2019 BMW X5 other reported problems

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Around June 10th, I was on vacation when I noticed my AC was not very cold in this vehicle, which I had purchased used about a month earlier. I took it to get recharged while on my vacation, and it blew nice and cold until a few days ago. After doing a little digging, it appears that the 2019 and 2020 model year of the BMW X5 G05 have an evaporator core made of aluminum, and the refrigerant used (R1234yf) is known to be corrosive to aluminum, causing leaks in the core. While this is widely talked about in online forums amongst those who have experienced this issue, it appears no safety recalls have been made about this issue. The problems, as I see it, are two fold: 1> Without a working AC system, the vehicle cannot safely defrost the windows when conditions are favorable for frost or fogginess. 2> The health hazards of inhaling leaked refrigerant, along with it's by-products (like trifluoroacetic acid) do not need to be explained. Refrigerants are known to be dangerous both to human health as well as to the environment, so this is not an acceptable environment to be exposed to. While I have not had an accident caused by this, I believe preventative steps should be taken to prevent them from occuring, given this is a fairly common problem with the 2019/2020 model year of this vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11754260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The evaporator for the air conditioning failed. BMW used an aluminum evaporator with yf coolant. Those combined cause the coolant to eat away the evaporator. Once the yf comes in contact to the air it turns toxic. This shouldn't fail at 82,000 miles.

NHTSA complaint #11739341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The starter on my BMW failed, and it overheated and damaged my alternator to the point that I needed to replace it. The dealer and independent service center confirmed that this was the cause, but BMW is refusing to reimburse the cost of the alternator replacement. I was at the exit of a highway and could not even put the car in neutral, so my safety was significantly at risk.

NHTSA complaint #11730444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The AC evaporator failed due to a known manufacturing defect common across the BMW G-chassis platform (G05, G07, G30). This has created two severe safety hazards: ​The refrigerant leak causes the windshield to fog up instantly and unexpectedly while driving, completely obstructing my visibility and nearly causing an accident. ​Chemical fumes and oil from the leaking evaporator are entering the cabin through the vents, causing dizziness and respiratory irritation for the occupants. ​BMW is aware of this systemic issue through numerous owner reports and petitions but refuses to issue a recall or provide assistance. This is a critical component failure that directly impacts vehicle safety and occupant health.

NHTSA complaint #11729636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

HVAC. Misty and mold smell from ac vent. Health concerns F or people with aasthma and respiratory health issues. All bmw of this year has this issue. Took it to dealer and got evporater cleaned vut smaell returns again in 2 months. Evaporator leak is very common. Most owners have had this issue fixed and repaired at $7k cost of out of warranty. BMW dealer ship admits issue with this year of bmw but declines to fix it for free. bMW itself ignores all the conversations bout it.

NHTSA complaint #11699726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

gas pedal broke while driving on the interstate causing driver to briefly lose control of car at the same time signal was lost from pedal to engine resulting in surge in the coolant system via ECm computer that blew radiator hose a moment after pedal broke. Pulled over and had car towed.

NHTSA complaint #11697748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The emergency call warning on the dash was activated. GPS and Heads-up display no longer functioned correctly. BMW Dealership replaced TCB2 Box and battery at a cost of $2956.63. In researching this issue found numerous complaints from other owners. Contacted BMW and was told they were not responsible, car was out of warranty (4yr / 50,000 mi). This is an electronic component that is positioned in the least hostile environment of the vehicle. It has NO moving parts, is located in a dry / protected area (above the headliner), has NO knobs to turn / buttons to push / or screens to touch and is not subject to normal wear and tear. One of 2 things seem to be the case: This is a rare failure of this component - in which case I would think BMW and the manufacturer would be not only interested to investigate but also responsible. This is a regular failure of this component and since it is an integral part of the car's safety system BMW does not want to acknowledge a known defect.

NHTSA complaint #11669758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My car said it overheated and would not start. After about 4 hours it did start and I took it to the dealer. They are saying that the battery and starter need replacement. I read that there was a recall for this exact reason on some specific VINs for my car model and year. Even though mine doesn't fall under that category it seems like the same issue that was recalled for others. Doing some online searches it seems this issue has happened to quite a few people.

