2001 Bmw X5 Steering Problems
11 owner-reported steering complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Steering Recalls (3)
STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING ASSEMBLY OF THESE VEHICLES, THE LOWER END OF THE SPINDLE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSERTED COMPLETELY INTO THE COUPLING. IN SUCH A CASE, THE FASTENING BOLT USED TO SECURE THE CONNECTION MAY NOT COMPLETELY ENGAGE THE SPINDLE WITHIN THE COUPLING. DURING DRIVING, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR THE SPINDLE TO DISCONNECT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SPINDLE TO ENSURE PROPER INSERTION IN THE COUPLING, AND, IF NECESSARY, THE SPINDLE WILL BE FULLY INSERTED AND THE FASTENING BOLT REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 6, 2001. 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.
STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE NUT THAT SECURES THE AXIAL JOINT OF THE LEFT STEERING TIE ROD TO THE STEERING GEAR BOX MAY HAVE NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED SECURELY. THIS COULD LEAD TO LOOSENING OF THE NUT AND, INITIALLY TO STEERING WHEEL PLAY AND/OR MISALIGNMENT, AS WELL AS NOISE FROM THE STEERING LINKAGE. IF VEHICLE OPERATION CONTINUES, THE TIE ROD COULD DISCONNECT FROM THE STEERING GEAR BOX.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RE-TORQUE THE NUT SECURING THE AXIAL JOINT OF THE LEFT STEERING TIE ROD. IF THE TORQUE OF THE NUT IS FOUND TO BE LOOSE, THE RIGHT NUT WILL ALSO BE CHECKED AND CORRECTED IF NECESSARY, AND A FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT WILL BE PERFORMED.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO AN ASSEMBLY ERROR DURING VEHICLE PRODUCTION, ANY OF THE THREE BOLTS THAT SECURE THE PULLEY TO THE PUMP MAY HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY TIGHTENED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY TO SEE IF IT IS LOOSE. IF THE PULLEY IS NOT LOOSE ON THE PUMP, THE RETAINING BOLTS WILL BE TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION. IF THE PULLEY IS LOOSE, THE PUMP, PULLEY, ATTACHING BOLTS, AND DRIVE BELT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2001. 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.
Owner Complaints (11)
Your steering wheel suddenly locked up while you were driving at low speed without any warning. A mechanic identified the problem as related to a known BMW steering issue (NHTSA Campaign 01V173000), but when you took the vehicle to the dealer, they found no open recalls on your vehicle's VIN number, so the repair was not completed. The issue occurred at around 120,000 miles.
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Your steering wheel stopped working properly while driving. You had to coast your vehicle onto the shoulder of the road to stop safely. A mechanic found that the steering column spindle may have failed, but the vehicle wasn't repaired. Fixing this will likely require replacing or repairing the steering column spindle assembly.
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Your 2001 BMW X5 was involved in a serious crash after swerving to avoid an animal at 25 mph, which caused a rear wheel to detach and the vehicle to flip multiple times and crash into a house. During the crash, the airbags failed to deploy and the seat belt failed to keep you restrained, resulting in you being ejected from the vehicle and sustaining internal injuries. You were later notified of a recall related to airbag defects. A proper diagnostic inspection was never completed on the vehicle, which was ultimately destroyed.
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I PURCHASED MY 2001 BMW X5, NEW IN SEPT OF 2000. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT PRETTY QUICKLY. THE MOST PLAUGING PROBLEM WAS THE GAS GAUGE. IT TOOK BMW 5 TIMES TO FINALLY FIX IT. 2/26/01 14461 MILAGE, 3/9/01 14512 MILAGE, 5/16/01 18566 MILES, 8/29/01 24493 MILES, AND FINALLY 2/26/02 37268 MILES. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES WITH THE CAR, WATER PUMP, LOWER CONTRO ARM (TWICE), AND VARIOUS OTHER NON-ESSENTIAL ITEMS. I TRIED TO ENACT THE LEMON LAW, BUT SINCE THE 3RD TIME ON THE FUEL GAUGE WAS AT 18500 MILES, I WAS TOLD IT DIDN'T APPLY. NOW AFTER 4 AND A HALF YEARS, I HAVE 114,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I WAS JUST TOLD THAT THE MOTOR IS SHOT AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $11,500. I CAN'T SINK THAT KIND OF MONEY INTO A CAR WITH THAT MANY MILES BUT I CAN'T SELL IT WITH A BAD MOTOR AND I CAN'T MAKE PAYMENTS ON TWO CARS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER AND BMW HAS REFUESED HELP ME. THE ONLY OFFER THEY MADE WAS TO GIVE ME $5000.00 OFF ON A NEW CAR WHEN I HIRED A LAWYER TO TRY TO ENACT THE LEMON LAW, BUT WITH THE MILAGE I HAD ON THE CAR ALREADY I STILL WOULD HAVE OWED THEM MONEY ON THE TRADE-IN. THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE INCIDENT. IT'S JUST BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE PAID BMW OVER $3600.00 FOR SERVICE AND REPAIRS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. NOW IT'S GOING TO COST ME OVER $11,000 MORE TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN. I HAVE ALL THE SERVICE RECORDS AND HAVE ALWAYS PAMPERED THE CAR. I ONLY USED THE BEST GAS, NEVER MISSED ANY SCHEDULED SERVICES. I CAN'T BELIEVE BMW IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS BETTER THAN THIS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH STEERING GEAR BROKE. THIS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING. VEHICLE LOST STEERING CONTROL. OWNER HAD THE BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP. THIS IS WHEN THE OWNER WAS INFORMED AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE. OWNER WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT AN ENGINEERING TEAM WOULD BE OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. AS OF TODAY THAT NEVER HAPPENED. *AK
STEERING COLUMN BINDS WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING WITHIN SPECS. *NM
STEERING COLUMN WAS REPAIRED FIVE TIMES DUE TO STEERING STICKING OR BINDING IN POSITION.*AK *MR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, CONSUMER WAS EXITING. THE STEERING WHEEL FREE WHEELED WITH VEHICLE CONTINUING FORWARD. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT THE DEALERSHIP KEPT LUBRICATING THE WHEELS. TS
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WILL STALL ON THE HIGHWAY, AND CONSUMER FEELS HER FAMILY IS NOT SAFE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER STATES A PROBLEM EXISTED WHERE THE SEAL ON THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT
IT TOOK 11 DAYS FOR BMW TO INFORM ME OF A SAFETY-RELATED RECALL (BETWEEN THE TIME RECALL APPEARED IN THE LOCAL PAPER (JAN. 31) AND NOTIFICATION I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL (FEB. 10). BMW SHOULD BE APPROPRIATELY "PUNISHED" FOR THIS INDIFFERENT ATTITUDE TO PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. P.S. THERE SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT TO PUT AN EXACT MAILING DATE ON THESE RECALL LETTERS. DR. CETINGOK. *AK