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.
BMW X5 door locks problems
60 of the 3,177 owner complaints about the BMW X5 describe doors won't lock, open or latch, most of them for the 2001 model year.
- owner complaints
- 60
- worst model year
- 2001
- typical repair cost reported
- $700
- typical mileage
- 64,000
By model year
Often reported together
Fire or smoke 6Key fob 4Power windows 3Headlights 3Won't start 2Wipers 2Warning lights 2Loss of power 2
What owners say
The driver’s door lock has malfunctioned for the second time. The door became stuck in the locked position and could not be opened normally. There were no warning lights or messages indicating a problem with the door latch or lock system. This creates a serious safety hazard because the driver could be unable to exit the vehicle during an emergency. The right rear passenger seat belt also does not retract properly and cannot be used. The vehicle has previously been taken to a BMW dealership for this same issue, but the problem has returned. Because the seat belt cannot be used, a rear passenger cannot be properly restrained, creating a significant safety risk in the event of a crash.
The comfort access door handle, got so hot it started to melt the plastic exterior handle and produce a lot of smoke would have caught fire if i didn't turn off car and disconnect electrical signal to the cas handle
The front passenger door remained open as I was pulling out of my garage with my kid sitting in the front passenger seat. I thought he didn't close the door, but he was unable to close it. I got out of the car and it turns out the door wouldn't latch. There was no warning to the failure of the soft closing door mechanism. Just an alert that door is open. I had to drive it to the dealership the next day with rope securing the door to the pillar and the rear passenger door.
The doors locked and does not open even from the inside trapping passengers inside the car. Door locks click into place and the doors can't be opened from the inside. Pull the handle and the lock will pop up, but the door won't open. Release the handle and the lock snaps back down into its "locked" state (it drops back down as if it has a spring on it). trapping people inside is extremely dangerous in case of an emergency. The only way is to break the windows and crawl from the window but not everyone can do that depending on their age and weight.
2012 bmw x5. Consumer writes in regard to illuminated check engine light. The consumer stated the vehicle experienced an engine fire. The vehicle was parked in the garage, at the home of the consumer. The home was damaged. The vehicle was not included in recall 21v907000. The vehicle had various engine issure prior to the failure. The failures included a fluid, on multiple occasions the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle experienced a burning smell. The enfine failures were due to faulty nox sensors, oil filter gasket and filter cap needed to be replaced, faulty scr active tank, defective door handle causing low voltage, glow plug failure, and faulty metering unit.
Passenger external front and rear door handle assembly caught on fire and melted the rubber grommet. BMW said it was the comfort sensor fuse that should have blown but it did not. The rubber grommet holding the door handle melted. I had to buy two door handles that cost $250 each to replace the ones that burnt out.
Passenger interior Door handle assembly caught on fire and melted the rubber grommet. BMW said it was the comfort sensor fuse should have blown but did not. I saw blue smoke while driving from the passenger door mirror blowing out of the door handle like a volcano for 2 ft sideways. The rubber grommet holding the door handle melting completely down the outside door exterior. BMW fixed the sensor but my entire electrical system has been a disaster since. the passenger seat air bag warning, the parking brake, sensors working intermittent in the vehicle. There is a problem there should be a recall on the entire electrical system.
Front passenger door would not unlock or open from inside or outside. Per dealer and report this appears to be failure of the passenger door actuator/solenoid. Door panel will require removal to confirm. There was no immediate safety issue, however with 3 small children, there is a reluctance to drive this car with the potential for doors locking and no way to extricate them should the problem occur on all doors. My understanding is there is no mechanical release associated with these doors. In addition, if an elderly/handicapped person had been in the front passenger seat during this occurrence, there could have been serious issues with extrication. I have been an engineer for 30 years and liken this problem to the old refrigerator doors latches trapping children inside and similarly, rear trunk latches with no interior releases. I have notified the manufacturer and reported this issue.
I own a 2013 BMW X5 with the soft-close door feature. On June 2, 2021, I was making a right-hand turn when the driver's door flew all the way open without warning. The door then slammed shut as I finished the turn, injuring my left wrist. It was determined that the soft-close door latch mechanism is failing and needs replaced. The soft-close latch does not consistently secure the driver's door. No warning was given by the vehicle to indicate the door is open or not latched properly. I informed BMWNA of the issue and they declined to offer any assistance with the repair, estimated to cost $900.
Related recalls
Latches/locks/linkages
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 X5 SAV vehicles manufactured December 12, 2013, through March 10, 2014, and equipped with the Soft Close Automatic (SCA) option. The rear side door lock mechanisms may not have been manufactured to correct tolerances and when the inside door handle is pulled, the previously engaged child safety lock can disengage.
- Risk
- A disengaged child safety lock would allow the rear seat occupant to pull the door handle twice and open the door while the vehicle is parked or in motion, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear side door locks and any affected door locks will be replaced, free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 14V202000 · Recall details
Questions about the BMW X5 door locks
Which BMW X5 years have doors won't lock, open or latch problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2001 (14 complaints), 2013 (10 complaints) and 2002 (6 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix doors won't lock, open or latch on the BMW X5?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $700 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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