2000 BMW X5 recalls and problems

The 2000 BMW X5 has 6 recalls and 29 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is power train.

Do not drive warning. NHTSA and the manufacturer advise owners not to drive affected vehicles until the recall repair is done. Affected campaign: 25V748000.

How the 2000 compares

Lowest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Lowest complaint count among 27 X5 model years — 27th most.

6recalls

29complaints

2crashes

1fires

1injuries

70,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

6 recalls

Air Bags

Oct 31, 2025 · NHTSA campaign 25V748000 · 5,361 vehicles

Do not drive

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 X5 vehicles that may be equipped with a sport steering wheel containing a Takata PSDI-4 air bag inflator. The inflator may explode during deployment due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature, and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's front air bag, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 23, 2025. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 19V015.

Service Brakes

Jan 9, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V001000 · 84,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, it May be possible for the front brake line to slip out of the retaining bracket located at the front strut. The brake hose that is attached to the brake line could come in contact with the tire and be subjected to wear and abrasion.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR THE FRONT BRAKE LINE TO SLIP OUT OF THE RETAINING BRACKET LOCATED AT THE FRONT STRUT. THE BRAKE HOSE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE BRAKE LINE COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE TIRE AND BE SUBJECTED TO WEAR AND ABRASION.

Risk: This could initially cause some brake fluid leakage, and eventually lead to a substantial loss of brake fluid. There could be a noticeable reduction in brake performance if a loss of front brake performance occurs.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD INITIALLY CAUSE SOME BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE, AND EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. THERE COULD BE A NOTICEABLE REDUCTION IN BRAKE PERFORMANCE IF A LOSS OF FRONT BRAKE PERFORMANCE OCCURS.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install an additional retaining clip to further secure the brake line to the front strut. Additionally, if inspection of any brake hose indicates that it has experienced damage, the hose will be replaced. Owner notification began February 14, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.

Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Jul 24, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V194000 · 34,860 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, due to a manufacturing problem, the brake pedal arm pivot shaft could loosen from its support bracket.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM PIVOT SHAFT COULD LOOSEN FROM ITS SUPPORT BRACKET.

Risk: Eventually, the brake pedal arm could detach from the bracket, rendering the service braking system ineffective, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

EVENTUALLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM COULD DETACH FROM THE BRACKET, RENDERING THE SERVICE BRAKING SYSTEM INEFFECTIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will check the brake pedal arm pivot shaft for proper seating in its support bracket. In addition, a pin will be installed to secure the shaft to the bracket. Owner notification began August 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact BMW at 1-800-332-4269.

Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Power Train

Jun 14, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V196000 · 14,300 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: 4.4I sport utility vehicles. Over an extended period of time, abrasion particles could deposit on the electrical contacts within the switch, causing a disruption of the electric current through the contacts. If the disruption occurs when the vehicle is stationary with the transmission in the neutral or park positions, the transmission will switch automatically into the emergency program, which is displayed in the instrument cluster via a warning lamp and a message, "trans. Fail-safe prog." in this case, the vehicle can be driven in lower gears only with limited engine output.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4.4I SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, ABRASION PARTICLES COULD DEPOSIT ON THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WITHIN THE SWITCH, CAUSING A DISRUPTION OF THE ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH THE CONTACTS. IF THE DISRUPTION OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE NEUTRAL OR PARK POSITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL SWITCH AUTOMATICALLY INTO THE EMERGENCY PROGRAM, WHICH IS DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER VIA A WARNING LAMP AND A MESSAGE, "TRANS. FAIL-SAFE PROG." IN THIS CASE, THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN IN LOWER GEARS ONLY WITH LIMITED ENGINE OUTPUT.

Risk: If this problem occurs, the ability to maintain speed in traffic and/or accelerate could be greatly diminished, possibly leading to a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THIS PROBLEM OCCURS, THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN SPEED IN TRAFFIC AND/OR ACCELERATE COULD BE GREATLY DIMINISHED, POSSIBLY LEADING TO A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the transmission gear position indicator switch. Owner notification began August 14, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Jun 14, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V195000 · 13,721 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: 4.4I sport utility vehicles. There is a plastic carrier to which the oil filter housing is attached. Oil supply and return lines are attached to the filter housing. Over time, this carrier could sag slightly. If this happens, one of the oil lines, which are armored with steel mesh, could come into contact and chafe a steel brake line located immediately underneath.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4.4I SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THERE IS A PLASTIC CARRIER TO WHICH THE OIL FILTER HOUSING IS ATTACHED. OIL SUPPLY AND RETURN LINES ARE ATTACHED TO THE FILTER HOUSING. OVER TIME, THIS CARRIER COULD SAG SLIGHTLY. IF THIS HAPPENS, ONE OF THE OIL LINES, WHICH ARE ARMORED WITH STEEL MESH, COULD COME INTO CONTACT AND CHAFE A STEEL BRAKE LINE LOCATED IMMEDIATELY UNDERNEATH.

Risk: Continued chaffing can cause the anticorrosion coating of this brake line to fail, allowing the brake line to rust through and leading to loss of brake fluid, failure of the rear brake circuit, and extended stopping distances, and a possible crash.

Original NHTSA wording

CONTINUED CHAFFING CAN CAUSE THE ANTICORROSION COATING OF THIS BRAKE LINE TO FAIL, ALLOWING THE BRAKE LINE TO RUST THROUGH AND LEADING TO LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID, FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKE CIRCUIT, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES, AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install a rubber spacer below the plastic carrier to prevent sagging and subsequent contact between the oil and brake lines. Brake lines whose anticorrosion layer is found to be damaged as a result of contact with the oil line will be replaced. Owner notification began August 14, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

Jan 18, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V010000 · 190 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Sport utility vehicles. The lower steering shaft coupling includes a plastic collar which fits over the lower steering rack input shaft. This collar is pushed down onto the steering rack and tightened during assembly. On some of the affected vehicles, the collar May not have been pushed down fully onto the rack at the assembly plant.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT COUPLING INCLUDES A PLASTIC COLLAR WHICH FITS OVER THE LOWER STEERING RACK INPUT SHAFT. THIS COLLAR IS PUSHED DOWN ONTO THE STEERING RACK AND TIGHTENED DURING ASSEMBLY. ON SOME OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, THE COLLAR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PUSHED DOWN FULLY ONTO THE RACK AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT.

Risk: Operation of the vehicle, especially in rough road conditions, can cause the clearance between the collar and the steering rack to increase to the point where the input shaft can separate from the rack, resulting in a loss of steering capability.

Original NHTSA wording

OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IN ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS, CAN CAUSE THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE COLLAR AND THE STEERING RACK TO INCREASE TO THE POINT WHERE THE INPUT SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE RACK, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the steering rack input shaft collar for proper positioning, and reposition is necessary.

BMW recall no. 00VX5SC01.owner notification began February 8, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Power Train7

Visibility7

Latches/locks/linkages3

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2000 vs. other BMW X5 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2000. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2000 BMW X5 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2000 BMW X5, the latest from Oct 31, 2025 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2000 BMW X5?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention power train (7), visibility (7), latches/locks/linkages (3). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.

Is it safe to drive the 2000 BMW X5?

1 recall for this model year carries a "Do Not Drive" advisory. Only vehicles with the recall open are affected — check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.