2013 BMW X5 Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/14/2026

20Electrical System complaints

13.5%Of all 148 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS47 · 31.8%

ENGINE44 · 29.7%

POWER TRAIN33 · 22.3%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM20 · 13.5%

Unspecified / other18 · 12.2%

Share of the 148 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2013 BMW X5 overview page.

What owners report

“DOORS WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUT . YOU CAN OPEN ONLY THE DRIVERS DOOR WITH THE KEY ONLY . THIS IS THE SECOND TIME…”NHTSA complaint 11217890 — filed 06/04/2019

“WHILE DRIVING ONE RAINY AFTERNOON ON A CITY ROAD, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE SMOKE TURNED INTO FLAMES. I PULLED OVER…”NHTSA complaint 11197031 — filed 04/17/2019

“MY 2013 BMW X5 35D WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET, WHEN IT STALLED, LOST ALL POWER AND ULTIMATELY WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS…”NHTSA complaint 11194824 — filed 04/08/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 BMW X5 have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2013 BMW X5: 20 of 148 complaints on file (13.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2013 BMW X5 have in total?

148 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 2 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.