BMW X5 SAV · model year

2006 BMW X5 SAV

36 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006BMWX5 SAV carries 36 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 X5 SAV is air bags with 14 filings, followed by service brakes (6) and seats (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2006 X5 SAV. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

36
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

36 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS14
SERVICE BRAKES6
SEATS5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SEAT BELTS1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER1

Recent Complaints

20190322SERVICE BRAKES

I PURCHASED A 2006 X5 4.4I (N62B44 ENGINE)USED WITH 138,000 MILES. WENT TO LEAVE DRIVEWAY, CAR WAS IN REVERSE, PRESSES BRAKES TO ADJUST MIRRORS, LET OFF TO KEEP BACKING OUT, HAD TO PRESS AGAIN FOR ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT, I LOOKED UP AND I WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE BUSHES IN MY FRONT YARD. BRAKES WERE PUSHED BUT NOT ENGAGING. I THOUGHT THAT TO BE ODD, SO I WANTED TO RUN TO A CERTIFIED BMW REPAIR FACILITY. I WAS IN TRAFFIC GOING ABOUT 40 AND HAD TO UTILIZE THE BREAKS AGAIN, THE CAR STOPPED. WITHIN ONE MINUTE I HAD TO PRESS AGAIN AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP, I PUMPED THE BREAKS AND THE PEDAL WAS SO HARD THERE WAS NO GIVE. I PLOWED THROUGH A RED LIGHT ALMOST CAUSING A SEVERAL CAR PILE UP, AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. AT THE REPAIR SHOP, I WAS TOLD THE VACUUM PUMP WAS LEAKING OIL EVERYWHERE BECAUSE IT WAS BUSTED, THE OIL WAS BACKING UP INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER AND HAD MIXED WITH THE BREAK FLUID AND THE BREAK BOOSTER WAS BAD. I AM HAVING TO PAY 2400 FOR THE SERVICE WHEN IT WAS J

Mileage: 138,000

20181213AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

OCCUPANCY SEAT SENSOR FAILURE AFTER RECALL CAMPAIGN 17V-605 COMPLETED. THE SENSOR MAT FAILED WITHIN 16 MONTHS OF THE REPAIR WHICH MEANS THE PARTS USED FOR THE CAMPAIGN ARE FAULTY AS WELL. BMW REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE. THIS FAILURE WILL RESULT IN THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY AS SO STATED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL CAMPAIGN.

Mileage: 136,000

20181213AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

OCCUPANCY SEAT SENSOR FAILURE AFTER RECALL CAMPAIGN 17V-605 COMPLETED. THE SENSOR MAT FAILED WITHIN 16 MONTHS OF THE REPAIR WHICH MEANS THE PARTS USED FOR THE CAMPAIGN ARE FAULTY AS WELL. BMW REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE. THIS FAILURE WILL RESULT IN THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY AS SO STATED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL CAMPAIGN.

Mileage: 136,000

20181213AIR BAGS

OCCUPANCY SEAT SENSOR FAILURE AFTER RECALL CAMPAIGN 17V-605 COMPLETED. THE SENSOR MAT FAILED WITHIN 16 MONTHS OF THE REPAIR WHICH MEANS THE PARTS USED FOR THE CAMPAIGN ARE FAULTY AS WELL. BMW REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE. THIS FAILURE WILL RESULT IN THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY AS SO STATED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL CAMPAIGN.

Mileage: 136,000

20181213SEATS

OCCUPANCY SEAT SENSOR FAILURE AFTER RECALL CAMPAIGN 17V-605 COMPLETED. THE SENSOR MAT FAILED WITHIN 16 MONTHS OF THE REPAIR WHICH MEANS THE PARTS USED FOR THE CAMPAIGN ARE FAULTY AS WELL. BMW REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE. THIS FAILURE WILL RESULT IN THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY AS SO STATED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL CAMPAIGN.

