2001 BMW X5 Air Bags Problems

17 complaints about Air Bags

17
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Deaths

High Severity Issue

This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.

This Problem Across All Years

All Air Bags Complaints (17)

Feb 18, 2025

My vehicle is DO NOT DRIVE condition. I have not been able to schedule air bag recall repair because the dealerships in my area will not tow to and from my home, and say no mobile service is available. WHAT ARE MY OPINIONS? PLEASE REPLY .....I currently can't drive my car because I have a unexploded claymore in my face!

Oct 14, 2020

GOT AIRBAG NOTICE IN MAIL 2019 TOOK MY CAR TO WORLD WIDE BMW NANUET NY DEALER MARCH 23 2019 TOLD ME MY AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS NOT ON THE LIST OF BEING REPLACED MINED YOU MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON WELL BEFORE TAKING IT TO BMW DEALER AND TODAY IS STILL ON I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE AND WHAT CAN I DO TO HAVE IT CORRECTED THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME OVER 2,000 TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG MODULE

Aug 1, 2019 Fire

TAKATA RECALL I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR NOTICED WHEN I STARTED IT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG AREA I IMMEDIATELY SHUT IT OFF BUT THERE WAS SMOKE STILL COMING AND GETTING THICKER I IMMEDIATELY CALL 911 I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH 911 AND NOTICED FLAMES .FIRE TRUCK SHOWED UP PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT THE WHOLE FRONT AIR BAG AREA AND GLOVE BOX WAS PRETTY BAD

Dec 14, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

Mileage: 160,000

Apr 17, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V047000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. ..UPDATED 06/21/17 *BF *CN

Mar 22, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V047000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Mar 21, 2017 Crash

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, A COYOTE JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO VOID A CRASH AND SWERVED CAUSING AN UNKNOWN REAR WHEEL TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND CRASHED UPSIDE DOWN INTO THE SIDE OF A RESIDENTIAL HOME. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT WHO WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE IMPACT OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INTERNAL BRUISING THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V047000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Nov 18, 2016

MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OCCURRING. I CONTACTED BMWS CORPORATE OFFICES. THEY HAD ME TAKE IT IN TO BMW OF DALLAS SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. NO SATISFACTORY RESOLVE WAS ACHIEVED. THEY DID NOT FIX THE MALFUNCTIONED EQUIPMENT. THEY GAVE ME MY VEHICLE BACK WITH MALFUNCTIONED AIRBAG UNFIXED. I AM APPALLED BY THERE LACK OF CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY. *BF CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD A HEAD TRAUMA. UPDATED 7/3/18*JB *TR

Nov 18, 2016

MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OCCURRING. I CONTACTED BMWS CORPORATE OFFICES. THEY HAD ME TAKE IT IN TO BMW OF DALLAS SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. NO SATISFACTORY RESOLVE WAS ACHIEVED. THEY DID NOT FIX THE MALFUNCTIONED EQUIPMENT. THEY GAVE ME MY VEHICLE BACK WITH MALFUNCTIONED AIRBAG UNFIXED. I AM APPALLED BY THERE LACK OF CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY. *BF CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD A HEAD TRAUMA. UPDATED 7/3/18*JB *TR

Nov 18, 2016

MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OCCURRING. I CONTACTED BMWS CORPORATE OFFICES. THEY HAD ME TAKE IT IN TO BMW OF DALLAS SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. NO SATISFACTORY RESOLVE WAS ACHIEVED. THEY DID NOT FIX THE MALFUNCTIONED EQUIPMENT. THEY GAVE ME MY VEHICLE BACK WITH MALFUNCTIONED AIRBAG UNFIXED. I AM APPALLED BY THERE LACK OF CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY. *BF CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD A HEAD TRAUMA. UPDATED 7/3/18*JB *TR

Nov 18, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INFLATED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

Oct 18, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN PARK, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SENT TECHNICIANS TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

Mileage: 149,000

Sep 15, 2014 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, SMOKE ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE AND BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. SHORTLY AFTER THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, IT BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

Mileage: 118,000

Jun 9, 2014

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TURNED ON WHEN I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD GO OFF AFTER A FEW START CYCLES WITH NO PASSENGERS, BUT THEN COME BACK ON THE NEXT TIME A PASSENGER WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I WAS ABLE TO READ THE CODES WHICH INDIRECTLY INDICATED A FAULT IN THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I REPLACED THE SENSOR MAT AND RELATED WIRING INTERFACE AND THE WARNING LIGHT AND ERRORS HAVE NOT RETURNED. THERE ARE MANY OWNERS GROUPS THAT DISCUSS THE APPARENT HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THESE OCCUPANCY SENSOR MATS AND WE HAVE NOTED THAT MORE RECENT X5 MODELS WERE RECALLED, BUT THAT EARLIER MODELS WERE NOT. I SUSPECT THAT THE EARLIER MODELS HAVE THE SAME - OR A RELATED - PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 138,000

Apr 6, 2004

THE CONSUMER PARKED AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER TURNED AROUND AND NOTICED SMOKING COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER THEN RE-ENTER THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER HAVING A CONTUSION, EYE ABRASION AND 2 DISC IN THEIR NECK. *MR

Mileage: 43,000

Jan 27, 2003 Crash

VEHICLE WAS "TOTALED" DUE TO A COLLISION, BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE OF CONSUMER'S CAR. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40-50MPH AT TIME OF IMPACT. PASSENGER "SIDE AIR BAG" DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER'S FRONT, SIDE AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY.*AK

Mileage: 15,000

Mar 27, 2002

DRIVING ON THE EXIT RAMP FROM FDR DRIVE TO THE 49TH STREET EXIT, WHEN SUDDENLY... ALL AIR BAGS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BEGAN TO POP. FRONT, REAR, 5 IN ALL. NO ACCIDENT. DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. NO APPARENT/OBVIOUS REASON. CAR GROUND TO A HALT; WILL NOT MOVE - RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. CAR WAS PUSHED ASIDE TO ALLOW OTHERS TO PASS. CONTACTED BMW ROAD ASSISTANCE. CAR WAS TOWED TO BMW OF MANHATTAN. THEY ARE LOOKING IT OVER, AND WILL TELL ME THEIR FINDINGS. CURSORY INSPECTIONS SUGGESTS NOTHING COULD HAVE CAUSED IT. NO SCRATCHES, NO BUMPS, NO NICKS, NO NOTHING! ARRRRRGH! NLM