state as canada IS not listed. City IS surrey, british columbia, v4a8c1. *tr
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting
Tail lights assembly (sockets) on both sides burns and melts easily causing bulbs to die. *tr
- Air bags
I noticed that the airbag light was on, I called BMW and they scheduled me for a appointment the following week. On the day of the appointment the vehicle was diagnosed and showed that the front seat mat was faulty. I paid $1400 to have it fixed. Five months since the vehicle was serviced by the dealer, the airbag light was on again which means the airbag won't deploy when it's needed. *tr
- Air bags › Frontal
My 2006 X5 BMW 4.4I has recently experienced a failure in the passenger side airbag sensor which fails to identify a passenger in the front passenger seat and thus does not activate the passenger side airbag. *tr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- BMW airbag light illumination
BMW IS conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 MY04 through MY06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. The specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and…
BMW IS conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 MY04 through MY06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. The specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and MY06/ 3-series with sport seats. In addition, BMW will extend the warranty coverage of the passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat to 10-year/unlimited mileage on approximately 120,000 remaining my04-06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05. The specific vehicles included in the extended warranty are my 06/ 6 series, my 06/ 3-series with standard seats, my04-05/ Z4, my04-06/ 7 series, my 06/ X5, and my04-06/ 5-series with comfort seats.the average frequency of failures among the extended warranty groups was less than 1/7TH of the recall vehicle groups.please see bmw's 08v-384 recall notification for further detailsdepending on seat configuration and vehicle geometry, the occupant detection mat can fatigue during use depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit.specifically, over time, micro-cracks could develop in the side flanks of the mat causing a broken circuit.a brokencircuit can lead to the deactivation of the passenger air bag and the illumination of both the air bag warning light and the passenger air bag light.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10249437The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 10249027The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints.
- 10182619Discharged Battery Energy Diagnosis Must Be Performed: The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle "discharged battery" complaints. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time in the workshop, it is very important that the diagnostic test plans are performed to completion, with all results taken into consideration. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root cause of the discharged battery cannot be identified. This increases the chances of a repeat repair.
- 10037027BMW: model E70 equipped with an automatic tailgate. The rear tailgate may not operate in either direction due to wiring damage.
- 10037026BMW: elctronically disconnecting the junction box without disconnecting the battery will cause damage to the rear power distribution box.
- 10037025BMW: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty.
- 10036979BMW: a new technical process has been created for BMW to identify causes of steering complaints with a wide range of models.
- 10033130BMW vehicles: fuel level sensor repairs. Where it IS necessary to replace the right or the left side fuel level sensor due to a failure, the entire pump and housing or delivery unit (suction jet assembly) do not need to be replaced as well. In some cases, epc does not show that the repair kit IS available separately in the illustration, but it IS available in the parts description. All models. No model years listed.
- 10032845BMW vehicle: electronic malfunction cc message caused by shorted wiring. The electronic malfunction check control message may be displayed; the sounds system emits a static noise from the speakers; the rfk (rear view camera) does not pan; the airbag warning light may be illuminated; kcan communication, kcan line and kcan wire faults are stored in various control modules. Shorted wiring at the left or right subwoofer speaker mounted under the front seats. No model years listed.
- 10025775BMW: dynamic drive (ars) front sway bar repairs. E70 (X5) with sport package option code zsp.
Every BMW X5 Sav model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.