2011 BMW X5 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 110 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2011 BMW X5, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 73,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “water pump” (15% of reports).
- 110engine complaints
- 73,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- $2,950typical repair cost reported by owners
- 50%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Water pump: mentioned in 16 of 110 complaints (15%)
- Engine malfunction: mentioned in 12 of 110 complaints (11%)
- Reduced power: mentioned in 11 of 110 complaints (10%)
- Vanos bolts: mentioned in 7 of 110 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2011 BMW X5 at $2,950, and half of them between $2,700 and $3,700.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2016–2024), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 94 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 110 complaints, 8 a fire, 1 an injury.
BMW X5 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 X5 | 3 | 11% | — |
| 2025 X5 | 3 | 5% | — |
| 2024 X5 | 13 | 9% | 4,023 |
| 2023 X5 | 5 | 15% | — |
| 2022 X5 | 12 | 17% | — |
| 2021 X5 | 25 | 23% | 8,610 |
| 2020 X5 | 33 | 29% | 62,836 |
| 2019 X5 | 52 | 27% | 19,500 |
| 2018 X5 | 11 | 15% | — |
| 2017 X5 | 12 | 16% | 30,000 |
| 2016 X5 | 14 | 19% | 69,000 |
| 2015 X5 | 42 | 28% | 79,000 |
| 2014 X5 | 16 | 16% | 78,500 |
| 2013 X5 | 45 | 30% | 56,000 |
| 2012 X5 | 92 | 34% | 70,200 |
| 2011 X5 | 110 | 42% | 73,000 |
| 2010 X5 | 40 | 32% | 72,000 |
| 2009 X5 | 30 | 22% | 85,500 |
| 2008 X5 | 66 | 31% | 65,000 |
| 2007 X5 | 9 | 13% | 99,250 |
| 2006 X5 | 7 | 4% | 77,500 |
| 2005 X5 | 12 | 15% | 86,750 |
| 2004 X5 | 9 | 14% | 110,000 |
| 2003 X5 | 11 | 11% | 122,611 |
| 2002 X5 | 7 | 7% | 93,000 |
| 2001 X5 | 7 | 4% | 188,530 |
| 2000 X5 | 1 | 3% | 122,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Risk: Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the idler pulley bolt breaks, the vehicle may unexpectedly lose power-assisted steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the idler pulley bolt with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:engine; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:other fuel types:turbo/supercharger
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2011 5-series, model year 2010-2011 5-series gran turismo, model year 2009-2011 7-series, model year 2010-2011 x5 sav, and model year 2008-2011 x6 sav vehicles equipped with 8- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat.
Risk: This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The safety recall began on december 19, 2011. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
There's currently an open recall for a number of BMW engines involving aluminum bolts in the vanos assembly that shear, strip, and break off completely. The open recall is somehow excluding some vehicles with the same exact problem like my 2011 BMW X5 xdrive35i N55 E70 with the inline 6. Currently…
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA…
EGR failure where the diesel emissions come into the cabin via the hvac system Dealer said the EGR cooler needs to be replaced. This is a know problem and recall on the 2012 and 2013. This makes the fumes to the driver when first driving the car in the morning dangerous as carbon monoxide and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 BMW X5s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 110 owner complaints about engine for the 2011 BMW X5 (42% of the 263 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 BMW X5 engine?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 73,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2011 BMW X5?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,950 (half paid between $2,700 and $3,700), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2011 BMW X5?
The most frequent phrase is “water pump”, in 16 of 110 complaints, followed by “engine malfunction” (12).
Other 2011 BMW X5 problems
- Air Bags problems (67)
- Power Train problems (58)
See all 2011 BMW X5 problems or engine problems across all X5 years.