15 of the 215 complaints about the 2001 BMW X5 are about the transmission — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 95,500 miles.
15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN DRIVING MY 2001 BMW X5 ON ICE, SOFT DIRT ROAD, SLUSH, (ICE WITH PAVEMENT) THE CAR FISHTAILS IN THE REAR. I HAD BRAND NEW WINTER TIRES PUT ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS JUST ALIGNED. I HAD 4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIGURE IT OUT. PLEASE HELP.
NHTSA complaint #11054090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE IGNITION, THERE WAS A DELAYED RESPONSE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. A CHIME SOUNDED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THE 'TRANSMISSION FAIL-SAFE PROG. WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD EXHIBIT HESITATION WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. A TROUBLE CODE DETECTED A MALFUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 01V196000 (POWER TRAIN), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
NHTSA complaint #10583255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I WAS AT A INTERSECTION TO A HIGH WAY, ABOUT TO MERGE IN TO ON COMING TRAFFIC, WHEN I HIT THE GAS TO ACCELERATE THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT GOING TO THE TRANSFER CASE STRIPPED, ALONG WITH THE TRANSAXLE GEAR. THE CAR STOP DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WOULD NOT MOVE.
NHTSA complaint #10526118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE WILL REV, BUT WILL NOT MOVE WHEN GOING IN REVERSE UP A HILL WITHOUT GETTING A PUSH. THE VEHICLE WORKS IN REVERSE AT ANY OTHER TIME. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.RL
NHTSA complaint #10430100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. AFTER SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAIL SAFE CODE HAD APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 01V196000 POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164000.
NHTSA complaint #10348428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT MY 2001 BMW X5 LAST SATURDAY... 7 DAYS LATER, I GOT THE NO REVERSE PROBLEM THAT I AM NOW HEARING IS TYPICAL IN BMWS. IT JUST WENT OUT. LUCKILY THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM WAS NICE ENOUGH TO TAKE THE CAR BACK. THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO AS IT WAS USED. OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT $5,000. THIS CAR HAD 107K MILES ON IT. BMW NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM AND CORRECT IT AT THEIR EXPENSE. THIS IS WRONG.
NHTSA complaint #10265338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2001 BMW X5. THE CAR IS IN WORKING CONDITION, REPAIRED AND MAINTAINED AS NEEDED. THE AUTOMOBILE NO LONGER GOES IN REVERSE AT 91,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT. I HEAR THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW'S. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS THE ZF5HP19 OR STEPTRONIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS A FAILURE OF THE D-G CLUTCH DRUM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE PERSON DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND FOR EVERYONE AROUND THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10264789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2001 BMW X5 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NO REVERSE, JUST WENT OUT NO WARNING, AT LOW MILEAGE, FOUND THIS WAS COMMON TO COMMON ALSO FOUND OUT REPAIR PARTS ARE UPGRADED BY BMW, BUT BMW WONT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEIR ARE PAGE AFTER PAGE OR REPORTS, BMW ALSO WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIR, AVERAGE ESTIMATE IS $4500.00. IF BMW DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE INFERIOR PART, THEN WHY DID THEY UPGRADE THE REPAIR PART, MY VEHICLE IS DOWN NOW BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO FUND THIS REPAIR, I HAVE A NINE YEAR OLD AND AN EIGHTY FOUR YEAR OLD DEPENDING ON THIS TRANSPORTATION, AND DUE TO THE DEATH OF MY MOTHER ON THE 03/09/2009 AND HAVING TO MOVE MY FATHER FROM OKLAHOMA TO CALIFORNIA MY MONEY IS IN A NEGATIVE, THIS FAILURE HAS REALLY PLACE A HARDSHIP ON US.
NHTSA complaint #10263099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2001 BMW X5 4.4L - 80.K MILES (MAINTAINED AS INSTRUCTED BY DEALER) REVERSE HAS GONE OUT. SEEMS NUMEROUS FORUMS REPEAT THE SAME PROBLEMS OVER & OVER AGAIN. BMW &/OR TRANSMISSION SUPPLIER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AS IT SEEMS THIS HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. REPAIR COST B/T $$$5-7K. MERRY CHRISTMAS.....
NHTSA complaint #10252817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2001 BMW X5 4.4 WITH 88,000 MILES. I SHIFTED TO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT, AND WHEN I TRIED TO APPLY THE GAS THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE CAR DID NOT REVERSE. REVERSE WAS LIKE ANOTHER NEUTRAL. TOOK IT INTO LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND THEY SAID WE NEED TO REPLACE OUR TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10252203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
BMW X5 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 93000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP IN REVERSE AND THE BMW DEALER DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED (ESTIMATED COST $4500).
NHTSA complaint #10197549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE PARKED, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER MOVED INTO THE REVERSE POSITION, BUT THE CAR FAILED TO MOVE WITH THE LEVER IN THAT POSITION. WE CHANGED THE POSITION OF THE SHIFT LEVER SEVERAL TIMES ALWAYS GOING BACK TO REVERSE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NEVER MOVE WHEN IN REVERSE.
NHTSA complaint #10163755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DSC, BRAKES, ABS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON. VEHICLE LOSES POWER, ENTERS LIMP MODE.
NHTSA complaint #766092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION CHIP KEEPS FAILING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO LOOSE FIRST, SECOND THE FIFTH GEARS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *SCC
NHTSA complaint #8010523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE LOOSES ALL POWER TO TRANSMISSION AND GOES INTO A NEUTRAL STATE CAUSING SUDDEN STOP ON ACCELERATION, THIS POSES A THREAT WHILE PASSING VEHICLES OR TURNING OUT NOT THE HIGHWAY. NLM
NHTSA complaint #892765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.