Mileage: 136,000

20180830AIR BAGS

FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG MAT SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEFECTIVE MAT SESNOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND SERVICE AT BMW OF LAS VEGAS ON 2 SEPARATE OCASSIONS AT 44,794 AND 67845 MILES 6-15-2011 AND 5-14-2014 RESPECTIVELY UNDER WARRANTY AND AT OWNERS COST. THIS VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED ON 8-22-2006 BUT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 130,000 MILES.

Mileage: 130,000

20180830AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG MAT SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEFECTIVE MAT SESNOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND SERVICE AT BMW OF LAS VEGAS ON 2 SEPARATE OCASSIONS AT 44,794 AND 67845 MILES 6-15-2011 AND 5-14-2014 RESPECTIVELY UNDER WARRANTY AND AT OWNERS COST. THIS VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED ON 8-22-2006 BUT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 130,000 MILES.

Mileage: 130,000

20180415SERVICE BRAKES

BMW X5 BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED. I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND NOTICED THAT THE TRUCK NEEDED MORE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE THE LONGER I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL BEGAN TO RISE AND THE TRUCK WOULD BEGIN TO CREEP FORWARD UNLESS MORE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE PEDAL. I DROVE TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A RECALL PERFORMED ON THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT. DURING THAT VISIT I INFORMED THE SERVICE WRITER OF THE BRAKE ISSUE AND ASKED IF IT WOULD BE CORRECTED UNDER A RECALL AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY OTHER RECALLS. I RESEARCHED IT AND FOUND THAT SOME BMW X5'S WE'RE EXPERIENCING SOME ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES AND WERE BEING RECALLED BUT NOT MY VEHICLE. I ORDERED ALL NECESSARY PARTS AND REPLACED THEM MYSELF. WHICH CONSISTED OF A NEW UPDATED PUMP, ALL UPDATED OEM LINES WITH CHECK VALVES AND A NEW TRW OEM BRAKE BOOSTER. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ENGINE OIL VAPOR TRAVELS INTO THE LINES AND UP TO THE BOOSTER WHICH CAUSED THE RUBBER DIAPHRAM TO FAIL IN THE B

Mileage: 175,000

20180122FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE CAR SHOWED NO SIGNS OF ANY FAILURES, NO WARNING OR SERVICE LIGHTS, AND AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF A CROWDED PARKING LOT THE CAR STARTED EMITTING WHITE SMOKE OUT OF BOTH TAIL PIPES AND STALLED SUDDENLY. THE CAR WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART AND I HAD TO PUSH IT BACK INTO A PARKING SPOT TO AVOID OTHER TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER 10 MINUTES AND AGAIN EMITTED CLOUDS OF HEAVY WHITE SMOKE. AT THIS POINT I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TOWED TO MY LOCAL BMW DEALER. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRANK CASE VENT VALVE APPARENTLY FROZE UP AND NEEDS REPLACING. THIS PART ALSO CALLED PCV VALVE HEATER IS UNDER RECALL FOR MODEL YEARS 2007-2011. MY CAR IS A 2006 AND FROM ONLINE SEARCHES IT APPEARS OTHER 2006 AND OLDER BMW X5S ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE IDENTIFIED IN THE RECALL (17V-683, ISSUED IN DEC 2017). I AM TOLD THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO CATCH FIRE IF CONTINUED IN OPERATION AND EVEN AT IDLE OR OFF. HOW CAN THE RECALL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHER IMPACTED

Mileage: 118,000

20160531ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FIRE HAZARD, POTENTIAL ENGINE SHUTTING OF UNEXPECTEDLY: BATTERY CABLE AT CHARGE POINT UNDER HOOD MELTED AND CHARRED . DISCOVERY PRECEDED BY NOTICEABLE BURNING SMELL IDLING IN TRAFFIC. PLASTIC TERMINAL MOUNTING BASE MELTED AND CHARRED, TERMINAL DISCONNECTED FROM BASE, PLASTIC INSULATION AROUND CABLE TERMINAL CRIMP CHARRED AND MISSING. PARTS AFFECTED: 12 42 7 531 720 MAIN POWER CABLE CHARGE POINT TO ALTERNATOR; 12 52 1 439 674 BASE B+; 61 13 8 371 016 COVER BASE B+. EXAMINATION OF THE CRIMPED TERMINAL CONNECTING THE CABLE TO THE CHARGE POINT BOLT SHOWS THE CABLE NOT FULLY INSERTED IN THE TERMINAL BEFORE CRIMPING AND THE TERMINAL NOT COMPLETELY SOLDERED TO THE CABLE RESULTING IN A HIGH ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE AT THE TERMINAL AND EXCESSIVE HEATING WHEN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM UNDER LOAD WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF OVERHEATING OF THE CABLE INCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND UNEXPECTED SHUT DOWN OF THE ENGINE

