There are 7 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2014 BMW X5in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WAS DRIVING AND SAW MANY RANDOM WARNING LIGHTS GOING OFF IN THE CAR THEN SMOKE FILLED THE CABIN. I STOPPED WENT TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE OPENED THE TRUNK AND NOTICED AN ACTUAL FIRE COMING FROM THE SIDE WALL COMPARTMENT THAT HOLD THE CAR JACK. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
DRIVING THE FOR 18 MILES UP A MOUNTAIN ROAD TO A SKY RESORT ON SNOW COVERED ROAD. NEVER EXCEEDED 20 MPH BECAUSE OF CONDITIONS. DURING THE TRIP THE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AND SCREEN SAID USE CAUTION. PARKED THE CAR AT THE PARKING LOT, TURNED IT OFF. TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT SEEMED OK, THE ERROR MESSAGE WAS GONE. WENT TO OUR ROOM. 20 MINUTES LATER THE SHERIFF CALLS AND SAID MY CAR IS ON FIRE. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.
ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 5TH, 2017, WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY 2014 BMW X5, AT THE MILEAGE OF 6800 MILES. A BURNING SMELL CAME OUT FIRST. 2 MINUTES AFTER THE SMOKE CAME OUT. I ASKED MY KIDS GET OUT OF THE CAR. ANOTHER 2 MINUTES LATER, THE FIRE CAME OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRE WAS TOO BIG THEN WE CALLED SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH IT. SO FAR, GEICO SAID THIS CAR IS TOTALED. BUT BMW NORTH AMERICA DID NOT PAY TOO MUCH CARE WITH THIS ACCIDENT. JUST SAYING THE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBILITY IS GEICO DESPITE I KEEP TO REMINDER HER "MY CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY". AS OF TODAY, I HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM BMW NORTH AMERICA TELLING WHAT TO DO FOR ME. GEICO RENT A TEMP CAR FOR ME.
DOORS RANDOMLY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE IN THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED.
CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUSH BUTTON START. EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND STAYED ON SERVICE TO REMAIN SAFE. PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM NOTIFICATION APPEARED STATING TO REMAIN IN SAFETY BELTS AND CONTACT SERVICE CENTER. CAR HAD BAD SMELL AND SMOKE CAME FROM REAR HATCH. CAR IN FLAMES IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE. WE HAVE POLICE REPORT, VIDEO, PICTURES, INSURANCE REPORTS ETC. BMW NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND OTHERS WARNED ABOUT THESE HAZARDS,
I HAVE THE "COMFORT ACCESS" OPTION (SOFT CLOSE DOORS) AND LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE, MY DOORS WILL OPEN ON THEIR OWN SOMETIMES. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING 40 AND SUDDENLY ONE OF THE DOORS WILL POP OPEN AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WILL COME ON. *TR
WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM CHICAGO, AROUND 3:30 PM ON SUNDAY 07/26/14 - I WAS EXITING I-88 ON THE ROUTE 31 EXIT RAMP. HALFWAY UP THE RAMP THE TRUNK/HATCH OF THE X5 OPENED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 28 - 30 MPH WHEN THE HATCH OPENED UNDER ITS OWN CONTROL. BOTH OF THE DRIVERS (MY) HANDS WERE ON THE STEERING WHEEL TURNING THE VEHICLE WELL AWAY FROM THE TRUNK CONTROLS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AT THE TIME. MY DOG WAS LOCATED IN THE BACK/TRUNK OF THE CAR WHEN THE HATCH DECIDED TO OPEN. LUCKILY HE WAS SLEEPING AT THE TIME IT OPENED AS THERE IS USUALLY NO HOLDING HIM BACK WHEN IT COMES TO ENTERING OR EXITING THE CAR. COMBINE THIS WITH THE FACT THAT I THINK HE WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE CAR WAS STILL MOVING AT THE TIME THE HATCH OPENED, THAT BY THE TIME I GOT THE CAR PULLED OVER AND IN PARK; THE DOG ([XXX]), WAS JUST ON THE VERGE OF JUMPING OUT AND I WAS ABLE TO CATCH HIM WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO DO SO. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME ON THE RAMP SAW THE DOG AND STOPPED SO I WAS ABLE TO GATHER THE DOG AND RETURN HIM TO THE CAR SAFELY. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CLOSE THE TRUNK USING THE BUTTON LOCATED ON THE HATCH. THE HATCH/DOOR OPERATED WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE RIDE HOME. WHILE I'M GRATEFUL THAT NO ONE WAS HURT OR INJURED AS RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, THE SCENE WAS STILL KIND OF TERRIFYING. YOU'RE DRIVING AND THE TRUNK ON YOUR SUV MAGICALLY COMES UNDER POWER AND OPENS ON IT'S OWN? WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING? WITH MY DOG IN THE TRUNK? WHAT IF I WAS DOING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY? I PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED THE CAR FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THE TRUNK WOULDN'T OPEN, BUT THEN IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN, SO I NEVER BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. SO I'VE GONE FROM THE TRUNK NOT WANTING TO OPEN TO OPENING ON IT'S OWN WHILE THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND IN MOTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *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