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Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2018 BMW X5

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
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

2018 BMW X5

5 recalls
67 complaints
27 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 5 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 1 complaint reporting a crash
Review the 67 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
5
Owner complaints
67
Complaints citing a crash
1

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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.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.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 18V652000high

    Electrical issue

    EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire.

    Consequence

    An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.

    Remedy

    BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

    Full campaign record
  • 18V439000high

    Suspension issue

    SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 xDrive35d, and X6 sDrive35i vehicles. The pivot bolt on the front lower-left control arm may not have been properly hardened, which may cause the control arm to break.

    Consequence

    If the lower control arm breaks, vehicle handling and control can be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower-left control arms and replace if necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 11, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

    Full campaign record
  • 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.

    Remedy

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 17V727000high

    Suspension issue

    SUSPENSION

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 SAV, X5 M SAV, X6 SAV, and X6 M SAV vehicles. Bolts that secure the front suspension may not have been properly tightened.

    Consequence

    Loose bolts can affect the performance of the suspension, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the wishbone suspension bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

    Full campaign record
  • 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.

    Remedy

    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.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2018 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
Optional
Lane departure warning
Optional

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2018 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.

NHTSA crash tests

2018 BMW X5 Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2018 BMW X5 Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2018 BMW X5 Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2018 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 2018 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

67 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

67
Total
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE24
  • FUEL SYSTEM12
  • ELECTRICAL6
  • OTHER6
  • SUSPENSION5

Normal Range

67 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)24
fuel system problems (leaks, pump failure)12
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)6

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2018 BMW X5, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 24V608000

    An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA23001

    High pressure fuel pump failure

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  5. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA21002

    Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  6. Recall

    Recall 21V586000

    Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

  7. Recall

    Recall 18V652000

    An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.

  8. Recall

    Recall 18V439000

    If the lower control arm breaks, vehicle handling and control can be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.

  9. Recall

    Recall 17V727000

    Loose bolts can affect the performance of the suspension, thereby increasing the 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

Adjacent model years

All BMW X5 years

Common problems

BMW X5 problems

871 owner complaints analyzed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 24V608000

    An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA23001

    High pressure fuel pump failure

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation DP22005

    Pedestrian alert sounds

  5. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA21002

    Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture