Without any indication the door handle carrier component on both front doors broke upon attempting to open the door, this resulted in being unable to open the front doors to enter or exit the vehicle, which poses a safety risk for those with mobility issues if they're unable to crawl through the back, it is not uncommon for these vehicles to have more than door handle carrier broken at a time. I have witnessed this issue on numerous cars that have come through the shop I work in as well as the one I personally own. It is a commonly known problem on this class of vehicle from BMW, the door handle carriers are susceptible to breaking on all 4 doors and have been discontinued by BMW for some vehicle under their E53 models. Previously my rear right door handle carrier broke in the same manner. This is a widely known issue amongst owners of these vehicles and with BMW technicians.
The worst 2006 BMW X5 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags83
- Brakes29
- Seats25
- Electrical20
- Engine14
- Seat belts8
- Transmission7
- Body5
- Fuel system5
- Lights4
- Acceleration3
- Steering2
- Visibility2
- Suspension1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2006 BMW X5
Recalls 2
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model year 2006 760i sedans, model year 2006-2007 750i, 750Li, and 760Li sedans, and model year 2006 X5 sports activity vehicles, equipped with certain seat types. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.
- Risk
- Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, free of charge. Additionally, owners of model year 2006-2007 3 Series with standard seats, 5 Series with comfort seats, and Z4 models, will receive an extended warranty on their front passenger seat occupant detection mat. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1‑800‑525‑7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
Recall number 13V564000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with an incorrectly manufactured automatic transmission parking pawl guide plate.
- Risk
- This could cause the parking lock system not to engage, after the transmission is placed in the park ("p") position. If the vehicle was parked on an incline, and the parking brake was not engaged, this could result in a vehicle rollaway condition.
- Remedy
- Dealers will repair and replace the automatic transmission guide plate free of charge. The recall began on november 30, 2005. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑800‑332‑4269.
Recall number 05V504000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2006 BMW X5
Defect investigations
Bmw airbag light illumination
Bmw is conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 my04 through my06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. The specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and my06/ 3-series with sport seats. In addition, bmw will extend the warranty coverage of the passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat to 10-year/unlimited mileage on approximately 120,000 remaining my04-06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05. The specific vehicles included in the extended warranty are my 06/ 6 series, my 06/ 3-series with standard seats, my04-05/ z4, my04-06/ 7 series, my 06/ x5, and my04-06/ 5-series with comfort seats.the average frequency of failures among the extended warranty groups was less than 1/7th of the recall vehicle groups.please see bmw's 08v‑384 recall notification for further detailsdepending on seat configuration and vehicle geometry, the occupant detection mat can fatigue during use depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit.specifically, over time, micro-cracks could develop in the side flanks of the mat causing a broken circuit.a brokencircuit can lead to the deactivation of the passenger air bag and the illumination of both the air bag warning light and the passenger air bag light.
EA08001
Technical service bulletins for the 2006 BMW X5 107
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few...
- Engine will crank but not start
- Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle
- Second seat row blocking access to third seat row, program seat modules
- Various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (ADCAM system) can lead to customer...
- This situation can result in two customer complaints: 1. Wind noise 2. Excess water entry
- Coolant is leaking from under the car which is equipped with the S63 engine
- The driver's side (left rear) of the 60/40 split 2nd row seat may intermittently not fully latch into...
- When returning the 2nd row seat 60% (left) side from Easy-Entry: The seat stops moving before reaching the...
2006 BMW X5 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 13-14 | 19-20 | 16 |
| 4.4L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 14 | 20 | 16 |
| 4.8L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 14 | 20 | 16 |
What 2006 BMW X5 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I put a new battery and I need to unplugged the negative every time I turn it off. If I don’t do this, the next day, the battery would be dead. I checked with the Ancel OBD2 and there’s nothing wrong. It doesn’t detect anything bad.
Anytime I have a passenger in the car the seatbelt warning light goes off. My passenger is wearing the seatbelt. I put the car in park and tell my passenger to take the seatbelt off then back on. It's off for a bit then the light for the seatbelt comes by on.
The contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, there was an electrical burning odor inside the vehicle. The ABS, brakes, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle was driven to the residence. On another occasion, the contact had to redirect the steering wheel into a different lane while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who changed the oil and replaced the alternator; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic and was diagnosed with multiple electrical failures. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer and a diagnostic test was pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 193,000.
The contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to increase in speed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who suggested that the failure was possibly related to a power train failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was aware of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 05V504000 (Power Train). The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 274,000.
When I switch on my driver seat for the heated seat it became so hot that the coils burned through my seat and make two round burn holes in the seat and burned my leg
I have recently received a message from my city’s social media page stating that bmw vehicles 17-22 years or older with over 99,000 miles have had complaints of default airbags exploding which are injuring/killing people out of nowhere and was told to get it changed at no cost at all!.
The brake vacuum pump has leaked a small amount of lubricating oil into the hose. This contamination resulted in a loss of power assist braking. The loss of power assist in braking has increased stopping distance and lead to a near vehicle crash. No indicator lights were present. Repair: Replacement of the brake vacuum line with one that contains a check valve, eliminating the possibility that oil will reach the brake booster; as well as the brake booster and brake master cylinder will also be replaced.
The contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that he initially received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 08V384000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the recall repair was performed. Three years later, with the passenger’s side front seat unoccupied, the passenger’s side air bag light illuminated and a warning chime was audible. The passenger’s side seat belt had to be engaged to correct the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Was driving at 35-40 mph when suddenly where locked and the car stopped causing skid marks. Car had to be dragged out of the road by tow truck. Car will not move in neutral, reverse or drive but engine is on.
Compare the 2006 BMW X5
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2006 BMW X5
Is the 2006 BMW X5 reliable?
Owners have filed 169 complaints about the 2006 BMW X5, 1.5 times a typical X5 model year.
What is the 2006 BMW X5 year score?
The 2006 BMW X5 scores 59 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the BMW X5: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 BMW X5?
Airbags, with 83 complaints, typically around 72,000 miles. Next is brakes (29).
How many recalls does the 2006 BMW X5 have?
2 recalls, covering air bags and power train.
Was there a recall on the 2006 BMW X5 airbags?
Yes, 1 recall: 13V564000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the BMW X5 have bad airbags?
The BMW X5 model years with the most airbags complaints are 2006 (83 complaints), 2012 (83 complaints) and 2011 (67 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2006 BMW X5 get?
Official estimates for the 2006 BMW X5 range from 16 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.0L 6-cyl, 4WD) gets 13-14 city and 19-20 highway.
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