2021 BMW X5 power train problems
26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2021 BMW X5 — 25% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“We live in [XXX]. We own a 2021 BMW X5-45e. It has about 85,000 miles and has always been serviced by the BMW dealer here in [XXX] – Pierce BMW. On the evening of XXX I drove the vehicle home at 6:30PM after a 30 mile drive and parked the car outside in the shade of our house. The temperature at…”
filed Aug 20, 2026
“The front driveshaft universal joint failed causing the drive shaft to bust a hole in the engine and crack the transmission. There was no knocking noise prior to failure. It suddenly failed, disengaged and caused damage. I was told by service manager the u-bolt must have been defective to have…”
filed Aug 12, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Power Train problems in other X5 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 X5 | 4 | 18% |
| 2025 X5 | 7 | 11% |
| 2024 X5 | 16 | 11% |
| 2023 X5 | 7 | 23% |
| 2022 X5 | 23 | 34% |
| 2020 X5 | 17 | 15% |
| 2019 X5 | 18 | 10% |
| 2018 X5 | 10 | 14% |
| 2017 X5 | 9 | 12% |
| 2016 X5 | 13 | 18% |
| 2015 X5 | 14 | 9% |
| 2014 X5 | 12 | 12% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2021 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.