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The 2022 BMW X5 is labeled as a luxury sports activity vehicle that’s created to impress. The automaker claims that it “gets you where you need to be.” But some customers are more than happy to return this BMW because of faulty brakes, defective powertrains, and other serious safety issues.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2022 BMW X5
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power Train | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Steering | |
| Suspension | |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | |
| Engine | |
| Electrical System:adas:autonomous/self Driving |
Most Common Problems with the 2022 BMW X5
A total of 12 consumers filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) between October 9, 2021, and January 25, 2023. Of these, 4 cite problems with the powertrain, specifically the drivetrain, and 3 focus on brake issues. Several complaints emphasize safety concerns. There are also complaints about failures occurring when the SUV is still brand spanking new.
Safety issues highlighted in NHTSA complaints include a malfunctioning start-stop feature (see below) and an issue with the driver assistance package. The latter, of course, controls many of the BMW X5’s safety features. An owner from Tennessee reports getting a message stating, “driver assistance support reduced”. And the vehicle only had about 200 miles on the clock.
We discuss powertrain issues in more detail below. But it is worth mentioning here that one of these complaints reports a drivetrain malfunction that occurred only 45 minutes after buying the car. Also, an owner from Texas reports having to replace the right rear damper/shock less than a week after taking possession of a new 2022 BMW X5.
Other components and systems mentioned in complaints include the electrical system, engine, forward collision avoidance, lane departure, steering, suspension, tires, and vehicle speed control.
Drivetrain Malfunctions
There are 4 complaints about powertrain issues, 2 of which were filed by owners of the 2022 BMW X5 hybrid. Of these, 3 mention a drivetrain malfunction, including the Californian owner who noticed the problem 45 minutes after buying the vehicle.
An owner from Pennsylvania got the drivetrain malfunction alert at about 1,500 miles. While driving on the highway, the X5 automatically shifted into Neutral and stopped. “This could have been a multiple-car accident if the cars were going at highway speed. BMW SOS called me saying they received a drivetrain malfunction alert. They had me pull over, asked me a few questions about the car and roads, and let me go back on the road.”
BMW later inspected the vehicle, “but said the issue cannot be reproduced.” So there is no resolution.
Powertrain Complaints from Hybrid Owners
One of the hybrid owners, from California, identified a transmission problem when “the engine started sputtering and the throttle became non-responsive.” A warning light came on and the message “drivetrain malfunction” displayed. At that stage, the vehicle was in the middle of a busy throughway and there was zero power. “This was an unsafe condition for everyone in the vehicle (and other drivers).” The vehicle had to be rolled to the side of the road and towed to a service center.
The other hybrid owner, from Massachusetts, slowed down before accelerating. Suddenly, “the car pulled forward in a jolt and even braking the car did not help.” It had been in hybrid mode and he thought it might have been automatically switching to electric mode. “It was scary and I finally switched to sport mode to avoid the electric / hybrid model altogether.
“This is the second time it has happened to me in the month I (have) owned the vehicle. I found that I am not the only one as there are several other owners on the BMW blog forum describing a similar issue.”
Faulty Brakes
Brake issues vary, but all describe brake failures of some sort.
The owner of an X5 with 1,000 miles on the clock had an experience that ended with a crash. He caught his foot on the mat inside the driver’s side and the car accelerated. He had to engage the parking brake to stop. Then, while it was idling in the driveway, it instantaneously lunged forward, crashed into another vehicle, and then into the garage. Even though there was no fire reported, the fire department was on the scene. The owner, from Massachusetts, also filed a police report.
An owner from North Carolina had problems controlling the steering wheel, which “was moving on its own.” Additionally, the brakes were “hard,” and wouldn’t press down more than a fifth to a quarter of the way down. After reporting and discussing the issue with BMW support, they said it was best if they towed it away. The complaint states that this has happened before. “The brakes are hard like trying to press on a brick wall.” It has also happened while driving. But usually, he can shift it back into gear. This time he couldn’t!
An owner from Hawaii experienced a brake system malfunction less than 3 months after buying a 2022 X5. The dealer’s diagnosis was that the brake booster needed replacing. The owner demanded a new car, but nearly 2 months later still hadn’t resolved the issue. This was after BMW agreed to swap the vehicle with a new 2023 BMW X5 because it has the same features. “However, once again, BMW failed and the new vehicle did not have all the same features.” He was told by BMW corporate that they could do nothing more.
Problems with the Stop-Start Feature
BMW’s stop-start feature is designed to save fuel in traffic jams, at red lights, or wherever your vehicle is idling and burning fuel unnecessarily. It automatically switches off the engine when the BMW isn’t moving and the driver engages the brake. The engine is supposed to start up again as soon as the driver takes his or her foot off the brake.
