2007 BMW X5 SAV Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Mar 3, 2022 · 59 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other X5 SAV years
Far more complaints than other years 1st of 13 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 BMW X5 SAV. That is the most of any X5 SAV model year in the database (13 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (12 complaints, 20%), typically at around 57,101 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 4 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2007 BMW X5 SAV problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System12 · ~57,101 mi
Service Brakes12 · ~87,931 mi
Air Bags7 · ~30,000 mi
Power Train7 · ~74,601 mi
Structure7 · ~40,000 mi
Engine6 · ~97,461 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling5 · ~58,500 mi
Suspension3 · ~84,560 mi
Vehicle Speed Control3 · ~23,000 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)2 · ~36,510 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System1220%57,101——
Service Brakes1220%87,931——
Air Bags712%30,000——
Power Train712%74,601——
Structure712%40,000——
Engine610%97,461——
Engine and Engine Cooling58%58,500——
Suspension35%84,560——
Vehicle Speed Control35%23,000——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)23%36,510——
Exterior Lighting23%74,000——
Parking Brake23%31,000——
Seat Belts23%55,000——
Seats23%55,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic23%88,000——
Unknown or Other23%36,570——
Wheels23%24,979——
Fuel/propulsion System12%95,000——
Latches/locks/linkages12%100,000——
Tires12%52,000——
Visibility12%650——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2011, with 11 complaints
2007: 2200722009: 2200922010: 6201062011: 112011112012: 4201242013: 8201382014: 7201472015: 9201592016: 3201632017: 4201742018: 2201822019: 120191

n = 59 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2007 BMW X5 SAV recalls (5)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)Mar 2, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V119000 · 917,106 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Risk: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.

Fix: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleFeb 5, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V071000 · 840,000 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive, 335is and M3 Coupes and Convertibles, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i SAVs, 2007-2010 X3 xDrive30i SAVs, 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M SAVs, 2009-2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d SAVs, 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M SACs, 2010-2011 BMW X6 xDrive50i SACs and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module or inflator depending on the vehicle model, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Service brakes; service brakes, hydraulic:power assistFeb 7, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V045000 · 30,265 vehicles

Problem: BMW is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 X5 SAV vehicles, manufactured September 12, 2006, through March 18, 2010 and equipped with an 8-cylinder engine. The brake vacuum pump may leak a small amount of lubricating oil into the hose. The contamination could result in a loss of power assist braking.

Risk: The loss of power assist in braking could increase stopping distance and lead to a vehicle crash.

Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake vacuum line with one that contains a check valve, free of charge. The recall began during March 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].

Engine and engine coolingOct 12, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V479000 · 29,250 vehicles

Problem: On certain vehicles equipped with v8 engines, in conditions of below freezing temperatures combined with low humidity, it is possible for electrostatic discharge to occur at the fuel rails. If this were to occur, the engine electronic control unit (ecu) could be affected so that engine stalling could result.

Risk: If stalling were to occur, the driver may not be able to maintain vehicle speed or accelerate and the power steering could fail increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will attach two ground cables in the engine compartment free of charge. The recall began on october 29, 2007. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.

Service brakes, hydraulicAug 29, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V391000 · 6,595 vehicles

Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, "passenger car brake systems." the cap of the brake fluid reservoir has been designed in orderto recognize a low fluid level of the hydraulic brake system by triggering a red warning lamp in the instrument cluster. A switch that is attached to this cap could malfunction at high temperatures.

Risk: If this happened, the red warning lamp in the instrument cluster would not be activated. Loss of the hydraulic brake system may cause increased stopping distances which could result in a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap free of charge. The recall began on september 20, 2007. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

My vehicle has the commonly and popularly known weep hole coolant leak. Apparently, bmw has had this problem in previous year model cars, dating back to 2002. They have known that this was a flaw in their design. However, there has been no recalls on the repair of this issue, which costs owners…

Engine · received Jun 14, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11220177

I'm getting warning lights on my dash stating my taillights are out. I checked both taillights and the housing that holds the bulbs are melted through. There is an electrical issue that causes the bulbs to overheat possibly resulting in a fire. This happens in park or drive. The taillights will…

Electrical System · received Dec 7, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11156823

Instrument panel is nor working properly. Unable to set time and date service schedule etc. Software in the instrument panel definitely has deflects. Cd is not working too. These problems occyrs two years ago and still remain. *tt

Electrical System · received Sep 22, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11130757

Takata recall i was in a serious accident on the interstate going downward on the ramp with my 2007 x5. My tire blew off the rim causing me to lose control and eventually strike the side wall. Was wearing seat belt during accident,seat belt did not restrain me and head hit windshield. Debris from…

Air Bags · received May 21, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10990820

Vehicle keeps stalling and accelerating shuts off in the middle of the road while driving mainly in the city i could b turning or driving straight and shuts off and takes awhile to restart...electrical wiring keeps shorting out sunroof shorts out and tail light keeps burning out...i took it to…

Electrical System · received Apr 26, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10980933

Other BMW X5 SAV years

← 2006 X5 SAV · 2008 X5 SAV →

See all BMW X5 SAV problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2007 BMW X5 SAV?

Owners most often report electrical system, service brakes, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 12 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2007 BMW X5 SAV?

Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2007 BMW X5 SAV a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other X5 SAV model years, the 2007 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.