11 of the
203 complaints about the 2009 BMW X5 are about the
braking system — 5% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
70,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2009 BMW X5. The contact stated that while approaching a stop, the vehicle would continue to accelerate upon the depression of the brake pedal. The contact also stated that the parking brake failure warning message would appear on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they replaced both front and rear brake pads; however, the failure persisted soon after repair. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was given a second appointment. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11435342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 127,000 milesWestminster, MD
SERVICE BRAKES
MY 2009 X5 WITH 127000 MILES RECENTLY INDICATED A BURNT OUT BRAKE LIGHT. WHILE REPLACING THE LIGHT, I FOUND THE REAR UPPER RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT WAS BURNT OUT, THE TAILLIGHT ITSELF IS MELTED, AND THE SOCKET IS SEVERELY MELTED AND SCORCHED. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE OPPOSITE SIDE (LEFT/DRIVER'S SIDE) WAS ALSO MELTED! CHECKING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID THIS COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD AND WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THERE IS NOT AN OUTSTANDING RECALL ON THE TAILLIGHTS FOR THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #11090162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 83,000 milesBeaumont, TX
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V045000 (SERVICE: BRAKES); BUT, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10903153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 78,000 milesEastvale, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY MORE THAN A WEEK AGO SUDDENLY THE AIRBAG AND RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION APPEARED FOR NO VALID REASON.THE NEXT DAY MY WIFE HEARD A LOUD METALLIC RUB SOUND AND PARK BRAKE MALFUNCTION APPEARED. SEARCHED ONLINE BUT NO RECALL FOR THIS KIND OF PROBLEMS FOR MY X5 BUT IT LOOKS LIKE ITS VERY COMMON FOR BMWS.NEED HELP!PLS!THANK YOU AND MORE POWER!
NHTSA complaint #10760238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 62,000 milesLOS Angeles, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
***UPDATE TO NHTSA ID COMPLAINT NUMBER: 10662420.*** VEHICLE VIN IS [XXX]. BMW X5 2009 XDRIVE48I (V8 MODEL). [THIS VIN IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY NHTSA VIN LOOKUP / DATABASE.] BMW INVESTIGATION WAS BEING HANDLED BY [XXX] IN "SPI" (SPECIAL PRODUCTS INVESTIGATION), WHO WAS GENERALLY NON-RESPONSIVE TO PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS. THE FEW RESPONSES RECEIVED WERE DELIBERATELY EVASIVE AND / OR FALSIFIED PURPORTED ATTEMPTS TO RETURN CALLS. CASE WAS TRANSFERRED TO [XXX] IN EXECUTIVE CUSTOMER CARE, WHO INDICATED THAT SPI WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE BECAUSE THEY NEVER RECEIVED THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. (NOTE: THE FAULTY COMPONENT WAS HANDLED BY BMW SERVICE AT CENTURY WEST BMW IN LOS ANGELES, WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS HAD BEEN SENT TO SPI FOR INVESTIGATION.) BMW STATES THAT SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ANALYZE THE FAILED COMPONENT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO REASONABLE WEAR AND TEAR AND NOT DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. (THEY ARE THEREFORE TAKING THE POSITION THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO COVER THE MINOR DAMAGE THAT WAS SUSTAINED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE REVERSING.) I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT BMW HAS NOT HANDLED A POTENTIALLY DEADLY FAULT WITH DUE CARE. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT 3 MONTHS AFTER A BRAKE FAILURE EVENT, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CARRY OUT A PROPER INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. IT IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE THAT BMW BELIEVES A 5 YEAR OLD VEHICLE COULD SUFFER A CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE AND THAT SUCH A FAULT COULD BE WITHIN THE REASONABLY EXPECTED WEAR AND TEAR CYCLE OF THE COMPONENTS. THIS POSITION PUTS THE LIVES OF ROAD USERS IN THE VICINITY OF A 5 YEAR OLD OR 60,000 MILE BMW WITH POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE BRAKING COMPONENTS IN PERIL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10693402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 62,000 milesLOS Angeles, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
BMW X5 2009 4.8IS (V8). BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED CAUSING SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING. NO IN DASH ALERTS OR DIAGNOSIS SHOWN BEFORE OR AFTER THE INCIDENT. BRAKING FAULT WAS PERMANENT NOT INTERMITTENT. VEHICLE IS UNDER BMW WARRANTY. UPON INSPECTION, BMW TECHNICIANS HAVE ADVISED BRAKE MASTER LEAKED FLUID INTO BOOSTER AND THAT THEY FOUND OIL CONTAMINATION IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. THIS SUDDEN BRAKING FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS DAMAGE AND FATALITIES. (PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED AUTO HOLD PARKING BRAKE FAILURE WHICH WAS NOT FIXED FOR OVER A YEAR DUE TO BACKORDERED PARTS.) FOLLOWING THE TECHNICAL DIAGNOSIS, BMW IS YET TO RESPOND TO DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #10662420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 79,900 milesPort Richey, FL
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ENGAGING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,900.
NHTSA complaint #10653519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10511748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10511748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 70,000 milesMissouri City, TX
SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN LET GO OF BRAKE AFTER STOPPING AT RED LIGHT, VERY OFTEN THAT THIS VEHICLE MAKES A SUDDENT JUMP. THIS HAPPENS SO OFTEN THAT CAUSE A SAFETY CONCERN.
NHTSA complaint #10504514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 47,300 milesStroudsburg, PAFire
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A VEHICLE PULLED UP AND ADVISED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. HE MANAGED TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAW THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS ABLE TO BE EXTINGUISHED USING SNOW AND WATER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE CALIPER WAS HANGING AND CAUSED A BRAKE FAILURE, WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, SHOCKS, AXLE AND BRAKE LINES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 47,300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10448194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.