2011 BMW X5 engine problems
110 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2011 BMW X5 — 42% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“There's currently an open recall for a number of BMW engines involving aluminum bolts in the vanos assembly that shear, strip, and break off completely. The open recall is somehow excluding some vehicles with the same exact problem like my 2011 BMW X5 xdrive35i N55 E70 with the inline 6. Currently…”
filed May 9, 2026
“The contact owns a 2011 BMW X5. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA…”
filed May 27, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment…Campaign 23V707000 · Oct 20, 2023
- Engine idler pulley bolt may loosen over time and breakCampaign 18V336000 · May 23, 2018
- Electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheatCampaign 18V248000 · Apr 18, 2018
- Heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuitCampaign 17V683000 · Oct 30, 2017
- Engine and Engine CoolingCampaign 11V521000 · Oct 20, 2011
Related service bulletins
This bulletin outlines the Customer Care Package program that has been designed exclusively for BMWvehicles with the N63 engine. Vehicles with the N63 high performance engine are engineered with EfficientDynamics that…
B110614 · Service Campaign · issued Mar 27, 2025Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel pressure system…
B160623 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 20, 2023
Engine problems in other X5 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 X5 | 3 | 5% |
| 2024 X5 | 13 | 9% |
| 2023 X5 | 3 | 10% |
| 2022 X5 | 10 | 17% |
| 2021 X5 | 22 | 22% |
| 2020 X5 | 28 | 27% |
| 2019 X5 | 49 | 27% |
| 2018 X5 | 10 | 15% |
| 2017 X5 | 12 | 16% |
| 2016 X5 | 13 | 19% |
| 2015 X5 | 42 | 28% |
| 2014 X5 | 16 | 16% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2011 BMW X5
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.