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BMW X5 seat belt problems

18 of the 3,181 owner complaints about the BMW X5 describe seat belt won't latch or retract, most of them for the 2017 model year.

owner complaints
18
worst model year
2017
typical mileage
50,000
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

  • 2026
    1
  • 2020
    1
  • 2019
    1
  • 2017
    4
  • 2015
    2
  • 2013
    1
  • 2010
    1
  • 2006
    1
  • 2003
    1
  • 2002
    2
  • 2001
    1
  • 2000
    2

What owners say

Filed Jul 26, 2026 · Body, Electrical · AL

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.

Filed Feb 5, 2025 · Seat belts · MI

one seat belt in the BACK SEAT on PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT PULL out . stay stuck . can pull out to 1.5 inches then somtimes "3. then back to "1.5

Filed Jun 26, 2023 · Airbags, Seat belts · KY

Vehicle airbag/seatbelt warning light on 9/2022. Airbag (seatbelt) module replaced. Caused by condensation or leak due to BMW not sealing cupholders and placing KEY SAFETY EQUIPMENT directly under unsealed cupholders. I was told other modules likely damaged but airbags and seatbelt were first to go out. 2023 April/May - steering issues. Windshield wipers run continuously and cannot be turned off. Horn and turn signal also stopped working. Need steering column replaced. BMW said possibly also related to cupholder defect. I am concerned the unsealed cupholders are going to kill someone if airbags deploy unnecessarily or seatbelt/airbags fail. BMW should have not placed KEY safety equipment under unsealed drink holders.

Filed Jun 10, 2022 · Seat belts · NY

When the vehicle is exposed to heat, the seat belt does not buckle. The release button stays jammed and the seat belt does not fully secure. The light goes off but the seat belt will release with some tension. It only happens when the car is hot. It could seriously put people at risk if it is not addressed.

Filed Mar 13, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · GA · fire

Grievance/Complaint for 2020 X5 BMW Firer December 9, 2021 (49 days Owner) I was on my way to work, and I stopped at the local Bank of America drive through. While on my way, I received two (2) malfunction message saying the same thing, “ Scam Likely 1‑470‑781‑9727; (Check Control) Vehicle key missing, Close message; Vehicle key not available or malfunctioning. Drive-ready mode cannot be started. See Driver’s Manual for further information.” (This was the message/malfunction.) I took a picture and call my salesperson, Mr. Preston at BMW of Gwinnett Place and informed him that the key was in the cup, so I tried to place it on the dashboard. I did not understand why I received a malfunction message the key missing because the car would not go anywhere without a key, however, he asked me to send the picture to him and I did. As I was getting out my X5, I began to have anxiety and became traumatized (praying, crying, yelling etc.) at this point, thinking my X5 is going to catch a fire and blow up the bank. I went into the Bank to alert them of the X5 smoking so that they can evacuate if needed. I went back to my X5 to gather as much as I could of my Christmas gifts and other Items quickly. At that time another lady was standing on the side walk and asked if she could help me removed the items from my X5.I was hysterical, and my hand was bleeding from grabbing items out the X5. My safety and others was at risk. The X5 could have been in my garage on firer and my house and family could have died and lost everything; The seat belt could have locked with me in it and I could have died. The bank ATM drive through could have blown up and all the customers could have been injured.BMW of North America insisted that I fill on my insurance because the the engineers did an observation investigation and did not see any fault of manufacture or electrical issue.The vehicle is now under the investigation of my insurance and I have not been notified of the cause at this time.

Filed Oct 12, 2021 · MA

The contact owns a Cybex car seat. Model number: 519004435,Model name: Sirona S. The car seat was being utilized in a 2017 BMW X5. The contact stated that while, his daughter was in the car seat it wiggled and moved at the base. The contact stated the writing on the chest clip faded within a week. The occupant of the car seat was able to move the chest clip. The contact stated the latch and seatbelt failed to correct the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated the car seat was to narrow at the base and was not suitable for several vehicles. Consumer stated: 1.Not able to securely install with latch method across several vehicle types 2. Not able to securely install with seat belt method across several vehicle types 3. Top belt buckle is easily undone by children while in transit 4. Ink used on seat buckles and hardware fades and rubs off easily.

