Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 BMW X5 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I replaced the oil separator at BMW dealership 1/10/08 because oil was becoming polluted with water even after I explained to dealership previous times the oil looked milky when I did a dipstick check. The dealer told me the part failed before it caused extensive damage and a condition known as hydrolock, which could cause engine to seize. Last week in very cold weather conditions,1/13,2015 my cars cabin filled with black smoke. I pulled over and found the engine spoiled with smoking oil, I took it to an independent repair shop and it was the oil separator again. The part is also known as the crankcase vent valve I had it changed/repaired, it is expensive and can cause serious vehicle damage and accidents. I think for this to happen twice points to a dangerous vulnerable part. …
As my wife and I driving to her md appointment on 11/26/12. I've noticed gas smell inside the car,and car suddenly losing power, when I've step on the gas pedal. It's like gaining power to go and suddenly loses power. I was kind of confused what happened . We were on the road right behind the intersection. We had to stop for the red light,when I've tried to go, the car was not moving like it should. We made it to the other side of the intersection, which there is denny's restaurant parking lot. By the time I've pulled over to see what is going on,we were still in the car. All of the sudden there was a loud sound, like explosion under the hood of the car and fire started.thanks god, we got out of the car just in time. The fire was burning out of control. Couple of passerby had fire extinguishers in their cars,tried to put the fire out, while I was on the 911 call,but no luck. …
My son was driving my 2002 BMW X5 SUV for approximately 30 minutes (mostly highway) when the "fail safe" light came on. He began to pull into the breakdown lane when the car stalled and "system failure" light came on. When he got out of the car, there were flames shooting out from beneath the engine on the passenger side. He and his fiance quickly ran down the road and the car was fully engulfed in flames with black smoke filling the sky within moments. The car is totaled with all windows melted as well as the entire engine compartment. Both front tires exploded. I have gone online and there are many X5's that have spontaneously caught on fire for no apparent reason.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 BMW X5. The contact stated that several warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel at vehicle start-up. The contact attempted to repair the vehicle independently. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V047000 (air bags). The contact spoke with moss motors BMW (1401 surrey st, lafayette, la 70501) where they offered no assistance. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 153,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 BMW X5. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled and smoke was emitting from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technicians stated that the oil separator was frozen. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000.
'Takata recall ' when starting my vehicle it is a rough start lots of shaking causing the engine to fail after heating drives normally but does this everyday no engine check light . Car has shut off twice prior while driving on city streets due to engine failure
2002 BMW X5;4.6is sav. Check engine light appeared. Went to authorized dealer, who said that the code inspired ra fault in the vanos, system, and reset obdii computer. In two days, the entire engine broke down. Upon inspection, we were told that the timing chain and cam adjusters imploded possibly due to the formation of engine sludge. Estimated cost of repair is $8000. The X5 was properly maintained according to the maintenance schedule with BMW approved oil. The formation of sludge might have been caused by a failure of the crankcase ventilation system. Repair includes the installation of new cam sensors, actuators and new camshafts. Also the removal of metal particles in the lubrication system. This expensive repair May have been avoided if BMW had recalled the oil separator they determined was defective years ago. …
My wife was driving her X5 on a very cold day in January. She heard a loud bang as if she had hit something. She stopped the car but saw nothing so she drove another 1/4 mile home. As soon as she stopped the car fumes started billowing from the engine. On opening the hood we found a shattered valve cover. She took the vehicle to the dealer who was very good about explaining what had happened and fixing the problem. Apparently, BMW decided not to insulate part of the oil separator valve for some of the X5 engines. In cold weather the valve can stick open or closed causing either engine failure or, as in my wife's case, a high crankcase pressure which explodes the valve cover. The vehicle was about 17 months old and had about 5 thousand miles on it when this happened, so the repair with replacement of the inadequate part was done under warranty. …
In January of 2010 during a cold weather spell, I started my car and started driving slowly. After about 5 minutes I noticed smoke coming from engine compartment and from exhaust pipes. I stopped the vehicle and had it towed to a certified mechanic. He diagnosed the issue as a failure of the separation valve that caused the increase pressure under the valve cover. Fortunately, I was able to avoid extensive damage and my bill was "only" around $350 (plus towing). I did my research and found that BMW had known about that problem all along and did nothing. There was a TSB issued for canadian market but no recall was issued. Later models of X5 were equipped with updated valve, it appears that many owners had their engines completely destroyed and the company did nothing to help them. …
BMW 4.4i X5. Had second of two valve cover leaks due to oil separator blockage. Both happened under cold weather conditions. The original oil separator design was prone to blockage and BMW had redesigned the separator to a "heated part" according to my dealer. In both instances of my car's failure, the valve cover gasket failed under pressure and oil leaked out onto the exhaust manifold. Fortunately there was no fire. BMW dealerships acknowledged the common failure of the oil separator design. Although BMW of north America would not respond to my inquiries. Since my vehicle was not under warranty I paid for all repairs. I have updated the vehicle to the new "heated part" but have not had a full winter on the vehicle to state whether or not the re-design was successful.
Engine complaints in other X5 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 BMW X5?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 BMW X5, 27% of the model year's 102 complaints. The component named most often is engine (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 BMW X5 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 BMW X5, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 BMW X5 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.