Mileage: 103,910

20151230SERVICE BRAKES

RECALL : BRAKE VACUUM PUMP RECALL MENTIONED THAT ALL X5 AFFECTED VEHICLES WERE BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 12, 2006 THROUGH MARCH 18, 2010. MY CAR HAS SAME ISSUE AND ITS BUILT YEAR IS 2006 BUT COMPANY SAYS THAT MY VIN DOESN'T COME UNDER RECALL. THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, WHEN I HAVE ISSUE WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT THEN THEY SHOULD FIX IT. I AM NOT GETTING ANY HELP FROM BMW DEALERS SO I HAVE TO SPEND MY OWN MONEY TO FIX THE ISSUE WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE UNDER RECALL MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING. MY VEHICLE IS WITH THE MECHANIC AND IT SHOWS THE LEAK FROM VACUUM PUMP WHICH CAN CREATE SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING. I DONT WANT TO TAKE ANY RISK DRIVING VEHICLE IN A CONDITION WHEN BRAKES WONT APPLY, SPECIALLY HAVING KIDS IN MY CAR. MY CAR BROKE DOWN BECAUSE ALTERNATOR GENERATED HIGH VOLTAGE WHICH SCREWED UP MY BATTERY SO I GAVE MY CAR TO CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO FIX IT. WHILE FIXING THE MENTIONED ISSUE, HE FIND OUT OIL LEAK FROM VACUUM PUMP. I DID RESEARCH ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND FIND OUT T

20151226SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND RUPTURED WITH LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND DECREASED BRAKING ABILITY. BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER GENTLE BRAKING ON THE ROAD AT LOW SPEED.

Mileage: 107,000

20151209CrashSERVICE BRAKES

THE POWER BRAKING SYSTEM HAS STOPPED WORK ,BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND WILL NOT STOP THE VEHICLE ,I SEE THAT BMW HAS A RECALL ON THE 2007 X5 MADE THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL WITH THE V8 ENGINE, I AM A MEMBER ON MY FORMS AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BMW X5 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAD ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM SUDDENLY NOT WORKING , I HAD MY BMW X5 AT THE BMW SHOP AND THEY DIAGNOSE WAS THE VACUUM PUMP HAS FAILED , VACUUM TUBE IS LEAKING AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAS FAILED ALSO. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM , THIS IS NOT A TAIL LIGHT NOT WORKING , THIS IS PUTTING PEOPLE LIVES IN DANGER. THE REPAIR COST IS $2300.

Mileage: 96,000

20151110AIR BAGS

WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT STAYS ON. ALSO, SEATBELT WARNING DOES NOT WORK FOR PASSENGER OR DRIVER SEAT

20151110SEAT BELTS

WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT STAYS ON. ALSO, SEATBELT WARNING DOES NOT WORK FOR PASSENGER OR DRIVER SEAT

20150505AIR BAGS

RECALL LISTED FOR SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR SEVERAL MODEL YEAR BMW. I HAVE A 2006 BMW X5 AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY(MORE ON THAN OFF ACTUALLY. I HAVE READ THE RECALL NOTICE FOR SEAT MAT FAILURE, HOWEVER MY VIN IS NOT LISTED. I HAVE READ SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE FROM OTHER BMW OWNERS SAYING THERE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED EITHER. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE TO BE FILED BEFORE THE RECALL IS EXPANDED? IS THE RECALL BY SEAT SENSOR MODEL? SINCE MY 2006 BMW X5 IS NOT LISTED( OTHERS ARE), WAS A DIFFERENT SEAT SENSOR USED IN MINE? WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON THE SEAT SENSOR USED IN MY MODEL? *TR

