There are 19 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2008 BMW X5in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
No warnings just went dead in traffic had it towed to a mechanic and his diagnosis is fuel pump is bad. A B160416 fuel pump was a recall and replaced thru BMW Chattanooga, TN on 12/08/18.
The contact owns a 2008 BMW X5. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the driver’s air bag replacement and the fuel pump replacement recall; however, after the recall repairs, the vehicle stalled inadvertently while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the fuel pump twice. The contact stated that the failure recurred while at the stop light in the middle lane of a road. The contact was able to move the vehicle to the side of the road with the assistance of the police patrol. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle the next day; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who installed a fuel pump relay switch; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who took the vehicle apart and diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The contact advised the dealer to forward the fuel pump for replacement; however, the dealer denied and advised the contact that he had to pay for the part if the repair was not completed at the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
MY CAR STARTED LEAKING GASOLINE FROM BACK UNDER REAR PASSENGER TIRE, AFTER I WAS RUNNING FOR MORE THAN ONE HOUR, I EXPERIENCED GASOLINE SMELL AND I CHECKED IT OUT AND I SAW A GASOLINE DRIPPING FROM THE AREA, THE CAR WAS ON AND RUNNING BUT WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR I SMELLED GASOLINE SO I FALLOWED THE SMELL AND I SAW THE DRIPPING, I TURNED OFF AND WAITED FOR THE CAR TO COOL DOWN, AND I STARTED AFTER AND THE LEAK STOPPED, NOW I'M WORRIED ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR TO FAR OR FOR TO LONG BECAUSE I MIGHT GET BIGGER ISSUES, BECAUSE THE LEAK IS RIGHT BEFORE THE MUFFLER AND THE MUFFLER GETS HOT , AND MAYBE IF A DRIP GETS TO THE MUFFLER SOMETHING BAD CAN HAPPEN, I JUST NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS ISSUE, THANK YOU
I WAS DRIVING IN INTERSTATE 4 HWY. GOING ABOUT 50 MPH TRYING TO SPEED BUT NO CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATOR. THANKFULLY I MANAGED TO MERGE RIGHTS IN THE CAR SWITCH FROM DRIVING PARK. I CALLED BMW HEADQUARTER AND THEY SAID DAYS NO RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. ALSO I CONTACTED MAY WARRANTY COMPANY "CONCORD AUTO PROTECT" THEY SAID IT'S NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT'S UNDER RECALL. SO I HAVE NO IDEA HOW'S RIGHT?! PLEASE HELP ME. THANKS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 50-70 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
WE HAD A DEFECTIVE IN-TANK FUEL PUMP REPLACE IN SEPTEMBER 2016 BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. WE THEN RECEIVED A RECALL FROM BMW USA IN DECEMBER 2016. WE'VE SINCE HAD BMW SAN DIEGO REVIEW THE INSTALLATION AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PART INSTALLED WAS NOT A BMW PART SO BMW USA DENIED REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE TREAD ACT. WE THEN CONFIRMED WITH OUR MECHANIC THAT BMW PARTS WERE USED AND FORWARDED THIS INFO TO BMW BUT THEY STILL REFUSE TO REIMBURSE. WE REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART AND SHOULD BE COMPENSATED . REFERENCE; BMW CORRESPONDENCE [1-8113168403] . I ASKED FOR PHOTOS AND THEIR DENIAL IN WRITING AND THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE EITHER. I SAW THE PART INITIALLY REMOVED AND IT WAS BURNED UP INSIDE THE GAS TANK!!!
