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#BS-2013-BMWX5-BCA02013 Bmw X5
Based on reports from 210 owners and 6 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 210 complaints, 3 crashes, 11 fires, and 6 recalls. Complaint rate is 7.3x the class average.
Top reported problems
engine overheats
2 complaints • Severity 8/10
transmission malfunction
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
transmission shifts to neutral while driving
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
47 owners reported airbags issues — failures commonly reported around 65K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (37 reports) • Median: 65K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Airbags (47 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2013 Bmw X5: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Airbags Issues
Airbags complaints account for 22% of all reports filed for the 2013 Bmw X5, with 47 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 65,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 65K-mile mark.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 22% of all reports filed for the 2013 Bmw X5, with 47 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2013 Bmw X5, with 32 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2013 Bmw X5, with 19 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2013 Bmw X5. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (6 recalls)
STEERING
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 X5 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A DIESEL ENGINE AND 2013 X5 AND X6 VEHICLES. DUE TO A MACHINING ERROR OF THE STEERING GEAR SURFACE, POWER STEERING FLUID MAY LEAK.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
BMW of North America, LLC, (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2013 X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M and X5 xDrive35d vehicles, 2011-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles, and 2011 x6 ActiveHybrid Vehicles. Water and debris may enter the front driveshaft's universal joint, causing excessive wear and possibly resulting in the joint's failure.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, 2009-2010 X5 xDrive35d vehicles and 2009-2013 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." BMW is also recalling certain 2007-2010 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X5 xDrive35d, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." BMW is also recalling certain 2007-2009 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xdrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X5 xDrive35d, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles ever registered in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009-2013 X5 xDrive 35d diesel vehicles. The engine idler pulley bolt may loosen over time and break.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M vehicles, 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M vehicles, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d vehicles and 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
+ 1 more recall in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
2013 Bmw X5 vs. Class Average (Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD)
This vehicle
210
Class avg
29
7.3x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical standard sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 210 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 6 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Bmw X5 Model Years
2013 Bmw X5: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Bmw X5?
Is the 2013 Bmw X5 reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2013 Bmw X5 problems?
Does the 2013 Bmw X5 have any recalls?
What mileage do Bmw X5 problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
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Get the Full 2013 Bmw X5 Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 210 owner reports. Know before you buy.