Mileage: 105,000

20150210SERVICE BRAKES

THE ISSUE IS SPECIFICALLY WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE CAR DEVELOPED A SUDDEN DANGEROUS LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. ONE MOMENT THE BRAKES WERE WORKING CORRECTLY AND THE NEXT THEY WERE NOT. BMW HAS 2 RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE BUT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER RECALL. THE RECALL CAMPAIGNS ARE 10V-446 & 13V-045. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM IS THE FOLLOWING: "THIS RECALL INVOLVES THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING FUNCTION. A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL COULD LEAK FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP INTO THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE. OVER TIME, CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER COULD OCCUR. THIS COULD AFFECT THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING FUNCTION. IN CERTAIN CASES, LOSS OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST COULD OCCUR. IF THIS HAPPENED, IT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER BRAKE PEDAL FORCE, INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE, AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. " MY CAR HAS THE EXACT ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALLS. THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHT TO INDICATE THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES. I CALLED BMW NA AND DESCRIBED THE ISSUE

Mileage: 63,200

20150202EXTERIOR LIGHTING

MY PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT KEEPS BURNING OUT CAUSING MY BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO WORK.WHEN I WENT HOME MY HUSBAND FOUND OUT THE SOCKET THAT HOLDS THE LIGHT WAS BURNT. THERE ARE MANY X5 OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM, THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THESE VEHICLES WITH THESE UNSAFE RECURRING PROBLEMS!! *TR

Mileage: 100,000

20150112AIR BAGS

WE RECEIVED AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL FROM BMW IN JUNE 2016 THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG IMMEDIATELY AS THE AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK AS PART OF THE "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT." WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE PERILLO BMW DEALERSHIP IN CHICAGO (1035 NORTH CLARK STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60610, (312) 981-0000) WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR. OVER THE FOLLOWING SIX MONTHS, WE CALLED MONTHLY TO INQUIRE ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAD THE REPLACEMENT SEAT TO FIX THE CAR. PERILLO ACTUALLY HAD US BRING THE CAR IN TWO SEPARATE TIMES ONLY TO TELL US EACH TIME THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART NEEDED FOR OUR TYPE OF REPAIR. WE HAPPENED TO HAVE THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME WHERE THE SENSOR MAT IS BROKEN AND THE AIR BAG IS DISABLED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONDITION OF THE CAR MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE TO SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WE LIVE IN CHICAGO AND THEREFORE DRIVE ON HIGHWAYS AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FREQUENTLY

20150112SEATS

WE RECEIVED AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL FROM BMW IN JUNE 2016 THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG IMMEDIATELY AS THE AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK AS PART OF THE "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT." WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE PERILLO BMW DEALERSHIP IN CHICAGO (1035 NORTH CLARK STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60610, (312) 981-0000) WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR. OVER THE FOLLOWING SIX MONTHS, WE CALLED MONTHLY TO INQUIRE ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAD THE REPLACEMENT SEAT TO FIX THE CAR. PERILLO ACTUALLY HAD US BRING THE CAR IN TWO SEPARATE TIMES ONLY TO TELL US EACH TIME THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART NEEDED FOR OUR TYPE OF REPAIR. WE HAPPENED TO HAVE THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME WHERE THE SENSOR MAT IS BROKEN AND THE AIR BAG IS DISABLED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONDITION OF THE CAR MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE TO SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WE LIVE IN CHICAGO AND THEREFORE DRIVE ON HIGHWAYS AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FREQUENTLY

Compare 2006BMWX5 SAV to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 BMW X5 SAV have?
The 2006 BMW X5 SAV has 36 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 BMW X5 SAV?
The most-complained component for the 2006 BMW X5 SAV is AIR BAGS with 14 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and SEATS.
Is the 2006 BMW X5 SAV safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.