An owner from Illinois listed a complaint about the start-stop feature under Electrical System and Unknown or Other. The complaint states that the feature automatically started up his car while it was in a garage and turned off. This resulted in the garage filling up with carbon dioxide.
A statement on the KBB website also refers to problems with the auto stop-start system. It started playing up while an owner was caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the George Washington Bridge. “I cannot fully explain my disappointment with the auto start-stop system. At times I thought I was driving a 1975 pinto with a bad transmission, not a $70,000 luxury SUV. When rolling, the engine turns off. When I stepped on the gas to move forward, I was surprised by the vehicle bucking. Just no fun in traffic. In My X3, I could disable the auto start-stop system. Not in the X5.”
Issues with the Tires
An owner from Alabama experienced 3 sidewall tire failures on different tires within the first 20,000 miles. “The sidewalls blew out to a point that the ‘run flat’ functionality of the tire was compromised,” and the SUV had to be towed to a dealership. On another occasion, the owner spotted “a large slit in the sidewall and a bulging section around the slit on my front driver’s side tire. The tire is currently still pressurized, but is not safe to continue operating.”
Another 2022 BMW X5 owner (from Ohio) states that BMW doesn’t ship lug adaptors with the X5 anymore. Owners have to order these and it can take about 6 weeks to arrive. “What do I do in the meantime if the tire needs to be changed due to damage? My wife and I were going cross country on a family visit. Not now. We both don’t feel safe not being able to change a tire if something happens.”
What if your 2022 BMW X5 is a Lemon?
When vehicles have problems that recur and affect your use as well as the value of the vehicle, this is an indication that they might be lemons. While auto manufacturers replace, buy back, or make cash settlements to thousands of lemon owners every year, it can be a challenge to persuade them to do this. This is why it’s best to get an expert lemon lawyer involved.
Lemberg Law has helped thousands of consumers sort out their lemon problems. If you need our help simply call our Helpline or fill out a contact form. The law makes BMW pay the legal fees of lemon law cases. So, don’t think twice. Call us today.
Complaint Data
| Category | Electrical System:adas:autonomous/self Driving |
| Date | Mar 13, 2023 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | The contact owned a 2022 bmw x5. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds in self-driving mode, it crashed into the rear of a disabled ford utility van. The contact sustained a cracked clavicle and medical attention was provided. A police report was filed. All the air bags were deployed. There was no reported fire. The vehicle was towed to an impound yard. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 18,000. The insurance deemed the vehicle a total loss. |
| Category | Back Over Prevention: Rearview System Braking |
| Date | Mar 05, 2023 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The rear cross traffic warning basically does not work. This is very dangerous as I have been in the process of back out of a parking space and there will be a car right behind me or approaching very close to my car, and I get no warning at all. It also does not warn me where a person is walking behind my car. The bmw dealership said I needed a software update, but that did not fix the problem. The rear cross traffic warning has never worked. I had my car for almost one year and have never gotten a warning. After researching this issue online, I found out this is a common problem with all bmw owners. This is extremely dangerous! I have owned less expensive cars that had great rear cross training warnings. Very frustrating! |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Feb 22, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | High pitched squeaking noise when steering (at~800 mi) -> inconsistent resistance (at~1,200 mi) -> delayed steering (at~1,600 mi). A high-pitched squeaking noise happens in steering every time driving over 15 minutes. I took it to the dealer for repair at ~1,000mi on 9/29/2022 and 10/4/2022. They confirmed the problem and recorded the noise. They said they couldn't fix the problem after some attempts. They promised the x5 is safe to drive while waiting for the parts. But the steering starts to show inconsistent resistance. On 11/9, I called the dealer, and they said bmw hasn't sent them the parts. I talked to bmw na customer satisfaction for help. The representative said she will escalate the case, but nobody ever contacted me until I contacted them again on 1/2/2023. Then the representative told me to wait 20-25 days for their administrative review. But after 20 days, the representative suddenly told me the review required bmw engineer's inspection. I told them they're welcome to inspect the x5, but the engineer never contacted me. On 2/7, my mom experienced delayed steering, and she was terrified. We basically haven't driven the car for safety concern. Since the delayed steering happened, bmw na suddenly changes their attitude and urges me to drive the x5 to the dealership. Should I wait for nhtsa to inspect the car? Or I can just give it to the bmw dealership? |
