2003 BMW X5 engine problems
11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2003 BMW X5 — 11% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The car started losing power while on the road. It got slower and slower, till it finally came to a complete stop. It had to be towed the rest of the way to the house. The engine would start up, but it would not engage any of the gears.”
filed Dec 18, 2020
“I purchased a bmw x5 and the fail trans light cam on and the gears are shifting out of control. Almost got my son killed. The check engine light came on and the lights flicker on and off. My son was driving when this happened.”
filed Aug 25, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Coolant is leaking from under the car which is equipped with the S63 engine. A low coolant warning might also be displayed (CC Message ID166).
B170222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2022
Engine problems in other X5 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 X5 | 2 | 9% |
| 2025 X5 | 3 | 5% |
| 2024 X5 | 13 | 9% |
| 2023 X5 | 4 | 13% |
| 2022 X5 | 12 | 18% |
| 2021 X5 | 24 | 23% |
| 2020 X5 | 33 | 30% |
| 2019 X5 | 51 | 27% |
| 2018 X5 | 11 | 15% |
| 2017 X5 | 12 | 16% |
| 2016 X5 | 14 | 19% |
| 2015 X5 | 42 | 28% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2003 BMW X5
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.