- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 5
- on record
- MPG
- 27
- combined
Open recalls on record
5 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 BMW X5
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- Owner complaints
- 70
- Complaints citing a crash
- 3
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
5 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
5 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 18V755000high
Engine issue
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 BMW 328d and 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon and 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d and 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. If the EGR cooler leaks internally, the coolant can mix with diesel engine soot. The high EGR temperatures may result in these particles possibly smoldering and melting the intake manifold.
Consequence
The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the EGR cooler as necessary. If a leak has already occurred, the engine intake manifold will also be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- 21V907000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Consequence
A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall. An interim owner notification letter was mailed on January 18, 2022. The remedy is expected to be available in June 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- 21V586000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.
Consequence
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- 16V919000high
Wiring harness issue
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 X5 xDrive40e vehicles manufactured July 29, 2015, to September 9, 2015. The affected vehicles have a Digital Motor Electronic (DME) control unit that may have a loose electrical ground cable, possibly causing an under-voltage condition which would result in the transmission shifting to neutral.
Consequence
If the vehicle unexpectedly shifts to neutral, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the ground cable, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- 24V608000high
Engine issue
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:PUMP
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Consequence
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2016 BMW X5.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 18.8%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2016 BMW X5 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 18.8% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 BMW X5, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
22
City
34
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,944
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 329 g/mi
How this compares
The EPA holds too few vehicles in this class and model year to rank the 2016 BMW X5 against its peers.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 329 grams per mile — about 4.9 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
70 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 70
- Total
- 3
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE27
- OTHER12
- FUEL SYSTEM6
- AIR BAGS5
- ELECTRICAL5
Notable Issues
70 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 2 reports involve injuries. 3 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 BMW X5, newest first.
- Recall
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA23001
High pressure fuel pump failure
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Recall
A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA21002
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
- Recall
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
- Recall
If the vehicle unexpectedly shifts to neutral, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
22
City
34
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,944
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA23001
High pressure fuel pump failure
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22005
Pedestrian alert sounds
- Recall
A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.


