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EnginePart report

2018 BMW X5 Engine Problems

Complaints
11about this part
Share
15%of 73 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 11 complaints about the engine of the 2018 BMW X5, 15% of the 73 complaints for this model year.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“BMW issued a recall in October 2024 regarding the engine coolant pump electrical connector on my 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e, warning of electrical shorts and fire risks. It's now late March 2025—approximately six later—and BMW dealerships still state explicitly they have no available remedy and no timeline for repair. Recently, my vehicle showed a drivetrain warning message, which I suspect is recall-related. I called BMW corporate recall hotline and my local BMW dealership (BMW of Tenafly) today (March 24, 2025). …”

NHTSA complaint #11650364, filed 2025-03

“On March 9, 2026, I brought the vehicle to BMW of Fairfax for a scheduled appointment. In the week leading up to the visit, the vehicle intermittently failed to start and required jump-starting using a portable battery starter. Despite this issue, the car drove normally, showed no warning lights or error messages, and had approximately 69,000 miles on the odometer at the time. After jump-starting the vehicle, I personally drove it to the dealership. I paid for a diagnostic evaluation and also authorized completion of a minor recall. …”

NHTSA complaint #11734949, filed 2026-04

“I am reporting a recurring catastrophic high-pressure fuel-pump/fuel-system failure in my 2018 BMW X5 after BMW previously repaired the same type of failure, and subsequently performed the NHTSA HPFP recall on my vehicle. I am a 71 year old driver. This was a repeat catastrophic failure after Recall 21V-586 was performed and the loss of propulsion on the freeway was terrifying, and I almost crashed into other cars! At 42,763 miles, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic failure while being driven. The vehicle shut off while driving and would not restart. …”

NHTSA complaint #11756344, filed 2026-08

“The AC compressor catastrophically failed and sent metal throughout the AC system. I will have to auction the vehicle and try to get some money from the vehicle to buy another car. I doubt that I will still have the vehicle by the end of August 2024. Because my vehicle is a plug-in-hybrid and AC lines run through it, the check engine light came on because the electric drive could not function properly. It was 90+ degrees outside and thus inside the car, and a good portion of the power to drive my car wasn't available since the electrical drive was affected. …”

NHTSA complaint #11611343, filed 2024-08

“I was driving in the number 1 lane (leftmost lane) when the dashboard display indicated there was a transmission fault and warned that I should pull over to a safe spot immediately. With the vehicle rapidly slowing, I had to maneuver through traffic to the right side of the road with great difficulty. It was very dangerous to make that maneuver with freeway traffic traveling at approximately 65 to 75 MPH. The vehicle is at the BMW dealer in Norwalk California and has not yet been examined for the problem. The dealer has confirmed that the engine will crank but will not start. …”

NHTSA complaint #11436591, filed 2021-10

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2026311%
202535%
2024139%
2023515%
20221318%
20212523%
20203329%
20195227%
20181115%
20171216%
20161419%
20154228%
20141616%
20134530%
20129234%
201111042%
20104032%
20093022%
20086631%
2007913%
200674%
20051215%
2004914%
20031111%
200277%
200174%
200013%

Other parts of the 2018 BMW X5

Fuel system
18 complaints
Electrical system
15 complaints
Other or unknown
11 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
10 complaints
Engine cooling
9 complaints
Suspension
6 complaints
Air bags
4 complaints
Tires
4 complaints
Brakes
3 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaints
Electronic stability control
2 complaints
Steering
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2018 BMW X5

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology