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BMW X5 SAVModel year report

2008 BMW X5 SAV Problems

Complaints
20filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
70,049miles, 13 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 BMW X5 SAV (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 2008 BMW X5 SAV. The part named most often is air bags, with 9 complaints (45% of the total), followed by electrical system (4) and engine (4). 13 of the complaints include a mileage, and 15% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 70,049 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 7 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the inflator module filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Air bags: “My son lean forward and turned left to grab an item from my daughter in the back seat. All of the sudden the passenger safety restraint system malfunction light came on. Now it comes on continuously when a front seat passenger moves slightly. I researched online and noted that recall has been done for numerous Bmw cars, but just not my year model. I believe this is manufacture defect and they should fix it.”

NHTSA complaint #10650153, filed 2014-10, 32,000 miles

Electrical system: “After parking SUV, drivers side door will not unlock/open with double pull, however, using unlock button (unlocks all doors) door will unlock. In an accident, especially one involving fire, this could be a fatal safety issue. Worked fine up until yesterday, now it won't unlock; made three trips in the vehicle yesterday and the issue occurred all three times after parking.”

NHTSA complaint #10825005, filed 2016-02, 70,806 miles

Engine: “When I was driving around 30 MPH and about to merge onto the highway, an orange warning sign came up that the engine was overheating and then immediately afterward a red sign came up stating that the engine was overheated and I could hear the loud noise from the fan. Immediately after that the vehicle stalled and I had to pull over to the shoulder. I waited for about 15 min. And when I restarted the vehicle, the fan was still loud and the red engine overheated sign came up again. I then had the vehicle towed to a repair facility. …”

NHTSA complaint #10595557, filed 2014-06, 67,000 miles

Brakes: “The rear brake lights mounted in the tailgate failed. This is due to a known fault on the e70 model, where the poor quality sealant and method used to prevent the ingress of water into the lamp housing fails. This leads to corrosion of the connector housings and the failure of the unit which must be replaced in its entirity at great cost. As Bmw are aware of this happening (indeed they issued a service bulletin admitting same ) si b 63 11 10 and the item is a safety component, I feel the cars should be recalled and the work undertaken at the cost of Bmw and not the unfortunate owners. …”

NHTSA complaint #10721584, filed 2015-05, 91,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

15% of the 13 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 61,250 and 85,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–2515%25–5046%50–7523%75–10015%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (13 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 70,049 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

201420152016201772019
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 BMW X5 SAV → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 7 on record; the latest 7 are shown.

Other model years of the BMW X5 SAV

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20131345,0001———Not enough data
20122154,2504———Stable
20112478,6203———Stable
20101964,0005———Stable
20091980,0004———Rising
20082070,0493———Stable
20075967,0005——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20062796,0000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All BMW X5 SAV model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 BMW X5 SAV have?

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 2008 BMW X5 SAV as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 BMW X5 SAV is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 9 complaints (45% of the total), followed by electrical system with 4.

Has the 2008 BMW X5 SAV been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 BMW X5 SAV reported?

Among the 13 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 70,049 miles and the middle half falls between 61,250 and 85,000 miles; 15% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.