Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.
Owners have filed 280 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 BMW X5, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 108 | 39% |
| Service brakes | 26 | 9% |
| Seats | 13 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 10 | 4% |
| Power train | 10 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 7 | 3% |
| Air bags | 6 | 2% |
| Air bags | 6 | 2% |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
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 a
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
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
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
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 ove
NHTSA complaint: Steering
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 certi
NHTSA complaint: Power train
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
NHTSA complaint: Seats
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
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
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 le
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that he initially received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V384000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the recall repair was performed. Three
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2006 BMW X5. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 yea
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.
Fix: 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 repai
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, TH
Fix: 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.
| Reliability raw | 73 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 72 | good |
| Maintenance | 41 | below average |
| Depreciation | 52 | average |
| Performance | 73 | good |
| Efficiency | 29 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 280 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 108 of them (39%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 73/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 72/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 59/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.