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Your vehicleHome›BMW›X5› 2018
BMW · Large SUV

2018 BMW X5

Plug-in hybrid Gas Diesel
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
6 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
F
Safety Signal
57 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.
Recalls2 critical 5
Complaints2 crash · 2 fire · 3 injured reported 73
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2018 BMW X5 is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid, gas and diesel large SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the X5 xDrive 35d, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 73 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

BMW X5 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
BMW X5 · Photo: Damian B Oh · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
X5 xDrive40ePlug-in hybridAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo + 83 kW AC Induction232524 (29 MPGe blended)14 mi electric593 h$3,400
X5 sDrive35iGasRWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo182521———$3,900
X5 xDrive35iGasAWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo182420———$4,100
X5 xDrive50iGasAWD4.4L 8-cyl turbo152117———$4,850
X5 MGasAWD4.4L 8-cyl turbo141916———$5,150
X5 xDrive 35dDieselAWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo232925———$3,850

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39526, 39474, 39478, 39521, 39479, 39477.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
X5 xDrive40e3 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / California LEV-II ULEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive35i3 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / California LEV-III ULEV125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
X5 xDrive50i3 / 10California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
X5 M, X5 xDrive 35d3 / 10California LEV-II ULEV / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 2E: 6,001 - 7,000 lb (2,722 - 3,175 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders6
Displacement3 L

Engine Output

Horsepower300 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds8

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control

Optional: Automatic emergency braking, Blind-spot monitoring, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: X5 M, sDrive35i, xDrive35d, xDrive35i). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length192.5 in
Width (body, without mirrors)76.4 in
Height69.3 in
Wheelbase115.4 in
Track, front64.6 in
Track, rear65.0 in
Curb weight4,791–5,320 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear50/50

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 7 configurations: xDrive35D 4-door SUV, xDrive35D Third Row Seating 4-door SUV, xDrive35I 4-door SUV, xDrive35I Third Row Seating 4-door SUV, xDrive40E 4-door SUV, xDrive50I 4-door SUV …. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2018 X5
Other years The 2027 X5 Recalls BMW recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2018 BMW X5 is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

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Recalls (5)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Engine And Engine Cooling

720,796 vehicles 39% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit. Risk An electrical short increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V608000 reported Aug 13, 2024 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Fuel System, Diesel

11,216 vehicles 100% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail. Risk Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V586000 reported Jul 29, 2021 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Equipment

3,501 vehicles 98% reported repaired built Feb 18, 2018 – Apr 5, 2018
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire. Risk An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V652000 reported Sep 20, 2018 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Suspension

43 vehicles 100% reported repaired built Jun 9, 2018 – Jun 11, 2018
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 xDrive35d, and X6 sDrive35i vehicles. The pivot bolt on the front lower-left control arm may not have been properly hardened, which may cause the control arm to break. Risk If the lower control arm breaks, vehicle handling and control can be affected, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower-left control arms and replace if necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 11, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V439000 reported Jun 28, 2018 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Suspension

33 vehicles 94% reported repaired built Oct 3, 2017 – Oct 17, 2017
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 SAV, X5 M SAV, X6 SAV, and X6 M SAV vehicles. Bolts that secure the front suspension may not have been properly tightened. Risk Loose bolts can affect the performance of the suspension, thereby increasing the risk of a crash. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the wishbone suspension bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 17V727000 reported Nov 17, 2017 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Fuel System, Diesel:Delivery:Fuel Pump — High pressure fuel pump failure open

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. After review of information request response materials from both FCA and BMW, NHTSA determined that sufficient information to identify a comprehensive recall population could not be produced by FCA and BMW. During the investigation FCA filed re

Opened Mar 17, 2023 · action EA23001 · the investigation’s page →

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf. Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a subst

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific X5

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. BMW publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →BMW’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 BMW X5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2018 BMW X5

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this X5 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
73complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

34 per 10,000 built · BMW reported 21,364 X5 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2026: 11

Most-cited components

Engine 20
Fuel/Propulsion System 18
Electrical System 15
Unspecified 11
Power Train 10
Suspension 6

