There are 17 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2010 BMW X5in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My husband and I brought our 2010 X5 (VIN ), mileage: to BMW of El Cajon on 09/29/2025 for a recall service. Before the recall repaire, the vehicale was in normal working condition: -No check engine lights or warning indicators -No unusual noises -Fully drivable on a daily basis After the recall was completed, the dealership informed me that: -multiple check engine/warning lights appeared -The vehicle developed a very loud/high pitch noise -They do not recommend driving the vehicle in its currently condition. They did not warn us about his initial, they did after informed them we do not feel safe driving the car in this condition. The dealership explained this happened because they had open a valve to perform the recall, which they claim disturbed "sludge". They are now refusing to correct the problem unless we pay out of pocket. The issue did not exist before the recall and occurred only as a direct result of the recall repair. The recall left my car unsafe and undriveable, and I am being told to pay for a problem that only arose due to a federally mandated recall work. The recall resulted in a vehicle that is no longer safe to drive, with multiple warning lights and severe engine noise. The dealers refusal to fix this without charing me undermines the purpose of a recall, which is to ensure safety at no cost to the owner. I ask NHTSA to investigate this matter and ensure BMW and its dealerships perform recall repairs properly, at no cost to consumers, and do not return vehicles in unsafe conditions.
The contact owns a 2010 BMW X5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, her nephew attempted to start the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated there was an abnormal odor coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact replaced the battery; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to Firestone, where it was diagnosed that the starter and fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,546.
Been having issues with the car for over a month, changed water pump thermostat fuel pump, but it still would crank, got another diagnostic and now I have an engine leak, and FRM ) a serious electrical problem, I feel like some of these things should have been done before the dealer sold the car, I’m asking for help, with getting my car fixed or replaced
Electric fuel going on.
Sunroof drains - front and back overflow and drone down the pillars into the front and rear electronic boxes. A KNOW PROBLEM for this BMW. I want BMW to repair and fix this problem. Water damaged control boxes are thousands of dollars. This problem should be a recall! BMW was sued in 2018 and settled the case. I am unable to file a claim for this now. I recently moved from Southern CA to New Orleans LA. There is a lot mor torrential rain here. Never had a problem in Southern CA.
Headlight wiring loom insulation on both passenger and driver sides degrading heavily to the point of disintegration on touch. My driver side headlights have stopped working despite best attempts at isolating wires. I have received multiple headlight(low/DRL) warnings and errors because of this issue. It has been verified by countless independent mechanics and hobbyists on this generation of car with no aftermarket or OE solutions. I have since almost collided with objects in the road while driving at night due to this faulty manufacturing. I also fear for an electrical fire which is bound to happen due to exposed wiring. This has been happening for a few months with no improvement and further degradation. I have not had it inspected by BMW.
MY VALVE COVER AND CRANKCASE ARE MANUFACTURED BAD THE CRANKCASE IT'S CRACKED AND LICKING, WHICH IT DAMAGE MY VALVE COVERS, MY CAR WAS DRIVING GOOD ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT DOESN'T DRIVE SMOOTH
I DROVE MY BMW X5 TO WORK WAS THERE FROM 1045 AM TO AROUND 730PM DROVE TO THE STORE ABOUT A MILE AWAY THEN DROVE TO THE GAS STATION PUT GAS IN, THEN DRIVE TO A NEAR BY OUTSIDE MALL. WENT IN FOR ABOUT 15 MINS CAME OUT MY WINDOWS WERE COMPLETELY "FOGGED" OPEN THE DOOR AND SMOKE CAME ROLLING OUT. OPEN ALL THE DOORS TO LOCATE THE FIRE OPEN THE BACK AND FLAMES CAME SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER THE BACK PANEL. I OPEN IT AND TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH SOME NEAR BY CLOTHES. A BYSTANDER RAN INTO THE STORE TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. TOOK PICTURES AND SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY THAT STARTED ON FIRE.
ENGINE ELECTRIC RECALL FOR ELECTRIC WATER PUMP. CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO SERVICE AT TULLEY BMW IN NASHUA FOR ISSUE WITH WATER PUMP. SERVICE ADVISOR SAID " ONLY NEED TO REPLACE A FEW BOLTS " I FEEL THE CAR HAS ONLY 46,000 AND IS OVERHEATING TO EXCESS SHOWING TEMPERATURE GAGE. HAD VEHICAL TOWED OVER 100 MILES TO LOCAL SERVICE STATION - FAILED ELECTRIC WATER PUMP - " RECALL ISSUE " DEALER FAILED TO SERVICE. ENGINE IS OVERHEATING - DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $ 1,500.00 TO REPAIR
MY CAR SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND WHEN I WENT TO USE IT, I DISCOVERED THAT THE INTERIOR RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL WAS MELTED AND THE INTERIOR WAS COVERED IN SOOT. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND IT WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR EVALUATION. IT WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS.