NHTSA complaint #11664913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Vehicle Safety Complaint Report – BMW Engine Starter Failure Make: BMW Model: X5 xDrive40i Year: 2019 Mileage at Incident: ~40,000 km Component/System That Malfunctioned The engine starter system failed to function. Despite repeated attempts, the engine would not start. The vehicle showed no prior warnings or dashboard alerts before the failure. The part has not yet been replaced, and the car is unable to start still. Incident Description On a recent trip, while lined up at a ferry terminal waiting to board, our BMW X5 unexpectedly failed to start. There was no warning light or error code displayed. The car was completely unresponsive, despite repeated starting attempts. We were in the middle of the boarding line, blocking all vehicles behind us. We had to request assistance from ferry staff, who helped tow the car to a parkade. This incident led to the cancellation of our trip, caused significant stress and public disruption, and exposed us to serious safety and liability risks. We immediately contacted BMW roadside assistance, who were unable to diagnose the issue remotely and only suggested continued restart attempts, which were ineffective. We recently learned of NHTSA Recall 24V-576, issued on August 1, 2024, by BMW of North America. The recall involves the engine starter in 2019–2020 BMW X5 models, due to engine no-start issues and potential electrical overloads that can result in a thermal event. While our vehicle matches the make, model, and year, we were informed by BMW that our specific VIN is not currently listed under the recall. However, we are experiencing exactly the same problem described in the recall notice—an engine that suddenly fails to start, with no warning, and with the potential for unsafe repeated ignition attempts. I strongly believe that our vehicle should be included in BMW’s official recall list for 24V-576. The symptoms, risk profile, and component behavior align perfect with the recall description.

NHTSA complaint #11655961 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I bought this car brand new and a couple of weeks after purchasing it, I would notice a creaking noise and/or a slight bump when I would put on the brakes. I have a lot of paperwork where I contacted the dealer to tell them about this noise over the years. They continued to tell me they didn’t hear or feel anything when I would take it in to be checked. I even had one of their mechanics to get in the car with me, so I could point it out. He told me that was normal. Over the years they said things like the brakes are cold and just have to warm up or that the sound was the auto hold and was designed that way, along with other opinions. It’s continued to get louder over the years and it bumps when you reverse the car or if you cut the wheel far. Now, they’re saying it’s the chassis and a thrust arm needs to be repaired. This was a defect from the beginning and I have the paperwork to show that I contacted them repeatedly about it.

NHTSA complaint #11654186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

We experienced a serious malfunction in our vehicle’s emergency call system and Bluetooth connectivity, which began immediately after the shark fin cover fell off. This issue appears to be a known defect, as numerous reports suggest that water intrusion through the exposed area can cause damage to the emergency communication system and GPS functionality. This is a major safety concern, as it compromises critical emergency features and wireless connectivity, impacting the vehicle’s overall functionality. Despite this being a design flaw, the dealership is charging us over $5,000 for repairs, which is an unreasonable burden for a defect that should have been properly sealed and protected during manufacturing. For the safety of all drivers, this defective shark fin assembly must be recalled, redesigned, and properly sealed to prevent further failures. We urge the manufacturer to take immediate action to address this safety hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11649203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I have a 2019 BMW x5. My starter failed and I got a notification at the same time through my BMW app that there was a safety recall "RE: Recall 24V-576: Engine Starter – B12 05 24". The recall instructs the dealer that the Correction is "DME software update that will prevent the engine starter from being overloaded". This is all fine. It then gives the instruction "Note: Some vehicles may also be affected by the following technical campaign: 0012240600 Check and, if necessary, replace starter motor Please ensure that, if possible, both technical actions are processed at the same time." My issue is that the initial Recall is the clear issue causing the starter failure and they have acknowledged this in the technical campaign following. However, my vehicle's VIN is not included in the technical campaign that instructs them to replace the starter even though it was their negligence which caused the failure which they have acknowledged. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? No I paid to have the starter replaced. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Me and my vehicle were left stranded, sometimes In the road due to auto start, multiple times. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, by the dealer. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, inspected by the dealer. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No there were no warnings.

