2021 BMW X5
This year drew an ordinary 101 complaints for a BMW X5 — the model's median is 146. What they were about is the unusual part: 15.8% of them mention further, against 6.1% across the other years of this generation.
Generation 3 of the BMW X5, which began in 2019. Everything below compares this year against the others in that generation, not against a different car wearing the same name.
NHTSA opened a defect investigation into this model year.
| Complaints filed | 101 |
|---|---|
| Median for this model | 146 |
| Involving a crash | 9 |
| Involving a fire | 3 |
| Recalls | 12 |
| NHTSA crash rating | 4/5 |
| EPA combined | 21.5 mpg |
What the complaints were about
- further — 15.8% of this year's complaints, against 6.1% across the other years of this generation (2.6×). Owners wrote it as: further, known issue, unexpectedly, hotline further.
- warning lights — 15.8% of this year's complaints, against 6.3% across the other years of this generation (2.5×). Owners wrote it as: warning lights, another vehicle, after inspection, putting.
- once — 14.9% of this year's complaints, against 5.8% across the other years of this generation (2.5×). Owners wrote it as: once, exit, say, previously.
Words owners used for the same problem are counted together, so a fault written four different ways is measured once. Grouped by which complaints they appear in, not by a list anyone wrote in advance.
What owners wrote
while driving at undisclosed speeds, unknown warning lights illuminated on several occasions. The failure had occurred while driving and while restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the starter ha…
The front differential on my BMW failed at just 47,000 miles. There were no warning lights—only a faint grinding noise that gradually worsened. After inspection, the dealership confirmed the failure and quoted $9,000 for replacement. In speaking with other BMW…
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint filings, with identifying details removed.
Recalls for this year
- 21V089000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Fixed free of charge.
- 20V761000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Fixed free of charge.
- 21V096000 BACK OVER PREVENTION Fixed free of charge.
- 21V156000 SEATS Fixed free of charge.
- 20V528000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING Fixed free of charge.
- 21V062000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Fixed free of charge.
- 20V483000 TIRES Fixed free of charge.
- 21V031000 STEERING Fixed free of charge.
Showing 8 of 12. The rest are on NHTSA's site.
How this was worked out
Every year of the BMW X5 was compared against its own history rather than against other cars, which removes popularity and age from the answer — a common car draws more complaints at equal reliability, and an older one has had longer to accumulate them. A year is flagged when it drew at least 2.5× this model's median and at least 50 complaints.
This is a fault record, not a review. Nobody files a federal complaint to say the car was fine, so it shows what tends to go wrong — not whether owners liked it, and not whether it is a good car.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations, retrieved . Look this vehicle up directly on NHTSA's site to check anything here.
Own a 2021 BMW X5? What happened to yours?
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