| Category | Power Train, Unknown Or Other, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 16, 2023 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The active and passive safety systems would disable themselves and I would get the following errors from the vehicle. 1. Rear differential lock 2. Four-wheel drive system 3. Chassis stabilization 4. Drivetrain malfunction 5. Reduced driver assistance 6. Traction control reduced or off 7. Dynamic stability control 8. Dynamic traction control when these errors came up on the multimedia screen it would say that it was ok to continue to drive and to call and make a service appointment, no need for bmw roadside assistance. The following systems would be affected or turned off automatically. 1. Lane keep/lane departure assist 2. Blind spot monitoring 3. Cruise control 4. Forward collision warning/braking 5. Pedestrian warning/mitigation 6. Auto hold 7. Auto high beam assistant 8. Remote start 9. Side collision avoidance 10. Intelligent safety 11. Drive recorder 12. Back-up assistance 13. Auto park assistance 14. Active protection 15. Dynamic stability control 16. Dynamic traction control 17. Hill descent control 18. Speed limit information 19. Speed limit assistance 20. Park distance control 21. Cross traffic warning the warnings for these systems could come on right after starting the vehicle or anytime you are driving. What happens when the above systems are not working properly is the car can and will cut the throttle, that can be a temporary event or during the entire drive. It has happened to me where the throttle pedal and throttle response was working as normal then getting onto the freeway the systems went crazy and the gas pedal stopped working. So either the car comes to a stop or you stop the car. When stopped you have to put the vehicle in park, turn it off, turn it back on and put into drive and hope this resolves the issue so you can continue to drive. Sometimes it works and everything will be fine the rest of the drive, other times it doesn't. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 14, 2023 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | The sunroof spontaneously exploded, putting all occupants of the vehicle in danger of injury from the glass and/or collision as a result of the sunroof spontaneously exploding. As there have been several class action lawsuits filed against bmw over the past decade for similar issues, it is clear that the sunroof is defective in design, manufacturing, materials and/or workmanship. Furthermore, bmw has exhibited negligence as bmw has a knowledge of the defect in the sunroofs and never disclosed to owners or lessees that the defect exists or that drivers and occupants of the vehicles are at risk and that vehicles equipped with the sunroofs expose drivers and passengers to a risk of sudden explosion or shattering. This is a gross deviation from the duty of ordinary care owed to consumers. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 25, 2023 |
| State | PA |
| Description | Drive train malfunction. At about 1500 miles on the vehicle, while driving on a highway, the vehicle automatically shifted to neutral. The vehicle came to a full stop on a highway. This could have been a multiple car accident if the cars were going at highway speed. Bmw sos called me saying they received a drive train malfunction alert. They had me pull over, asked me a few questions about the car and roads and let me go back on the road. I reported the issue to the manufacturer who inspected it but said the issue cannot be reproduced. |
| Category | Electrical System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 16, 2023 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The car's start and stop feature due to the way it is programed started up the car when it was already turned off in a garage causing carbon monoxide to fill up in the garage. There is no way to turn off the start/stop feature on the car to protect yourself or to make sure it's off. Very confusing and can create a risk of a person being hurt or killed due to the confusion of how the system works. This is a very dangerous situation. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes |
| Date | Jan 12, 2023 |
| State | HI |
| Description | I purchased a 2022 bmw x5 on aug 29th as a birthday gift to myself and never imagined that less than three months later, I would have a near mishap that could have ended my life and others nearby. On nov 26th, as I was driving my vehicle, I received a notification not to proceed driving and to pull over because the system noticed a brake system malfunction. At that moment, I proceeded with caution to a safe location and the breaks begin to resist below my feet. I immediately called roadside assistance to send a tow truck. Afterward, I phoned bmw honolulu to make them aware of my situation and asked for a loaner vehicle and was told I would not be able to get one. However, after stressing how important I needed one, I was given a bmw 340i series below the standards of my purchase. I was briefed that my brake booster needed to be replaced. Receiving this information caused me to lose confidence in the vehicle and the company's ability to provide me with a safe and secure product. To add, I was mentally affected given the critical severity this issue could have caused me, my family, and others. I scheduled a meeting with sales manager wallace ma at bavarian motoren works honolulu on thursday, dec 1st to make him aware of my intentions to involve the corporate office so I could give him an opportunity to make things right within the scope of his position. During our meeting, I stressed how important it was that I am given a new vehicle mimicking the same features while duplicating my initial agreement. On dec 2nd mr. Ma contacted me via phone to let me know he'll move forward with handling the issue locally in the dealership to avoid long delays and processes with corporate. On dec 3rd, we agreed on the 2023 bmw x5 that mimicked my initial vehicle. However, once again, bmw failed and the new vehicle did not have all the same features. On dec 21st, I contacted corporate and spoke with destiny who informed me that corporate could not do anything. |
| Category | Service Brakes, Steering, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 27, 2022 |
| State | NC |
