2003 BMW X5 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
134
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
9
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2003 BMW X5
The 2003 BMW X5 has received a total of 134 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS. 9 technical service bulletins have been issued by BMW of North America, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical System (15 complaints), Air Bags (14 complaints), and Engine And Engine Cooling (12 complaints).
Recalls for the 2003 BMW X5
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 2003 BMW X5, potentially affecting up to 649,709 vehicles.
Recall 17V047000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 230,117 vehicles affected
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such...
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with 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 vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15,...
View full details →Recall 15V318000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 419,235 vehicles affected
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that...
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with 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 vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW...
View full details →Recall 03V197000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
| 357 vehicles affected
Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LINE AND THE STEERING SHAFT JOINT IS NOT SUFFICIENT. IF THIS OCCURS, THE BRAKE LINE COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE JOINT AND EVENTUALLY SUFFER DAMAGE AND CORROSION.
Consequence: A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID, INDICATED BY A WARNING LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, COULD OCCUR. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A REDUCTION IN FRONT BRAKE PERFORMANCE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LINE AND THE STEERING SHAFT JOINT, AND IF NECESSARY, INCREASE THE DISTANCE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 23, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2003 BMW X5
134 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 BMW X5. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
Wiring dash fire. Heavy smoke from dash and vehicle completely in flame in minute. My son sent me a recording while it was happening, he did no know what to do or what was happening.
The contact owns a 2003 BMW X5. The contact stated the vehicle was parked, while entering the vehicle he noticed the dashboard was melted, which was caused by a fire that occurred independently. The contact stated he reviewed a camera that was near the location of the vehicle and saw the fire occur on the video. The contact did not call the fire department to report the incident. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.
My 2003 BMW X5 was parked outside of my house, turned off and not driven for hours and burst into flames consuming the whole dashboard, fire department said that fire was due to some electrical problem with car, very scary please help could of killed my family the incident was recorded on home surveillance footage, but I cannot upload because of size
My 2003 BMW X5 was parked outside of my house, turned off and not driven for hours and burst into flames consuming the whole dashboard, fire department said that fire was due to some electrical problem with car, very scary please help could of killed my family the incident was recorded on home surveillance footage, but I cannot upload because of size
LH - Driver side seat caught fire and melted through seat material and melted onto my coat. there are burn marks / holes through the seat due to the heater malfunction/ short. My coat was also ruined with plastic melted onto it from the seat.
Safety Rating for the 2003 BMW X5
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2003 BMW X5 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2003 BMW X5
BMW of North America, LLC has issued 9 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2003 BMW X5. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
SIB-34-03-07 — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
BMW VEHICLES: DSC WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE DSC (DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL) WARNING LAMP IS ILLUMINATED AND SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FAULT CODES ARE STORED: 6E58; 6E04; 53BA; D36F; 55C3; 6ECA; AND THE WIPERS MAY ALSO BE OPERATING IN DEFAULT MODE. *PE
SIB-34-03-07 — VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
BMW VEHICLES: DSC WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE DSC (DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL) WARNING LAMP IS ILLUMINATED AND SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FAULT CODES ARE STORED: 6E58; 6E04; 53BA; D36F; 55C3; 6ECA; AND THE WIPERS MAY ALSO BE OPERATING IN DEFAULT MODE. *PE
SIB-34-03-07 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
BMW VEHICLES: DSC WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE DSC (DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL) WARNING LAMP IS ILLUMINATED AND SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FAULT CODES ARE STORED: 6E58; 6E04; 53BA; D36F; 55C3; 6ECA; AND THE WIPERS MAY ALSO BE OPERATING IN DEFAULT MODE. *PE
SIB-13-02-09 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
BMW VEHICLES: DIAGNOSIS FOR LOW PRESSURE FUEL SUPPLY FAULTS. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP IS ILLUMINATED (A FUEL PUMP MALFUCTION MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED IN THE CC), AND A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING FAULT CODES MAY BE STORED IN THE DDE CONTROL MODULE: 4BED/4BDD FUEL PRESSURE CONTROL, CONTROL DEVIATION (PRESSURE TOO...
SI-B31-01-08 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT
BMW: REPLACEMENT OF FRONT OUTER CV JOINT. COMPLAINTS OF CLICKING OR GRINDING NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT AXLE AREA WHEN MAKING A TURN. THE FRONT OUTER CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT BOOT IS SPLIT OPEN AND THE JOINT IS ALREADY DAMAGED. *PE
SI-B130209 — FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
BMW: DIESEL: DIAGNOSIS FOR LOW PRESSURE FUEL SUPPLY FAULTS. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP IS ILLUMINATED (A FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTION MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED IN THE CC) AND A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING FAULT CODES MAY BE STORED IN THE DDE CONTROL MODULE. MODEL YEARS UNKNOWN. *PE
SI B12 04 08 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
E53 WITH M54 AND GM5 - REPROGRAM DME. E53 (X5) WITH M54 ENGINE AND GM5 TRANSMISSION PRODUCED 9/3003 - 10/2004. *PE
2420205 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HARSH 2-1 DOWNSHIFT. *EH BMW E35. *SC X5 FROM 10/03 UP TO 04/05. *TT
335003 — POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
SERVICE ACTION ON CHECKING REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL BOLTS. *TT
NHTSA Investigations for the 2003 BMW X5
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BMW X5
- 1999 BMW X5 — 0 complaints
- 2000 BMW X5 — 37 complaints
- 2001 BMW X5 — 214 complaints
- 2002 BMW X5 — 136 complaints
- 2003 BMW X5 (current)
- 2004 BMW X5 — 93 complaints
- 2005 BMW X5 — 109 complaints
- 2006 BMW X5 — 220 complaints
- 2007 BMW X5 — 119 complaints
- 2008 BMW X5 — 319 complaints