2006 Bmw X5 Transmission Problems
14 owner-reported transmission complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Transmission Recalls (1)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL GUIDE PLATE.
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.
Owner Complaints (14)
Your vehicle has entered limp mode, which you suspect is related to a transmission gear problem. Additionally, your passenger side door appears to have an airbag that looks like it may be about to deploy. Diagnosing this will likely require a transmission computer scan and airbag system inspection.
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Your car hesitates and won't accelerate smoothly when you press the gas pedal, and your check engine light is on. A mechanic suggested this could be a powertrain problem. The manufacturer confirmed your vehicle isn't covered under a related recall, so you may need diagnostic work to identify the exact issue.
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HELLO, I HAVE A 2006 BMW X5 [XXX] THAT HAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. IT HAS STARTED BY ROLLING ON HILLS AND SHIFTING FUNNY BOTH IN CITY AND ON HIGHWAY. IT THEN STARTED NOT MOVING MUCH WHEN ACCELERATING AS I WAS COMING OFF A HIGHWAY EXIT AND CONTINUED THROUGH TOWN. IT HAS 120,000 MILES. HAVING DONE RESEARCH, ATTACHED BELOW IS A LINK TO 4 RELATED RECALLS. PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO WHICH RECALL THIS IS AND HOW TO PROCEED TO GETTING IT REPAIRED. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOON. THANK YOU, [XXX] HTTPS://WWW.TRANSMISSIONREPAIRCOSTGUIDE.COM/BMW-X5-TRANSMISSION-PROBLEMS/ INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER FAILED IN JUNE. NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL SINCE A RECALL HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THE 2006 MODELS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE WATER PUMP BEGAN LEAKING COOLANT. AGAIN, NOT COVERED FOR 2006 MODELS. NOW THERE IS A SEVERE LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. ALL SHOULD BE RECALLED. ALREADY SPENT OVER $4K IN REPAIRS FOR A VEHICLE THAT, GIVEN ITS PRICE AND CLAIMS OF EXTRAORDINARY GERMAN ENGINEERING, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN NECESSARY. VERY DISAPPOINTED. *TR
I BOUGHT THE CAR IT HAD AN OIL LEAK, RADIATOR LEAK, DEVELOPED AN AIR BAG MALFUNCTION, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, TAR IS ACCUMULATING ON TOP OF THE SUNROOF EVERY TIME I OPEN IT, THE HEATER FAN MAKES NOISE, THE TRANSMISSION MAKES NOISE AFTER FOUR ATTEMPTS IT IS STILL LEAKING OIL. ALL OF MY FRIENDS WHO OWN BMW'S HAVE ALSO HAD AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONS. NONE WERE PART OF THE RECALL, ALL PAID $1,300.00 TO HAVE IT FIXED. BMW SHOULD HAVE RECALLED ALL OF THEM. THE PURPOSE OF RECALLING SOME IS TO AVOID A TOTAL RECALL. THEY ARE BUILDING THEIR CARS WITH INFERIOR PARTS SO THAT THEY DO NOT LAST FOR MORE THAN 60,0000 BEFORE MAJOR PROBLEMS OCCUR. ONE OF MY FRIENDS HAS SPENT OVER $10,000 ON REPAIRS TO HIS 2004 X3. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BLUE SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS HOME AND LATER DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE THAT THE TRANSFER CASE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
AFTER DRIVING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, INTERMITTENTLY THE TRANSMISSION GEAR SLIPS WITH BIG JOLT WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 5-10 MILES UPHILL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 5 SERIES 530XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PARK. ONCE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK, THE MESSAGE DISPLAY INFORMED HER THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT LOCKED INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING INSPECTION OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V504000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SINCE PURCHASING IN DEC 2008. THE VEHICLE JERKS VIOLENTLY AS IT SHIFTS AFTER STOPS. A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T SHIFT UP UNTIL I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND SHIFTING IT BACK TO D. CURRENTLY, IT JERKS DURING UP SHIFTS THRU ALL GEARS, MOST OF THE TIME. I HAVE BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEARS. THEY CLAIM THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I AM VERY WORRIED OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING SUDDENTLY AND CAUSING A CRASH. *TR
ON START-UP FROM A NEAR STOP THE TRANSMISSION JERKED HARD BACK INTO FIRST GEAR. FELT AS IF SOMEONE HAD HIT ME FROM THE REAR END. THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY AND IS VERY DISTURBING, CAUSING UNFAMILIAR REACTIONS FROM THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF MY 2006 BMW 525I, WITH APP 65,000 MILES, FAILED AND THE DEALER TELL ME THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT. I FEEL THAT A TRANSMISSION SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 65,000 MILE AND THUS SHOULD BE REPLACED AT BMW'S EXPENSE. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THESE ARE AN ANUSUALLY HIGH RATE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN THESE CARS, AND THE RECALL SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR
BMW CAR CAN BE A DEATH TRAP! MY 2006 530I SMG GEARBOX WITH 34K MILES LOST POWER COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING ON THE ROAD. LUCKILY, I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR BECAME UNDRIVABLE AND NEEDED TO BE TOLLED AWAY. I WAS 5 MINUTES FROM GETTING ON A HIGHWAY AND IF I WAS ON HIGHWAY, IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A LEAK IN THE HYDRAULIC COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A SEALED SYSTEM WITH NO USER SERVICEABLE/INSPECTION SUPPORT AND OBVIOUSLY THE CAR HAS NO MONITOR FACILITY FOR THIS COMPONENT SINCE THERE WAS NO WARNING. WITH THE HYDRAULIC FAILURE, THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED THE GEAR BACK TO NEUTRAL WHICH RESULTS IN COMPLETE POWER LOST AND I COULD NOT "RE-ENGAGE" IT BACK IN GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION IS UNDER COMPUTER CONTROL (AUTOMATIC). *TR
2006 BMW 530I - WHEN STOPPING, CAR LURCHES FORWARD FORCEFULLY. ALMOST HIT CAR IN FRONT OF ME - FELT LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE HESITATED WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THE HESITATION OF THE ENGINE LASTED BETWEEN 5 TO 10 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, WHO DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS.*AK WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CONSUEMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE IS UNDERPOWERED FOR ITS WEIGHT. UPDATED 12/18/06. *JB