Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
16 mpgcombined; city 13–14, highway 19–20; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$25,150U.S. average; Ohio $23,700 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2006 X5. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 195 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 X5. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
98
2
0
1
Seats
31
0
9
11
Service brakes
27
2
0
0
Electrical system
22
0
5
4
Seat belts
9
1
0
0
Engine
7
0
2
0
Engine and engine cooling
7
0
0
0
Power train
7
0
1
0
Exterior lighting
6
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
6
1
0
0
Unknown or other
5
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
4
0
1
0
11 more parts
Structure
4
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
3
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
Visibility
2
0
0
0
Child seat
1
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Parking brake
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, air
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, electric
1
1
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
1
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2006 X5 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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 year 2006 760i sedans, model year 2006-2007 750i, 750Li, and 760Li sedans, and model year 2006 X5 sports activity vehicles, equipped with certain seat types. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.
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.
Remedy: 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 repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, free of charge. Additionally, owners of model year 2006-2007 3 Series with standard seats, 5 Series with comfort seats, and Z4 models, will receive an extended warranty on their front passenger seat occupant detection mat. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
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, THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ROLLAWAY CONDITION.
Remedy: 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 107 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2006 X5, the latest on Jan 16, 2024. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (32), engine and engine cooling (20), equipment (16), fuel system (12), air bags (11).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Engineering analysis EA08001 BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2006 X5.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
X5 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
13 / 20 / 16
X5 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S5)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 19 / 16
X5 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 20 / 16
X5 4.8is 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
4.8 L, 8 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 20 / 16
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data