WE ARE SMELL GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN WHILE WE WERE DRIVING AND ALSO WHEN WE STOP WE COULD STILL SMELL GASOLINE. WE TOOK IN TO THE BMW SHOP ON JULY 5, 2017, BUT THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T THE RECALL IN-TANK FUEL PUMP PART YET
2008 BMW X5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IN-TANK FUEL PUMP REMEDY UNAVAILABLE RECALL ISSUES. *LD *JS
MY 2008 X5 SPORT 4.8I WITH 76,000 MILES IN NOR CA HAS HAD 3 PETRIFYING EPISODES OF ENGINE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHILE DRIVING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL AND MYSELF TO WORK AT LOW SPEED -SUB 40MPH IN MIDDLE OF 2016 AND EARLY 2017! THANKS GOD WE WERE SAVED AND DID NOT GET REAR ENDED FROM ONCOMING TRAFFICS BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY PULL THE VEHICLE OVER INTO A SIDE STREET AND STORE PLAZA, BUT THE INCIDENTS WERE FRIGHTFUL AND TRAUMATIZED OUR WELL-BEING! 2 OUT OF 3 INCIDENTS, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN (MADE LOUD ENGINE NOISE AND COULD NOT START WITH ENGINE LIGHT LID UP) AND IT WAS TOWED TO A BMW CERTIFIED SHOP FOR REPAIR. FIRST AND SECOND INCIDENTS WERE THE FAULTY FUEL PUMP AND THE FAULTY OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FOR THE THIRD INCIDENT AND BOTH PARTS WERE REPLACED WITH THE REPAIR COST WAS MORE THAN $2000. I HAVE HAD THE FAULTY FUEL PUMP ISSUES REPAIRED BECAUSE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILY AND SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD COMES FIRST. BMW HAS RECENTLY ISSUE THE RECALL ON FAULTY FUEL PUMP LATE 2016 AND THE PART WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL LATE SPRING 2017. BMW SHOULD VOLUNTARILY ISSUE REIMBURSEMENT NOTICE FOR ALL OF THE REPAIR COSTS ON ANY RECALLED ISSUES THAT WERE TAKEN PRIOR TO THE RECALLS POSTED TO ILLUSTRATE GOOD FAITH TO ITS CUSTOMERS. IN EARLY MARCH 2017 WE HAVE DECIDED TO BUY A RELIABLE AND SAFER VEHICLE (NOT A BMW) BECAUSE OUR 2008 X5 4.8I IS NOT SAFE AND TOO DISTRESSFUL FOR US TO DRIVE AND ALSO FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE PAID FOR THIS SPORT 4.8I X5 BRAND NEW IN 2008, WE NOR ANYONE ELSE WOULD NOT EXPECT THAT IT HAS HAD MANY FAULTY AND MALFUNCTION ON ITS BASIC SAFETY PARTS AND ALSO ON OTHER PARTS. BMW SHOULD GET ITS ACT TOGETHER AND BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL OF THESE BASIC SAFETY AND RELIABLE PARTS TO LIVE UP TO ITS NAME AND THEME AS THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE AND NOT AS A POTENTIAL ULTIMATE KILLING MACHINE!
ON SEPTEMBER 2, AROUND MIDNIGHT, AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AT THE BORDER, MY 2008 BMW SAV X5 AWD 4DR 3.0I COUGHED, CHOKED, STOPPED AND REFUSED TO BE REVIVED. WE WERE AT THE FRONT OF A LONG LINE OF FOLKS HEADING THROUGH CUSTOMS INTO CANADA. YES, AT THE HEAD OF THE LINE. IT WAS SO EMBARRASSING! AFTER FUSSING FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES TRYING TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL, SEVERAL ABLE BODIED CANADIAN CUSTOMS OFFICERS PUSHED IT INTO THEIR COUNTRY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME ANOTHER 40 MINUTES LATER AND TOOK US TO A BMW SERVICE SHOP IN MONTREAL. SIRS, WHAT'S SO HARD TO SWALLOW ABOUT THIS BREAKDOWN IS THAT WE COMPLETED THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SERVICE ON THE CAR JUST 7 DAYS BEFORE AT NEW COUNTRY BMW IN HARTFORD, CT. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A NEGLIGIBLE OIL LEAK THAT THEY SAID WAS NO PROBLEM, I WAS ASSURED THAT MY CAR WAS FINE. BUT, IT TURNS OUT THAT IT WAS NOT; AND LIKE AN INCREASINGLY LARGE NUMBER OF BMWS, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. WHAT'S MORE, IT IS CLEAR TO ME NOW THAT, BACK IN 2014, THE CAR WAS FAILING TO START AND WOULD CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AROUND MY TOWN (I WAS TOO AFRAID TO TAKE IT ON THE HIGHWAY AT THAT TIME). ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING AND EVENTUALLY IT WAS 'FIXED (THOUGH THE FUEL PUMP WAS NEVER REPLACED UNTIL THIS LAST FAILURE). AND SO, I SUSPECT THAT I HAVE PAID FOR A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND I'M SICK OF IT. I THINK THAT BMW SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR AND THE COST OF TOWING AND THE RENTAL TO LEAVE CA AND RETURN TO PICK UP THE CAR.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V364000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/21/17*LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO REFERENCED A FUEL TANK RECALL.