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Warning appeared on my vehicle a few months ago stating something was wrong with the restraint system. While driving out of nowhere my vehicle on it's own accord will begin rocking really hard and it has become dangerous for passengers, myself or my animals in my car.
Air Bags May 22, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11523359
Basing complaint on NHTSA ID 11439582 4/25/2023 Started vehicle on this morning and ride height was normal, while doing daily intown driving, noticed that ride became extremely bumpy. I drove to my neighborhood Midas shop for inspection. There was no code but there was a dash warning with my chassis, "Drive Moderately".
Suspension May 11, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11521509
The dealer performed the EGR Cooler recall in Feb 2023, a month later and the part failed again. BMW should be required to issue a lifetime warranty on these defective parts that have now been recalled twice
Engine Mar 17, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11512444
Tread completely delaminated from the tire at highway speed causing major damage to the left rear of the car
Tires Feb 19, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11508100
I own a 2018 BMW X5 x35d and received a notification from BMW about recall under recall number 21V907 last November 2021. It has been 8 months and I've been following up with BMW every 3 to 4 weeks and up to now, they still cannot give me an ETA on when the recall will be fixed. This is totally unacceptable
Power Train Jun 22, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11470559
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled.
Fuel/Propulsion System at 32,000 miles Feb 7, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11450849

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by BMW itself: 9 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 11 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 42 per 100,000 built. Every X5 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 22k

miles, typically

Half the 18 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 5,000 and 66,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 18 on file: 7 under 10k, 1 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 1 30k–40k, 2 40k–50k, 3 60k–70k, 2 70k–80k, 1 80k–90k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆19%
SUV RWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆19%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 5 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every BMW warranty extension (46) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 210
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-22
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 203 service bulletins, 6 warranty extensions, 1 other

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Fuel/Propulsion System, Air Bags.

  • b011125 Warranty extension
    2026-09-22 · Engine
  • The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cooler (with EGR Valve) and the Auxiliary Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cooler limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 25 years without mileage limit as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
  • B010122 Service bulletin
    2026-01-21 · Engine
  • N63TU1 CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT SVC CAMPAIGN: OIL CONSUMPTION DIAGNOSIS/REPAIR
  • B011025 Warranty extension
    2025-08-01 · Engine
  • The electric auxiliary heater assembly limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date
  • B062715 Other
    2025-04-04 · Engine
  • SCR Container Return
  • B010924 Warranty extension
    2025-03-13 · Electrical System
  • The High-Voltage (HV) Battery Assemblys Cell Modules Temperature Sensors (Internal NTC repair kit-specific) limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles as determined from the original in-service/first delivery date
  • B010121 Warranty extension
    2024-11-14 · Engine
  • For this vehicle, the engine coolant thermostat limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles, as determined from the original in-service date.
  • B010520 Service bulletin
    2024-01-23 · Engine And Engine Cooling
  • The vehicle demonstrates a power loss and the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) on. The following fault codes may be stored in the DDE: 24CE00 Hot film air mass meter: Ratio of measured to calculated air mass too high 27F000 Charge air hose monitoring in idle: Charge air hose fallen down 290900 Air system, air to EGR air mass flow plausibility: Measured air mass compared to calculated air mass
  • B510819 Service bulletin
    2024-01-16 · Visibility — Power Window Devices And Controls
  • The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 BMW X5 failed the emissions check on 2.7% of first inspections — close to the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.84% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%).

New York inspections 2.7%

failed emissions

2,251 initial inspections of 2,202 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2018 X5Every 2018 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check2.7%3.0%2,244
Failed the safety inspection0.84%1.9%2,251
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.27%0.22%2,251
Miles driven a year9,68410,002odometer at inspection
Average odometer80,11982,833odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

X5 by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A* 0 0 26 mpg2026 B 2 28 25 mpg2025 C 5 63 25 mpg2024 D 8 145 25 mpg2023 C 4 33 23 mpg2022 A 1 75 23 mpg2021 F 12 111 23 mpg2020 F 11 113 23 mpg2019 F 13 193 22 mpg2018 this page F 5 73 25 mpg2017 F 6 75 25 mpg2016 F 5 74 25 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 X5

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 BMW X5 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 5 recall campaigns for the 2018 BMW X5, 2 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 24V608000, covering Engine And Engine Cooling. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 BMW X5?

NHTSA gave the 2018 BMW X5 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it F (57/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 BMW X5?

Across the 6 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 BMW X5, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions). Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 BMW X5?

Transport Canada measured it at 192.5 in long, 76.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 69.3 in tall, on a 115.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,791–5,320 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 BMW X5?

Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW X5, most often about engine, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 3 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 BMW X5?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 BMW X5 is 3 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-II ULEV, California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 BMW X5?

The manufacturer has filed 210 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 BMW X5, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-22. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 BMW X5 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 BMW X5 failed the emissions check on 2.7% of first inspections — close to the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.84% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations6 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates6 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls5NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints73NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins210NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations3NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 X5 The X5 model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every BMW recall on file All campaigns filed against BMW vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this X5 by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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