2012 BMW X5 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 92 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 BMW X5, 34% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 70,200 miles. The words owners use most often: “water pump” (14% of reports).
- 92engine complaints
- 70,200median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 49%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 13 of 92 complaints (14%)
- Engine malfunction: mentioned in 11 of 92 complaints (12%)
- Pulley bolt: mentioned in 9 of 92 complaints (10%)
- EGR cooler: mentioned in 7 of 92 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 69 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 92 complaints, 4 a fire.
BMW X5 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 X5 | 3 | 12% | — |
| 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 | 51 | 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 (2)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Two nights ago I was at Dominoâs Pizza. I put my car in reverse and the car died and the steering wheel locked up like the power steering was giving out I was able to start the car again, but still with no power steering assist and drove the car home about a mile away, but every time I slowed…
Front passenger side occupancy seat sensor is bad and computer detected an air bag malfunction. Timing chain broke without warning.
Water entering into the vehicle, causing vehicle to reduce power in traffic, due to traction control issues.. Not able to drive vehicle when itâs raining., along with other issues, pls see first report..
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 BMW X5s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 92 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 BMW X5 (34% of the 271 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 2012 BMW X5 engine?
Yes: 2 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 70,200 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 BMW X5?
The most frequent phrase is “water pump”, in 13 of 92 complaints, followed by “engine malfunction” (11).
Other 2012 BMW X5 problems
- Air Bags problems (83)
- Power Train problems (53)
See all 2012 BMW X5 problems or engine problems across all X5 years.