Filed May 8, 2019 · Seats · 24,000 miles · CA

On the morning of april 17, 2019, my wife smelled and noticed smoke coming out of the back seat of our bmw x5 2017 model while it was parked on the street outside our house. The smoke was coming out of a small hole on the passenger side rear seat near the seat belt buckle holder. Area around the hole was extremely hot. She put a wet towel over the hole and the hot area to control the smoke and to cool down the seat. Our bmw is equipped with rear seat heating system. On the same day, she took it to local bmw dealership. Dealership kept the car and after two weeks, informed us that they have found no issues with any of the bmw parts and believe that burn was triggered through an external agent. We are not satisfied with their explanation as I have found many reports in online discussion forums where people have reported similar issues and car manufacturers have found problems with seat heating systems. I would like an independent investigation to ensure there is no current or future safety issue with bmw seat heating systems.

Filed Nov 20, 2017 · Seat belts · 43,000 miles · CA

Seat belt gets 'stuck' and does not automatically fasten.

Filed Aug 22, 2017 · Seat belts, Seats · AR

The driver seat belt on a brand new, bmw 2017 x5 xdrive 35i had a seat belt buckle that would rattle and shake when the driver was seated. The buckle would continue to rattle as the driver drove down the road. The buckle would rattle when the vehicle was stationary, in motion, or running. The buckle on the passenger side did not have this issue. It appears to be very dangerous to have a driver seat belt that is not properly manufactured.

Filed Mar 21, 2017 · Airbags, Seat belts · VA · crash · 1 injury

Tl* takata recall. The contact owned a 2001 bmw x5. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, a coyote jumped in front of the vehicle. The contact attempted to void a crash and swerved causing an unknown rear wheel to detach from the vehicle. The vehicle then flipped over several times and crashed upside down into the side of a residential home. A police report was not filed. The air bags failed to deploy. The seat belt failed to restrain the contact who was ejected from the vehicle when the impact occurred. The contact sustained internal bruising that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a collision center but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was later towed to the contacts residence. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact later received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 17v047000 (air bags). The failure mileage was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.

Related recalls

Seat belts: frontReported May 15, 2024 · 3,256 vehicles affected
What is wrong
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2024 XM, 2025 BMW X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 M60i, X5 M, X5 xDrive50e, X6 xDrive40i, X6 M60i, X6 M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 M60i, and Alpina XB7 vehicles. The seat belt system may inaccurately detect that passengers are belted, preventing the seat belt warning light from illuminating and possibly causing the supplemental restraint system to not deploy as intended during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk
A seat belt warning light that does not alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt or an SRS system that deploys improperly can both increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat lower seat belts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 12, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.

Recall number 24V345000 · Recall details

Seat beltsReported February 13, 2019 · 68 vehicles affected
What is wrong
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 X5 xDrive40i and xDrive50i vehicles. The attachment bolts for the driver's seat and/or seat belt may not have been properly tightened.
Risk
The improperly tightened bolts can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the attachment bolts for the driver's seat and seat belt, and torque them to the correct specifications, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.

Recall number 19V096000 · Recall details

Seat belts: front: buckle assemblyReported February 4, 2003 · 2,635 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain passenger vehicles, the connection of the safety belt buckle to the steel rope of the tensioner does not meet bmw specifications. In severe frontal crashes, this connection can detach.
Risk
If the connection detaches, the protection provided by the safety belt is likely to be impaired, and serious injuries to the driver and/or front passenger could occur that might otherwise be mitigated.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect both front safety belt tensioner and buckle assemblies, and if necessary, replace these parts. Owner notification began march 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.

Recall number 03V032000 · Recall details

Seat belts: front: anchorageReported September 11, 2000 · 490 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The safety belt lower outboard anchorage bolt on the driver's and front passenger's seats may not have been secured properly.
Risk
In the event of a crash, the safety belt system might not be able to provide its maximum restraint function.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the bolts and correct the torque if necessary.

Recall number 00V261000 · Recall details

Questions about the BMW X5 seat belt

Which BMW X5 years have seat belt won't latch or retract problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2017 (4 complaints), 2000 (2 complaints) and 2002 (2 complaints).

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