2021 BMW X5

SRS (airbag system) unit that is located underneath center console cupholder can be damaged by a small amount of liquid. Once SRS is damaged, a restraint system failure notification is alerted and the vehicle becomes immobile. Similar recall was issued in the past : Recall Number 96V107000 Manufacturer stated that neither the cupholder nor SRS unit is not watersealed. As the SRS unit seats directly underneath the non-watersealed cupholder it is not surprising to say that this may cause liquid damage while vehicle is in motion. Incident : Vehicle was purchased June 2021, a week later a restraint system failure notification was displayed. Towed the vehicle back to the deaelarship and found out that the SRS unit was damaged due to liquid. Dealer explains that liquid may leak through the cupholder and disable SRS unit. SRS unit was replaced with new, but no other prevention was made.

Lower tailgate failed and caused me to dump a load of groceries on a busy highway. Vehicle was inspected and it was determined that a spindle connected to a motor had failed. The tailgate must be opened and closed manually now. There were no messages of failure or warning that the rear tailgate was unlocked when this grocery incident occurred. I am a member of a Facebook forum related to this vehicle and many other owners whose vehicles were made in the same time frame have experienced this failure. The part has been on back order for a month.

My BMX X5 45e SUV shuts itself off once the driver's door is opened turning off the car and all systems, including the Air Conditioning. There is an option in the menu to NOT allow the vehicle to shut off when the driver's door is opened. That has no affect on the operation at all. As if there is a software glitch ignoring this menu selection. I've contacted the BMW Genius line 2 times and they advised this should not be happening. The dealer advised, after inspection, this is how the car is designed. On several occasions I've had people in the car, to include my disabled parents and had to run errands... That leaves them in the vehicle without any air. There is a "pre condition" feature you can activate Only if there is battery power left on the vehicle. My disabled father was found trying to stand outside in 96 degree weather a couple weeks ago while I was attempting to get his prescriptions after a medical appointment. The system had shut itself off with him in the car and the inside of the vehicle was well over 115 degrees. The problem occurs all the time. I currently have a loaner X3e and that SUV DOES stay on when in sport mode (using combustion engine). I have 2 separate videos of the X3e where the vehicle does Not turn itself off after I open the drivers door and get out. I feel the design of my X5e is a huge safety issue putting people's lives at risk! I'd be happy to speak to someone about this issue if needed and am willing to have the vehicle inspected as well. There are no warning lights or indicators that go off and the vehicle has been inspected by the dealership twice since being purchased on 5/14/21, last inspection was yesterday 7/29/21. Again, I don't understand why BMW is giving different answers and why another vehicle does not have the same potential life safety issue.

Vehicle was being driven and showed power supply issue and then flashed a drive train warning and lost propulsion power. The vehicle started hopping / jerking. The A/C stopped working and the center console became intensely hot to the touch; so much so it was uncomfortable to keep you hand on the center console. The vehicle is currently at the dealership stating they believe a software update was needed. The issues mirror those that occurred when the car failed as a result of a previous EV battery recall. Issue concerns me as the intense heat created makes me concern about of potential electrical fire or failure when driving at higher speeds. Occurred on July 10, 2021.

On 6/8/2021, when pulling out of my driveway approximately 9:00 am, I experienced the car switching from Hybrid mode to Sport mode without me engaging the Sport mode control. The following day (6/9/2021), after a day of primarily interstate driving (over 200 miles), while stopping at a red light, I felt the brake pedal fall to the floor faster than I was applying pressure and I came to a sudden stop. The brakes had seized and the car was towed to Thompson BMW. The tow driver was able to release the brakes by pulling up the brake pedal. Thompson BMW could not recreate the brake failure but their diagnostics indicated brake failure. BMW NA was called as my car was less than 6 months old with 9724 miles. The service advisor told me that they were instructed to replace the Master Cylinder but could not tell me why brakes failed. Knowing that this was a significant safety concern, I opened a safety complaint with BMW. BMW could not tell me the root cause of the brake failure and as a result, I had no confidence that the problem was “fixed”. Master cylinders rarely fail. They also refused to provide me the diagnostics report. They said I was only entitled to the maintenance invoice. Linda Vitale was assigned my complaint and in a voicemail, told me I lost power to the DSCI module. She said the DSCI “has a fail-safe mode and if no power was present the conventional brakes” would work. They replaced the DSCI module and “it should be fine.” Based on her email, and then conversation, BMW engineering said I had an electrical issue. So why did the conventional brakes fail? I am very concerned that BMW has not identified the real problem and I can experience this brake failure again. If this failure had occurred while braking on an interstate highway, I could have been killed or vehicle could have caused fatal accident. I am extremely concerned about the safety of this vehicle, especially since over 60% of my driving in on highways and interstates.

The contact owns a 2021 BMW X5. The contact stated while reversing out of their driveway and making a right turn, the display screen on the center console went red. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the pedal went all the way to the floor. The contact took their foot off the brake pedal and depress on the accelerator pedal, when the contact noticed the display screen showed the vehicle went from hybrid mode to sports mode on it's own. The driver had to press the hybrid button to get the vehicle back to normal. However, the next day the contact was driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a red light when they depressed the brake pedal the vehicle jerked to a stop. The contact then depressed the accelerator pedal but the vehicle would not move. The contact waited a few moments and depressed the accelerator pedal again this time the vehicle was slowly moving forward. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle but was not able to duplicate the failure. However, they stated that the failure was related to the brake system and replaced the master cylinder. Although, the vehicle was repaired the contact was concerned that the dealer could not provide the reason the failure occurred on the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,700.

The cars hybrid batteries caught fire while sitting in garage being charged. After car was removed from garage and fire department had things "under control" which took about 2 hours they left saying it would be towed in the morning. About 30 minutes later the car exploded setting fire to the house. The house was saved the car is nothing more than a burnt shell, a total loss. Thank God no one was hurt but I see where BMW had a ton of recalls on the 2020 version on the exact version of this vehicle for the same thing. Obviously nothing was fixed.

THIS IS A NEW BMW X5 2 MONTHS OLD WITH 2000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED NOT RUNNING WITH NO POWER IN MY GARAGE. ON SATURDAY MORNING IT SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED INTO FLAMES. I HAPPENED TO BE NEAR THE GARAGE AND SPOTTED THE FLAMES 4-5 FEET TALL SHOOTING OUT FROM HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY RAN INSIDE TO ENSURE MY FAMILY WAS EXITING THE HOUSE AND WE CALLED 911. I ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES WITH A HOSE WHILE WAITING ON THE FIRE DEPT. THEY ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED AND CUT ALL ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE VEHICLE AND WINCHED IT OUT OF MY GARAGE. VERY UPSETTING AND DISTURBING THAT THE NEW VEHICLE RANDOMLY BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE SITTING IN GARAGE.