THE CAR WOULD NOT STARTOR STALL AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT
WHEN I WAS DRIVING AROUND 30 MPH AND ABOUT TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY, AN ORANGE WARNING SIGN CAME UP THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING AND THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD A RED SIGN CAME UP STATING THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATED AND I COULD HEAR THE LOUD NOISE FROM THE FAN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. I WAITED FOR ABOUT 15 MIN. AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE FAN WAS STILL LOUD AND THE RED ENGINE OVERHEATED SIGN CAME UP AGAIN. I THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A DEFECTIVE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP AND SAID THAT THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR IS AROUND $1700.00. THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND THE 4 YEAR, 50000 MILES WARRANTY AND APPARENTLY THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE. SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I AM SEEING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM 2008 BMW X5 OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE AND HAD THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE - WHEN DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY LOSING ALL POWER IN THE VEHICLE, VERY FEW DRIVERS WOULD BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO PULL OVER SAFELY AND AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA CONSIDER THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FROM A RECALL PERSPECTIVE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL HARM IT CAN DO TO THE LIVES OF MOTORISTS WHO MAY NOT BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO AVOID A SERIOUS CRASH. I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE BASIC SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THEY SHOULD THE NEEDFUL TO HELP OWNERS FIX THE ISSUE PROACTIVELY, BEFORE IT CAUSES HARM TO MORE MOTORISTS. *TR
2008 BMW X5. CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HER DAUGHTER WHO WAS DRIVING, ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AS SHE STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, THE ENGINE WAS NON-RESPONSIVE. THE GEAR SHIFTED AUTOMATICALLY INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO PARK FROM WHICH IT WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED FAILURE OF THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A NATIONWIDE RECALL. *JB
2008 BMW X5 3.0SI. ATTORNEY WRITES ON BEHALF OF CLIENT IN REGARDS TO INCOMPETENT REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PURSUANT TO A VOLUNTARY NATIONAL BMW RECALL, THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL DELIVERY UNIT ON THE VEHICLE. EIGHT DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. THE CONSUMER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT TRYING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AS IT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK. A BMW TECHNICIAN CAME TO THE CONSUMERS LOCATION AND HIS INSPECTION REVEALED AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. THE EXACT ISSUE THAT THE DEALER HAD SUPPOSEDLY ADDRESSED A WEEK PRIOR. THE GAS GAUGE SHOWED THE GAS LEVEL AT A LITTLE UNDER HALF A TANK, WHEN IN FACT THE VEHICLE HAD RAN OUT OF GAS. APPARENTLY, THE LEVEL FLOAT WAS STUCK ON THE TANK SIPHON WHICH OBSTRUCTED A PROPER READING OF HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE TANK. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN THE VEHICLE STALLED. SHE STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED THE INCORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED MORE FUEL THAN WHAT WAS IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE FUEL SENSOR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 39,400.
CAR ENGINE DIED WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MILES/HR. *TR
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 60MPH AND SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER. MY SUV STARTED SLOWING AND FELT LIKE CAR WAS LOCKING UP IE. STEERING WHEEL WAS HARDER TO MOVE. PUSHING ACCELERATOR PEDAL DID NOT BRING ANY SPEED BACK TO SLOWING SUV. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO RIGHT SIDE SHOULDER FROM MIDDLE LANE AND CALLED BMW ASSIST FOR HELP. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP AT MY LOCATION IN WISCONSIN AT 8PM BUT DID CALL POLICE TO KEEP TRAFFIC AWAY FROM US (MYSELF AND 5 YOUNG CHILDREN) UNTIL A FRIEND CAME TO PICK US UP. THE CAR HAD TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY UNTIL A FLATBED TRUCK WAS AVAILABLE TO TAKE IT AWAY THE FOLLOWING MORNING. ONCE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF IT WOULD NOT RESTART AND NEEDED 2 MEN TO MOVE IT WHICH IS WHY IT COULDN'T BE TAKEN AWAY THAT EVENING. ONCE TAKEN TO THE BMW DEALER, INTERNATIONAL AUTOS IN MILWAUKEE, WI, THEY TOLD ME THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THEY REPLACED IT. THE 2008 BMW X5 3.0SI HAD A LITTLE OVER 33,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF FUEL PUMP. *TR
2008 BMW X5 HAS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR PUMP AND BATTERY. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STOPPED AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AFTER THE FUEL PUMP WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD AGAIN THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY. THE SUNROOF WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE CAMERA USED THAT GIVES GUIDANCE WHEN BACKING OUT OF SPACES WAS INOPERATIVE AS WELL. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026