2011 BMW X5 Diesel Sav problems & reliability
44 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 BMW X5 Diesel Sav, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 18 | 41% |
| Air Bags → | 10 | 23% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 9 | 20% |
| Power Train | 5 | 11% |
| Unknown OR Other | 5 | 11% |
| Steering | 3 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 5% |
| Structure | 2 | 5% |
| Wheels | 2 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 12 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 34 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 89,750 miles (middle 50% between 71,875 and 109,989 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My wife was driving on the expressway with speed limit of 50 miles / per hour. Suddenly the car showed "engine malfuction - power reduced" and she couldn't keep the speed and car starting losing speed and dropped to 10 miles / hour, she had to pull off the road to avoid the danger of being hit by other cars on the…”
Engine · filed Jun 13, 2019
“The passenger restraint light is on. Dealer reports there is a fault stored for the passenger side seat mat. I understand that bmw has had recalls for this problem in previous model years.”
Air Bags · filed May 21, 2019
“The issue started with exhaust fume in the cabin for 2-3 days. Followed by air leaking sound from the engine bay on low rpm. Vehicle went in and out of limp mode (getting "engine malfunctioned / reduced power" message) while driving which was very dangerous on highway or merging into traffic. Dealer found out that the…”
Engine · filed Apr 3, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Idler Pulley Bolt Failure
Recall Query RQ18001 · opened Apr 18, 2018 · closed Dec 1, 2018 · led to recall 18V336000
Technical service bulletins
19 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2011 BMW X5 Diesel Sav. The 10 most recent:
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
B510819 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2024
The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information…
B611305 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 11, 2024
CONNECTEDDRIVE/BMW ASSIST SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS INFORMATION: ConnectedDrive/BMW Assist features are partially or completely inoperative.
B840214 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2018
NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
B650709 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 2018
DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED WITH COMFORT ACCESS: One or more doors are unable to be opened from the outside of the vehicle using the Comfort Access System.
B660517 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2018
NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
B650709 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2018
Cracking noises from the front axle area while turning the wheels, when stationary or parking
B310112 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2018
INDIVIDUAL DRIVING CYCLES FOR OBD2 READINESS CODES (M57Y): One or more OBD readiness codes are not set to ÒreadyÓ during a state emissions inspection, with a hand-held scan tool or during an ISTA/D diagnostic session.
B121418 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2018
BMW Maintenance Program: 12-Volt Battery Replacement Measure: This bulletin outlines a customer satisfaction measure that has been designed exclusively for the BMW vehicles listed above.
B613014 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2018
N63, N63TU, S63 and S63TU Engines: Oil Leak from the Rear: Customer complains that engine oil is leaking from the center of the vehicle. When verified, the engine oil residue can be seen leaking from between the engine…
B110916 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2018
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2011 BMW X5 Diesel Sav has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2011 BMW X5 Diesel Sav?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 89,750 miles — worth a pre-purchase inspection if the car is near that mileage.