NHTSA complaint #11648115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On November 9, 2023, I was driving out of town to visit a friend. I had been on the road for 1.5 hours and driven approximately 100 miles. When the vehicle approached a stop sign and came to a stop, the auto stop function turned the engine off. When it was my turn to proceed, I disengaged the brake, but the vehicle's auto start function failed to turn on the engine. I put the car in park and pushed the start button once. In doing so, the car attempted to restart itself multiple times, without success. I could hear the vehicle "cranking", but the car never started. Shortly thereafter, the cranking sound stopped, and white smoke filled the cabin through the air vents. It smelled like burning plastic. I grabbed my belongings and evacuated the area. Once outside of the vehicle, I could see white smoke bellowing out from underneath the vehicle. There were no warning messages or any other issues prior to the failure. The car was towed over 100 miles to the dealership where they confirmed an internal short circuit caused the starter to fail. The dealership replaced the starter. I do see there is a recall for the starter. However, I believe my issue is different. The vehicle failed to restart due to the recently identified programming issue, causing the starter to malfunction. The starter failure was not due to excessive attempts to start the vehicle, as I only pushed the start button one time.

NHTSA complaint #11615676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My Engine starter failed at 43234 miles and left stranded at traffic light. when the traffic light turned green. It would not start again. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the starter.

NHTSA complaint #11607718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My backup camera is so dim at night I cannot see many obstacles. The dealer adjusted the camera to maximum brightness, but it's still so dim that I cannot see pedestrians wearing dark clothing and other obstacles behind me. Only the acoustic warning has prevented me from hitting an object or running into a person. I have talked to many other owners of this year BMW X5, and all of them have a similar complaint. The dealer adjusted the camera to its maximum night-time brightness but to no avail. The dealer then told me BMW designed the camera to be hard to see at night. I have normal night vision, as confirmed at my yearly vision exam by a licensed ophthalmologist, so I find it dubious that BMW would make their backup camera too dark to use at night. I found that shinning a bright light at the lower-left area of the instrument binacle causes the backup camera image to become much brighter and solves the visibility problem. Therefore, I think there is a BMW SW problem that dims the rearview camera too much when it believes it is night time.

NHTSA complaint #11598307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Today, we experienced a some kind of sudden stop in a normal speed driving. Red alert car symbol flashed on our dashboard. It is without stepping on a break but it’s like our car is braking or like abrupt stopping. No car or any object that may hinder in front of us. It was scary coz there’s car behind us in a good speed. I don’t feel like it’s safe for what we had experienced today. Please try to look at it before anything like this scenario to happen again. I am and anyone else is into safety that’s why we choose this vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11546023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Dealer service finally diagnosed AC refrigerant leak through evaporator on a vehicle less than 40,000 miles and just over 4 years. The symptom (hissing sound from vent) has started before 30,000 miles or 3 years, but dealer service indicated it is just a fan noise. Unsafe to drive in 90 degF+ weather without an AC.

NHTSA complaint #11534361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Driving on an interstate in an open area (no overpass). The rear moon roof (fixed glass) shattered like an explosion. We do not believe that anything impacted the glass. It just happened.

NHTSA complaint #11501982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Since February of this year, my X5 has suddenly gone into neutral gear while driving in stop and go traffic on multiple occasions over the past 3 months. This incident first started on 2/26/2022, wherein my car abruptly went into neutral, coming to a complete stop in the midst of heavy stop and go traffic, while approaching George Washington Bridge. This happened twice within a 20 minute interval during that same trip. The car wouldn’t start back again for several minutes each time. Following this, I took my X5 to my local dealership to get it checked out. The dealership kept the car for a few days, ran some tests, but were unable to replicate the issue. The car was subsequently released to me. (Ref: dealership service invoice dated 3/8/2022) The exact issue recurred on 5/22/2022, again in heavy stop and go traffic, approaching George Washington Bridge. This time the car wouldn’t start for more than 10-15 minutes. Following this, I had to call 911 to help me out. The car eventually started after 20 minutes. I took it back to the same dealership. Once again, the issue couldn’t be replicated. However, after consulting with the factory technicians, the dealership replaced the gear shifter. (Ref: dealership service invoice dated 6/8/2022) Unfortunately, this exact issue recurred on 6/24/2022 – heavy stop and go traffic, on the approach to Whitestone Bridge. The car abruptly went into neutral from drive mode, stopped completely and wouldn’t start back again for a few minutes. Please note that the Automatic Start/Stop (MSA) system on the vehicle was always set to OFF. It is a miracle I did not get into an accident when this issue manifested each time. I have made yet another appointment with my local dealer for 7/11/2022 to re-evaluate the issue. In the meanwhile, I called the main office at BMW USA and got a case started as well.

