Reliable Auto DB

2020 BMW X5 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2020 BMW X5 has 111 complaints with NHTSA after 7 years, or 5 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most X5 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 11 recalls on file, including Starter, Sunroof, and Camera.

2012 BMW X5
Photo by Alexander Migl, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

111

Per year

5

Recalls

11

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (39 of 111), then Engine (33) and Powertrain (17). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 7 that report a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 X5 has 188 complaints, 12 per year, and the 2021 has 107 complaints, 15 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2020 BMW X5. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (11)

Recall electrical system, starter 2025-09-25 · NHTSA campaign 25V644000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 340I, X6, 2020-2025 840I, 2020-2022 740LI, 2019-2020 X7, and X5 vehicles. After repeated attempts, the starter motor may overheat from an electrical overload.
Remedy Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. This recall includes vehicles repaired under recall 24V576 and those owners will need to have their vehicle repaired again. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 17, 2025.
Recall electrical system, starter 2024-08-01 · NHTSA campaign 24V576000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2019-2020 X5, X7, 2020 3 Series Sedan, X6, 2020-2021 7 Series Sedan, 2020 8 Series Convertible, 8 Series Coupe, and 2020 8 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. In the event the starter motor fails, repeated attempts to start the vehicle can cause the starter motor to overheat from an electrical overload.
Remedy Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 27, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall visibility, sunroof 2022-04-20 · NHTSA campaign 22V267000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive); 2019-2022 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M; 2021-2022 X5 xdrive45e; 2020-2022 X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6M and 2019-2023 X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, X7 xDrive60i, X7 M60i, X7M, Alpina XB7 vehicles. The roof function control unit may be programmed incorrectly, allowing the sunroof to close without the key fob present inside the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Remedy Dealers will reprogram the roof function control unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2021-02-19 · NHTSA campaign 21V096000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall Hydraulic brakes 2021-02-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V062000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 8 Series Coupe, Grand Coupe and convertible 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8 and 740 Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750 Li xDrive, M760 Li xDrive, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xdrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, and 2019-2021 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, and 2021 M3, M3 Competition, M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, X5 xDrive45e, 745 Le xDrive. The rotor and shaft within the integrated brake system may not have been welded properly and could separate during a hard braking event, possibly resulting in a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and braking assistance.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall suspension, front, control arm 2020-11-04 · NHTSA campaign 20V678000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 M50i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i and X6M vehicles and 2021 X5 xDrive45e vehicles. The weld between the front axle support and the right front control arm bearing bracket may separate.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle support, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall exterior lighting, headlights 2020-09-01 · NHTSA campaign 20V528000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X6 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, X6 M50i, X6M, X7 M50i and 2021 X5 xDrive45e vehicles. The headlamps may allow a blue light to illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlamps and, if necessary, replace them, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2020-08-07 · NHTSA campaign 20V465000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive 40i, X5 xDrive 40i and one X7 xDrive 40i vehicle. The starter motor may have an extra bolt that could potentially fall into the transmission housing and cause an engine stall.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the starter motor for the extra bolt, removing it if necessary. Dealers will also inspect the starter for damage, and check if the bolt has fallen into the transmission housing, replacing any damaged parts as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 2, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall Steering 2020-07-28 · NHTSA campaign 20V434000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i and X5 xDrive50i vehicles and 2020 X6M vehicles. The steering column shaft bearing plate may not have been properly attached to the vehicle, allowing it to loosen.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering column shaft bearing plate and properly attach or replace it, as necessary, free of charge. BMW telephoned owners and all of the vehicles have been remedied. No owner notification letter is necessary. Please contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2019-09-27 · NHTSA campaign 19V684000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Recall steering, rack and pinion, rack 2019-08-28 · NHTSA campaign 19V631000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i and X7 M50i vehicles. The steering rack pinion teeth may break under load, resulting in a loss of steering control.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began August 21, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component (111 total)

Electrical system
39
Engine
33
Powertrain
17
Engine and engine cooling
15
Air bags
6
Exterior lighting
5
Service brakes
5
Structure
4
Seat belts
3
Steering
3
Back-over prevention
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Speed control
2
Suspension
2
Visibility
2
Fire-related
1
Lane departure
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Show 11 more Show less
Crash-flagged

3

Fire-flagged

7

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

52020420215202252023202024342025382026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "See attached document for complaint."
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-09-16
  • "My 2020 BMW X5 sDrive40i has experienced recurring and serious electrical, shutdown, and drivability problems that have not been resolved despite BMW service and a recall-related repair. The vehicle has unexpectedly…"
    Steering, Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-09-14
  • "I'm reporting a safety issue with BMW vehicles equipped with the B58TU engine, primarily 2019-2021 models. These vehicles have an oil pump with an internal plastic component that regulates oil pressure, and this part is…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-11
  • "I am reporting a safety concern involving BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, commonly found in model years 2019–2021. These vehicles utilize a variable-displacement engine oil pump…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-10
  • "I am reporting a safety concern involving BMW vehicles with the B58TU engine, model years 2019-2021. These engines use a variable-displacement oil pump with an internal thermoplastic adjusting ring that regulates oil…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-26

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 BMW X5 M SUV AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2020 BMW X5 SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 BMW X5 SUV RWD Not rated 4 stars 5 stars Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
X5 M 4.4L, 8-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 13 18 15 MPG $5300
X5 M Competition 4.4L, 8-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 13 18 15 MPG $5300
X5 M50i 4.4L, 8-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $4450
X5 sDrive40i 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Rear-wheel drive 21 26 23 MPG $3450
X5 xDrive40i 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 20 26 22 MPG $3650
X5 xDrive50i 4.4L, 8-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $4450

Specs and fitment

G05 generation, 2019–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 full synthetic (common US gasoline fills) , 7 qt capacity
Tire size 265/50R19 to 315/35R21 (trim-dependent)
Towing capacity 7,200 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Recall 24V576000 covers certain 2019-2020 X5 models (with X7, 3 Series, X6, 7 Series, and 8 Series in the same ~105,588-unit campaign) where repeated start attempts after a starter failure can overheat the starter and raise engine-compartment fire risk; dealers update software. Recall 25V644000 later covers overlapping X5/X6 and other models (~145,102 units) for the same starter overheat concern and requires starter replacement, including vehicles already repaired under 24V576. Recall 24V739000 covers certain 2023-2024 X5 models (with X1, X6, X7, 530i, and other BMW/MINI/ Rolls-Royce vehicles) for an integrated brake system that may lose power assist or impair ABS/DSC; the campaign notes prior 24V104 repairs must be redone with a new module.

Compare

Previous year 2019 BMW X5 Next year 2021 BMW X5 See every BMW X5 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 BMW X5 reliable?

The 2020 BMW X5 has 111 complaints with NHTSA after 7 years, or 5 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most X5 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 11 recalls on file, including Starter, Sunroof, and Camera.

What are common problems with a 2020 BMW X5?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (39 of 111), then Engine (33) and Powertrain (17). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 7 that report a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2020 BMW X5 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 X5 has 188 complaints, 12 per year, and the 2021 has 107 complaints, 15 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 BMW X5 been recalled?

The 2020 BMW X5 has 11 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 BMW X5?

Owners have filed 111 complaints about the 2020 BMW X5 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 BMW X5 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 BMW X5 is 18.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2020 BMW X5?

G05 generation (2019-on).

What oil does a recent BMW X5 take?

G05 US gasoline fills commonly use 0W-20 full synthetic; earlier F15/E70 notes often list 5W-30.

What tire sizes does a BMW X5 use?

Sizes span a wide trim range; G05 examples run about 265/50R19 to 315/35R21.