2018 Bmw X5: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 67 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
67
Complaints
5
Recalls
1
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
0
Injuries
14.9
Severity index
Severity index 14.9 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 121 2018 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2018 Bmw X5 ranks 115 of 121 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 5% of its model-year peers. See the full 2018 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 14 | 20.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 11 | 16.4% |
| ENGINE | 10 | 14.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 14.9% |
| POWER TRAIN | 9 | 13.4% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 9 | 13.4% |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 7 | 10.4% |
| SUSPENSION | 6 | 9.0% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 14 of 67 complaints (20.9%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 5 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 2.3x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V652000 | 20/09/2018 | EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capaci |
| 18V439000 | 28/06/2018 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 xDrive35d, and X6 sDrive35i vehicles. The pivot bolt on the front lower-left control arm may not have been properly hardened, which may cause the control arm to break. |
| 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. |
| 17V727000 | 17/11/2017 | SUSPENSION | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 SAV, X5 M SAV, X6 SAV, and X6 M SAV vehicles. Bolts that secure the front suspension may not have been properly tightened. |
| 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.