2016 Bmw X5: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 70 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
70
Complaints
5
Recalls
3
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
40.0
Severity index
Severity index 40.0 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Bmw X5 ranks 98 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 30% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 23 | 32.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 14 | 20.0% |
| ENGINE | 13 | 18.6% |
| POWER TRAIN | 12 | 17.1% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 7 | 10.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 6 | 8.6% |
| AIR BAGS | 5 | 7.1% |
| SUSPENSION | 4 | 5.7% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 23 of 70 complaints (32.9%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 10 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 4 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V755000 | 25/10/2018 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 BMW 328d and 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon and 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d and 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV vehicles equipped with a |
| 21V907000 | 19/11/2021 | FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exh |
| 21V586000 | 29/07/2021 | FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail. |
| 16V919000 | 21/12/2016 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 X5 xDrive40e vehicles manufactured July 29, 2015, to September 9, 2015. The affected vehicles have a Digital Motor Electronic (DME) control unit that may have a loose electrical ground cable, possibly causing a |
| 24V608000 | 13/08/2024 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:PUMP | BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-20 |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.