| Description | I put my car in reverse this evening and the screen kept clicking and unclick the back up assistance button. The steering wheel was moving on its own. I was not controlling it. The brakes were hard and I could not press down more than 1/5-1/4 of the way. The car was not in my control. After an hour on the phone with support and reporting the issues they advised they would tow it. I was able to put the car in reverse push a button off that was selecting without being pressed manually near the driving shifter to get the car to drive normally. At home the same issues continued when I tried to put it in reverse. Even when shifting to drive these problems persisted until I pressed actual tangible buttons in the car to try and move it out of that mode. I am not able to back the car up properly. I have had this issue before on a smaller way where in different scenarios I am unable to press the brakes. The brakes are hard like trying to press on a brick wall. This has happened when driving, when turning the car on and when backing up but usually it would shift back to normal within a few seconds. Today was different with the screen blipping selecting and deselecting the item. I have videos of the incident on my phone. |
| Category | Tires |
| Date | Oct 09, 2022 |
| State | AL |
| Description | The pirelli p-zero tires that came factory equipped on my 2022 bmw x5 have experienced 3 separate sidewall failures in less than the first 20,000 miles on the vehicle. The tire sizes are staggered, 275/40r21front and 315/35r21 rear. The first instance occurred on 07/26/2022, traveling down the interstate, when both passenger side run flat tires blew out the sidewalls at approximately 15,000 miles. The sidewalls blew out to a point that the “run flat†functionality of the tire was compromised, requiring bmw to tow the vehicle to the nearest bmw dealership. At the time of the failure, a alert immediately appeared on the vehicles screen informing of the loss of tire pressure. The next incident occurred on 10/08/2022, at 19,900 miles, I was in my garage, showing my vehicle to a friend from out of town, when I noticed a large slit in the sidewall and a bulging section around the slit on my front driver's side tire. The tire is currently still pressurized, but is not safe to continue operating. |
| Category | Service Brakes, Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal |
| Date | Jun 02, 2022 |
| State | MA |
| Description | the contact owns a 2022 bmw x5. The contact stated that his foot was caught on the mat and the vehicle accelerated. The contact had to engage the parking brake to stop the vehicle. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. While the vehicle was idling in the driveway, the vehicle lunged forward, crashed into an unknown vehicle and the vehicle drove into the garage. There was no reported fire but the fire department was on the scene. There were no reported injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Mar 19, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Received the vehicle less than a week ago, rear right damper/shocks need replacement. |
| Category | Engine, Power Train |
| Date | Jan 06, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The car came to a complete stop due to the drivetrain malfunction. The surprising part was that I noticed the error after 45 mins of buying the car. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection |
| Date | Dec 20, 2021 |
| State | TN |
| Description | New 2022 bmw x5m with a little over 200 miles on it. Received a message stating, "driver assistance support reduced". This driver assistance package controls many of the safety features listed above, and then some (could only select 3 from the list above, but affects more). Sad part is, after minor research, I find this has been an ongoing problem with bmw for years, and has not been addressed as the problem still occurs in their cars. |
| Category | Equipment:mechanical |
| Date | Dec 14, 2021 |
| State | OH |
| Description | New vehicle purchased this past saturday. Found out that bmw no longer ships the lug adapter in the vehicle. Sales person and bmw telephone call center rep. Confirmed this. They said to order one thru the parts department at the dealer. Parts department said it might take a month and a half to get... What do I do in the meantime if the tire needs to be changed due to damage. My wife and I were going cross country on a family visit. Not now. We both don't feel safe not being able to change a tire if something happens. This is not safe nor is it right. Please help us in this manner. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Nov 25, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | While driving regularly the engine started sputtering and the throttle became non responsive. It seems to have been a transmission problem. A warning light came on noting drivetrain malfunction but that continuous driving was possible. Driving was not possible since there was no power. This was an unsafe condition for everyone in the vehicle (and other drivers) since the car stopped in the middle of a busy thruway. The vehicle was rolled to the side of the road, picked up by a tow truck and taken to the manufactures service center. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Oct 09, 2021 |
| State | MA |
| Description | The car was driving in hybrid mode and when I slowed down and then as I was about to accelerate, the car pulled forward in a jolt and even braking the car did not help. Not sure if the car was switching from hybrid to electric mode? It was scary and I finally switched to sport mode to avoid the electric / hybrid model altogether. This is the second time it has happened to me in the past one month since I owned the vehicle. I found that I am not the only one as there are several other owners on the bmw blog forum describing a similar issue. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
See more posts from Brian Jones
The June 2, 2022 complaint from Massachusetts is confusing. Is this one incident or two? If your foot steps on the accelerator for any reason, the car will accelerate. Stepping on the brake pedal will stop the car much more efficiently than the parking brake will. There will be no warnings as this is what the car is designed to do. You step on the gas and the car goes. End of story.