The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 23 of 74 complaints (31%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (2) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 152 in 2015 to 74 in 2016.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 74
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $3,200–$4,550
- Combined MPG
- 17–25
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | vs. 2016 Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 3,500–4,550 | 3,500–4,550 | 3,200–4,550 | 3,200–4,550 | 3,200–4,850 | |
| Combined MPG | 17–26 | 17–27 | 17–25 | 17–25 | 16–25 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 15–23 / 22–31 | 15–24 / 22–31 | 15–23 / 21–29 | 15–23 / 21–29 | 14–23 / 19–29 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 392–524 | 381–516 | 401–515 | 401–515 | 401–549 | |
| Complaints filed | 99 | 152 | 74 | 75 | 73 | |
| Recalls issued | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Injuries reported | 3 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2016 BMW X5 have?
5 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2016 BMW X5?
Electrical: 23 of 74 NHTSA complaints (31%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2016 BMW X5 get?
EPA rates it 17–25 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 BMW X5?
EPA estimates $3,200–$4,550 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (5)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 18 mpg | 25 mpg | 21 mpg | $3,700 | 427 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg | 24 mpg | 20 mpg | $3,850 | 435 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 4.4L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 15 mpg (low) | 21 mpg (low) | 17 mpg (low) | $4,550 (high) | 515 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium and Electricity | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 23 mpg (high) | 25 mpg | 24 mpg | $3,200 (low) | 247 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Diesel | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 23 mpg (high) | 29 mpg (high) | 25 mpg (high) | $3,750 | 401 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (5)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:PUMP; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:CONNECTORS/PLUGS/RECEPTACLES
- Defect
- 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.
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
- Defect
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- Defect
- 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.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
- Defect
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
- Defect
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.