NHTSA complaint #11471445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The car has a faulty cup holder that allows fluid to leak. Below the cup holder is Crash Module, which controls the airbags and all the safety restraint system. I had a minor amount of fluid leak. This caused corrosion on the ASCM module. BMW is fighting me in paying for this. Based on my research there have been hundreds of incidents and a class action lawsuit. This is clearly a defect in design. If this would have happened when I was driving with an accident that followed, none of the safety equipment would have worked Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #11467321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WE LEFT OUR RESIDENCE TO TAKE OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL WHEN THE OPERATING PORTION OF THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. WE WERE TRAVELING AT AROUND 65 MPH THROUGH A RURAL ROAD WITH THE SUNROOF CLOSED. CLEAR SKIES, NO RAIN. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD FALLEN THROUGH BUT THERE WAS NOTHING INSIDE EXCEPT SHARDS OF GLASS. WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER, WE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FOR SIGNS OF EXTERNAL DAMAGE BUT THEN NOTICED THE LEFTOVER GLASS WAS PROTRUDING OUTWARD.

NHTSA complaint #11407046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE A RATTLING SOUND COMES UP WHEN I START THE VEHICLE I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING AND I'M TOLD THEY DON'T FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE. FINALLY, MY DASHBOARD GOES BLUE AFTER LONG DRIVES. AGAIN, THIS WAS REPORTED AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN AND I'M TOLD THEY CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #11330275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25 TO 35 MPH WHEN THE EMERGENCY ACTION SYSTEM GOT ACTIVATED THAT I WAS POSSIBLY GOING TO GET SOMETHING IN FRONT OF ME THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE I ALMOST GOT REAR-ENDED AND ALMOST BROKE MY FINGER ON THE STEERING WHEEL AS IT TURNED AROUND. THE VEHICLE STOPPED FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. IT STOPPED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO CRASH INTO SOMETHING. THIS COULD'VE KILLED ME AS THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE DROP THIS OFF AT THE BMW DEALER AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED.

NHTSA complaint #11290763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

SUNROOF EXPLODED. ON FREEWAY DRIVING APPROX 70 MPH. NO DEBRIS IN ROAD, NOT NEAR OVER PASS, WEATHER CLEAR AND 65 DEGREES. LOUD BANG LIKE A GUN SHOT, SUN SCREEN WAS CLOSED SO IT KEPT MOST GLASS OUT OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #11288509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

ISSUE: MY RIGHT HAND RESTS OFTEN RESTS ON THE SHIFT LEVER WHILE DRIVING. SIX TO SEVEN TIMES MY BRAKING HAS INADVERTENTLY CAUSED THE SHIFT LEVER TO MOVE FORWARD TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT MY REALIZING IT. THEN, WHEN I ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE I AM NOT MOVING WHEN TRAFFIC APPROACHING FROM THE REAR ANTICIPATES MY MOVEMENT. TWICE THERE HAS BEEN VERY CLOSE CALLS TO ME GETTING STRUCK FROM THE REAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS! MY OTHER CAR (LINCOLN MKT) REQUIRES THE SHIFT LEVER RELEASE TRIGGER BE DEPRESSED BEFORE I CAN MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN THIS BMW. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA complaint #11245232 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DRIVERS ASSIST SYSTEM DISABLES ITSELF FREQUENTLY IN COLDER AND SNOWY WEATHER. THIS REMOVES A NUMBER OF SAFETY SYSTEMS FROM THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #11183752 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.