There are 8 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2009 BMW X5in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2009 BMW X5. The contact stated that while approaching a stop, the vehicle would continue to accelerate upon the depression of the brake pedal. The contact also stated that the parking brake failure warning message would appear on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they replaced both front and rear brake pads; however, the failure persisted soon after repair. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was given a second appointment. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was not available.
WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH;ELECTROMECHANICAL PARKING BRAKE FAILURE--SOFTWARE GLITCH THAT CAUSED THE PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR TO FAILURE // YELLOW & RED ( BRAKE & 4X4) WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON FOR PARKING BRAKE FAILURE ,BRAKES LOCKED VX CAME TO IMMEDIATE STOP AND WOULD NOT DRIVE!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V045000 (SERVICE: BRAKES); BUT, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
***UPDATE TO NHTSA ID COMPLAINT NUMBER: 10662420.*** VEHICLE VIN IS [XXX]. BMW X5 2009 XDRIVE48I (V8 MODEL). [THIS VIN IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY NHTSA VIN LOOKUP / DATABASE.] BMW INVESTIGATION WAS BEING HANDLED BY [XXX] IN "SPI" (SPECIAL PRODUCTS INVESTIGATION), WHO WAS GENERALLY NON-RESPONSIVE TO PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS. THE FEW RESPONSES RECEIVED WERE DELIBERATELY EVASIVE AND / OR FALSIFIED PURPORTED ATTEMPTS TO RETURN CALLS. CASE WAS TRANSFERRED TO [XXX] IN EXECUTIVE CUSTOMER CARE, WHO INDICATED THAT SPI WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE BECAUSE THEY NEVER RECEIVED THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. (NOTE: THE FAULTY COMPONENT WAS HANDLED BY BMW SERVICE AT CENTURY WEST BMW IN LOS ANGELES, WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS HAD BEEN SENT TO SPI FOR INVESTIGATION.) BMW STATES THAT SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ANALYZE THE FAILED COMPONENT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO REASONABLE WEAR AND TEAR AND NOT DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. (THEY ARE THEREFORE TAKING THE POSITION THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO COVER THE MINOR DAMAGE THAT WAS SUSTAINED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE REVERSING.) I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT BMW HAS NOT HANDLED A POTENTIALLY DEADLY FAULT WITH DUE CARE. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT 3 MONTHS AFTER A BRAKE FAILURE EVENT, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CARRY OUT A PROPER INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. IT IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE THAT BMW BELIEVES A 5 YEAR OLD VEHICLE COULD SUFFER A CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE AND THAT SUCH A FAULT COULD BE WITHIN THE REASONABLY EXPECTED WEAR AND TEAR CYCLE OF THE COMPONENTS. THIS POSITION PUTS THE LIVES OF ROAD USERS IN THE VICINITY OF A 5 YEAR OLD OR 60,000 MILE BMW WITH POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE BRAKING COMPONENTS IN PERIL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BMW X5 2009 4.8IS (V8). BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED CAUSING SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING. NO IN DASH ALERTS OR DIAGNOSIS SHOWN BEFORE OR AFTER THE INCIDENT. BRAKING FAULT WAS PERMANENT NOT INTERMITTENT. VEHICLE IS UNDER BMW WARRANTY. UPON INSPECTION, BMW TECHNICIANS HAVE ADVISED BRAKE MASTER LEAKED FLUID INTO BOOSTER AND THAT THEY FOUND OIL CONTAMINATION IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. THIS SUDDEN BRAKING FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS DAMAGE AND FATALITIES. (PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED AUTO HOLD PARKING BRAKE FAILURE WHICH WAS NOT FIXED FOR OVER A YEAR DUE TO BACKORDERED PARTS.) FOLLOWING THE TECHNICAL DIAGNOSIS, BMW IS YET TO RESPOND TO DRIVER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ENGAGING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,900.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A VEHICLE PULLED UP AND ADVISED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. HE MANAGED TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAW THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS ABLE TO BE EXTINGUISHED USING SNOW AND WATER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE CALIPER WAS HANGING AND CAUSED A BRAKE FAILURE, WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, SHOCKS, AXLE AND BRAKE LINES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 47,300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
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