OK, SO I OWN MY 2010 BMW X5 35D AND PRETTY MUCH SINCE THE OWNERSHIP I FOUND THAT BACK UP CAMERA I HAVE IS WORKING PRETTY STRANGE: WITH WORM WEATHER OUTSIDE IT SHOWS FUZZY, STATIC, JUMPING PICTURE. THE WARMER IS OUTSIDE THE MORE FUZZIER IT IS. SO, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT CABLE COMING FROM CAMERA TO HEAD UNIT IS GETTING BAD FROM RUBBING FROM CHASSIS! I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND TONS OF COMPLAINS LIKE THAT - IN 2-3 YEARS OLD CAR AND UP ALL OVER THE PLACE - BAD CABLE. IT TURNED OUT THAT LOCATION FOR IT IS VERY BAD AND IT ALWAYS RUB ON PART OF CHASSIS. DEFINITELY BAD DESIGN ISSUE. FURTHER MORE, TO FIX IT I WAS QUOTED $1200, NO MORE NO LESS, SOMETHING THAT IS BADLY DESIGNED SHOULD BE FIXED FOR FREE! THIS IS DEFINITELY SAFETY CONCERN AS MAIN IDEA FOR THAT CAMERA - SAFETY, BUT HAVING IT FAULTY AFTER FEW YEARS DOESN'T FOLLOW IT MAIN GOAL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AND RECALL FOR THE CABLE SHOULD BE GOOD SOLUTION.
AFTER CHANGING THE BATTERY, THE VEHICLE HAS NO OPERATING DASH LIGHTS, GAUGE INDICATIONS, TURN SIGNALS, OR BRIGHT LIGHTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTINUOUSLY SWIPES, BUT HAS NO ABILITY TO SPRAY WASHER FLUID OR CHANGE THE SPEED OF THE SWIPE. THESE CONDITIONS RENDER IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, AND PREVENTS THE OPERATOR FROM MONITORING THE VEHICLE, IDENTIFYING ONES SPEED, OR SIGNALING A TURN. MOREOVER, THE CONTINUOUS WINDSHIELD WIPER ACTION IMPAIRS ONE'S ABILITY TO SEE AND IS ALSO DISTRACTING; MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *TR
I'M REPORTING A QUALITY ESCAPED ISSUE ON MOST OF BMW CARS EQUIPPED WITH REAR VIEW CAMERA SYSTEM. I'M MILD TO HOT DAYS, THE CAMERA STARTS TO FLICKER RAPIDLY AND SHORTLY IT BLANKS OFF INTERMITTENTLY. IT'S MORE NOTICEABLE ON HOT DAYS BUT NORMAL DURING COLD DAYS. THIS ISSUE IS ALSO ON MOST OF BMW CARS AND YET TO BE RECOGNIZED NOR RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IT'S UNFAIR FOR A CONSUMER TO PAY SO MUCH MONEY AND CAN'T CAN'T BE REIMBURSED FOR THE FIX THIS DISCREPANCY. I BELIEVE THE COST OF THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED BY A BMW DEALER. I FELL LIKE I'VE BEEN ROBBED OUT OF MY WALLET PAYING SO MUCH FOR ALL THESE ISSUES POPPING UP FROM TIME TO TIME ON SCAR THAT WAS NOT EVEN 75K MILES. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT COULD LEAD TO CRASH DURING REVERSE DRIVING OR DURING PARALLEL PARKING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
MY BMW 2010 X5 DIESEL CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AREA AFTER ONLY A FEW MINUTES AFTER DRIVING CAR. THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE SEEMED TO ORIGINATE UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE CARGO AREA AS A HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE QUARTER WAS BURNED UP THOUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE CARGO AREA. THE INITIAL INDICATOR OF THE PROBLEM INCLUDED SMOKE COMING THROUGH VENTS. ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE CAR AS IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT IT IN PARK WHILE IT WAS ON FIRE. WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF THE CARGO AREA. THE CAR WAS VERY GOOD SHAPE OTHERWISE WITH NO PROBLEMS AND THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
AFTER ENGINE START, MESSAGE DISPLAYS ON CONTROL DISPLAY INDICATING INCREASED BATTERY DRAIN AND THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE SERVICED SOON. DISPLAY SHOWS VEHICLE ON WHAT APPEARS TO BE A LIFT. CONTACTED BMW AT ST. ALBANS WHO RECOMMENDED THAT I PURCHASE A BATTERY CHARGER SO THAT I MAY CHARGE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT! PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SPECIFIC CAUSAL FACTOR (LEAVING THE IGNITION ON AFTER ENGINE STOP, LEAVING DOORS OPEN, ETC.) *TR
VEHICLE REPORTS HIGH BATTERY DRAIN MESSAGE AND SOS MALFUNCTION ERROR MESSAGES. BMW NOT ABLE TO CORRECT. *TR
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