BMW
BMW X5 years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2019 and 2024. Best years: 2016, 2017 and 2018.
The 2019 and 2024 BMW X5 draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2019 has 190 complaints (24 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 145 complaints (48 for each year on the road), against a median of 13 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2024 is brake wear (90 reports).
- 730complaints
- 40recall campaigns
- 6model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2019
Most reported: stalling (21 reports, median 65,397 miles) and infotainment (17 reports).
2024
Most reported: brake wear (90 reports, median 6,200 miles) and traction control light (56 reports, median 6,000 miles).
Best years
2016
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
2017
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
2018
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2019 has the most complaints of any BMW X5 year here: 190 of 730 (26%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Brake wear leads in 1 of the 6 model years and has the most reports overall, 113. Pooled across the years, half of the 18 owners who gave a mileage for brake wear were under about 6,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 8% of BMW X5 complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2021, 12 of its 108 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- Every model year where owners report brake wear also has a recall on the same system. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Complaints are still climbing. 2025 brought 183, the most of any year so far. So far in 2026, 151 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: OWS Photography, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: OWS Photography, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
_Washington_DC_Metro_Area,_USA_(1).jpg){kind=link}
Fourth generation
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 avoid | 190 | 24 | 13 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (21) | 47,500 |
| 2020 | 112 | 16 | 11 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (16) | 48,000 |
| 2021 | 108 | 18 | 12 | Battery dies or the car will not start (11) | 40,000 |
| 2024 avoid | 145 | 48 | 8 | Brakes grind, pulse or wear early (90) | 9,000 |
| 2026 | 24 | new | 2 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (6) |
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2014 (85), 2016 (74), 2017 (74), 2018 (72), 2022 (69), 2023 (33), 2025 (62).
Year by year
2026 BMW X5
24 owner complaints so far; too new to call. 3 reports involved a crash and 9 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 25V-556 on the visibility and 25V-837 on the airbags.
2024 BMW X5 avoid
145 owner complaints, 48 for each year on the road (3.8 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (90 reports, median 6,200 miles), traction control light (56 reports, median 6,000 miles) and hybrid system (13 reports). 9 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 8 recalls, including 26V-422 on the brakes and 24V-739 on stability control.
2021 BMW X5
108 owner complaints, 18 for each year on the road (1.4 times the model median). Most reported: dead battery (11 reports) and stalling (10 reports). 9 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. 12 recalls, including 20V-761 on the electrical system and 20V-601 on the electrical system.
2020 BMW X5
112 owner complaints, 16 for each year on the road (1.3 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (16 reports), engine failure (12 reports) and drivetrain problems (10 reports). 3 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 11 recalls, including 25V-644 on the electrical system and 24V-576 on the electrical system.
2019 BMW X5 avoid
190 owner complaints, 24 for each year on the road (1.9 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (21 reports, median 65,397 miles), infotainment (17 reports) and dead battery (13 reports). 4 reports involved a crash. 13 recalls, including 25V-644 on the electrical system and 24V-576 on the electrical system.
2015 BMW X5
151 owner complaints, 13 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: misfire (21 reports, median 108,000 miles), diesel fuel system (20 reports, median 115,000 miles) and stalling (17 reports). 6 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 6 recalls, including 21V-907 on the fuel system and 21V-586 on the fuel system.
Recalls that cover several model years
The roof function control unit may be programmed incorrectly, allowing the sunroof to close without the key fob present inside the vehicle.
When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate.
The rotor and shaft within the integrated brake system may not have been welded properly and could separate during a hard braking event, possibly resulting in a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and braking assistance.
After repeated attempts, the starter motor may overheat from an electrical overload.
Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. In the event the starter motor fails, repeated attempts to start the vehicle can cause the starter motor to overheat from an electrical overload.
The steering column shaft bearing plate may not have been properly attached to the vehicle, allowing it to loosen.
Questions
What BMW X5 years should you avoid?
The 2019 and 2024 BMW X5 draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2019 has 190 complaints (24 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 145 complaints (48 for each year on the road), against a median of 13 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2024 is brake wear (90 reports).
What are the best years for the BMW X5?
The 2016, 2017 and 2018 draw the fewest complaints for their age: 2016 has 74 (7 a year), 2017 has 74 (7 a year) and 2018 has 72 (8 a year). Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the BMW X5?
Brake wear, with 113 reports across the 6 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2024.
How many recalls does the BMW X5 have?
40 recall campaigns cover the BMW X5 model years 2015 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 21V-062 on the brakes, covers 3 model years.
How many BMW X5 complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
8% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2021 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for brake wear on the BMW X5?
Yes, on every model year where owners report it.