Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 BMW X5 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The brake vacuum pump has leaked a small amount of lubricating oil into the hose. This contamination resulted in a loss of power assist braking. The loss of power assist in braking has increased stopping distance and lead to a near vehicle crash. No indicator lights were present. Repair: Replacement of the brake vacuum line with one that contains a check valve, eliminating the possibility that oil will reach the brake booster; as well as the brake booster and brake master cylinder will also be replaced.
The power braking system has stopped work ,brake pedal goes to the floor and will not stop the vehicle ,I see that BMW has a recall on the 2007 X5 made the same year and model with the v8 engine, I am a member on my forms and there are hundreds of BMW X5 with the same problem, and some people have had accidents because of the braking system suddenly not working , I had my BMW X5 at the BMW shop and they diagnose was the vacuum pump has failed , vacuum tube is leaking and the brake booster has failed also. This is a serious problem , this is not a tail light not working , this is putting people lives in danger. The repair cost is $2300.
Tl* the contact previously owned a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that he had an issue with the brake system. His spouse was driving at a low speed of about 5-10 MPH and when she depressed the brake pedal and there was no response. The vehicle jumped the curb in a parking lot and hit the wall of a building. There were no injuries but a police report was taken. In November 2007, the brakes failed again and the vehicle hit a wooden pole in another parking lot. There was another report taken at the scene of the accident. The driver cited the brakes as the cause for the failure again. The contact also noticed that the brakes would not engage on 3 different occasions but the failures did not cause any accidents. The contact took the vehicle to the dealership but the dealer stated that they could not find anything wrong with the vehicle and gave him the vehicle back with no repairs made. …
Very disappointed in BMW this time. My brakes system suddenly failed, causing my vehicle to crash into a poll in the street parking. Front bumper was completely damaged. Right after, we found out that the brakes were not working properly, has to keep full force on brake to keep at full stop. We called BMW service they said to just bring the car as they recently recalled my car for recall for this issue. We took the car to BMW service, after they checked my VIN # they said my car was actually not covered in that recall, even though it was the same problem. This incident could have been worst, someone could have been seriously injured or killed as a result to this sudden loss of brake assist. Called BMW, but they are not willing to do anything at this point until a official recall is posted for 2006 year X5 4.4 models. …
BMW X5 brake booster failed. I was driving in town and attempted to stop and noticed that the truck needed more brake pedal pressure the longer I applied the brakes. The pedal began to rise and the truck would begin to creep forward unless more pressure was applied to the pedal. I drove to the BMW dealership to have a recall performed on the passenger seat occupancy mat. During that visit I informed the service writer of the brake issue and asked if it would be corrected under a recall as well. I was told that my vehicle was not covered by any other recalls. I researched it and found that some BMW X5's we're experiencing some issues with the brakes and were being recalled but not my vehicle. I ordered all necessary parts and replaced them myself. Which consisted of a new updated pump, all updated OEM lines with check valves and a new trw OEM brake booster. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to respond properly. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to richmond BMW (8710 w broad st, richmond, va 23294) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the brakes needed to be replaced. The brake master cylinder and the brake booster were replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 10V446000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 214,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the brakes upon engaging for a brief moment. After coming to a stop, the contact was able to resume driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed that the power assist was faulty. The brake booster, vacuum pump and power assist would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,000.
1. Brake light came on in 2006 BMW X5 on 8/1/10. 2. The vehicle was taken to BMW dealer to be repaired, on inspection they found "both front axle -cv boots split and spraying grease on brake calipers". The vehicle was repaired to BMW standard 3. On 8/11/10 the vehicle was in an accident- the brakes was sluggish and did not respond.
This is about a leased 2006 BMW X5. I was parking the car, & had applied the footbrake when the car began to accelerate. I floored the brake pedal again, but the car did not stop, so I applied the handbrake & still it did not stop. It crashed through some bushes, over a concrete sidewalk & into the street which luckily had no traffic. I was able to slam the gearshift into reverse & turned off the ignition to stop the car while at a right angle to the lane markers in the road. Very lucky that there was no oncoming traffic at that hour. I restarted the car, put it into reverse gear & backed over the same path & into the parking lot & pulled the handbrake & turned off the ignition. I called braman BMW of w. Palm beach to tow the car away since I was unwilling to drive it anymore. Their head mechanic,prior to inspecting the car, during a 3-way phone call with me & joe of braman BMW in w. …
The issue is specifically with the braking system. The car developed a sudden dangerous loss of braking power. One moment the brakes were working correctly and the next they were not. BMW has 2 recalls for this issue but for unknown reasons my car is not included in either recall. The recall campaigns are 10v-446 & 13v-045. The description of the problem is the following: "this recall involves the power assist braking function. A small amount of oil could leak from the brake vacuum pump into the brake vacuum hose. Over time, contamination of the brake booster could occur. This could affect the power assist braking function. In certain cases, loss of power brake assist could occur. If this happened, it would require greater brake pedal force, increase the stopping distance, and increase the risk of a crash. " my car has the exact issue as described in the recalls. …
Brake complaints in other X5 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2006 BMW X5?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the brakes of the 2006 BMW X5, 18% of the model year's 195 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › pads (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 BMW X5 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2006 BMW X5, though it has 2 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 2006 BMW X5 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes 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.