Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 BMW X5 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Water leaking in front right floor board cause short in electrical system, also leaking in rear at battery area. Dealer has advised this also caused the short in the alternator and battery. If BMW has been sued because of sun roofs leaking before. My car died in a rain storm and in heavy traffic causing great danger to the passengers. BMW should be forced to repair these vehicles before someone is injured or killed. And stop acting like they have never heard of this problem before.
2007 X5 4.8 with panoramic sunroof, sunroof tray overflows and leaks into interior electrical, airbags, and carpet due to defective design/assembly (both when stationary and in motion). Sunroof drains both front and rear have drain tubes which are prone to kink and back up water into the sunroof tray, which then spills over onto the topside of the headliner and from there onto just about every electronic item in the car including air bags and controllers, lighting controls, and electrical boxes on the floor and trunk area. Some have reported arcs and car fires due to the water damage; BMW says it is a maintenance issue although has zero listed for sunroof maintenance, and no amount of cleaning is going to fix the sunroof drain lines that I found twisted...likely been that way since initial assembly, but routing down inside the apillars makes it nearly impossible to get to try to fix it, …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 BMW X5. The contact stated that water drained into the module on the rear driver side compartment of the vehicle, which caused the radio and navigation system to experience a short circuit failure. The contact was concerned that due to a design flaw in the draining system in the rear sun roof of the vehicle, that water could enter the compartment where the modules were located, causing an electrical failure, a vehicle stall, or an electrical fire. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that drain needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.
On multiple occasions while driving the car, first the ABS light would come on, then most other warning lights, then the car would lose all power, engine would stop, can't shift transmission, basically did on the road. Had battery replaced and registered. Happened multiple times again. Seems to be a common problem https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=888938 one link in there sent me to https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-135i-335i-435i-535i-x4-X5-x6-engine-wiring-harness-12517592511-7592511-OEM/123598545546?hash=item1cc70c228a:g:pueaaoswpyxcp-mk all happened when car was in motion driving, typically on a highway in traffic.
I'm getting warning lights on my dash stating my taillights are out. I checked both taillights and the housing that holds the bulbs are melted through. There is an electrical issue that causes the bulbs to overheat possibly resulting in a fire. This happens in park or drive. The taillights will need to be replaced and some type of coding or resister will need to be installed to prevent them from overheating again
Vehicle keeps stalling and accelerating shuts off in the middle of the road while driving mainly in the city I could b turning or driving straight and shuts off and takes awhile to restart...electrical wiring keeps shorting out sunroof shorts out and tail light keeps burning out...I took it to dealer paid $5000 and same problem continues to occur
Check engine light comes on whenever the gas cap is opened when re-fueling and a noticeable burnt smell is noticed inside the vehicle. I have to have it towed to the nearest repair shop servicing BMW near me. Please see photos attached. I incurred about $2230 in repair charges. From then on, the problem hasn't re-occured.
Instrument panel is nor working properly. Unable to set time and date service schedule etc. Software in the instrument panel definitely has deflects. Cd is not working too. These problems occyrs two years ago and still remain.
I have discovered a serious problem with my 2007 X5. I live in south florida and after a heavy rain, I noticed that the trunk of my car was filled with water. I removed 3.5 gallons of water. I went to start the car but as you can imagine with the battery and electronic components being covered in that much water, it was unsuccessful. Once I had removed the water and let it dry out I charged the battery and was able to start the car. When I got it to start, the dashboard lit up like a christmas tree. My ABS, traction control, brake, check engine, 4x4 lights all lit up amongst some other warning lights. I was unable to put the car in drive or reverse and had to manually push it in the garage. The car is stuck in a limp mode/safe mode. After I had done some research on the issue I discovered that this is a well known problem for BMW's. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 BMW X5. The contact stated during rainy weather, water leaked into the satellite radio receiver module and caused severe damage. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis where they informed the cotnact that the satellite module would need to be replaced. The part was not in stock and the vehicle would be repaired when the part became available. The manufacturer was made aware of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000. Updated 07/06/11 updated 3/15/12
Electrical complaints in other X5 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2007 BMW X5?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the electrical system of the 2007 BMW X5, 16% of the model year's 130 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2007 BMW X5 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2007 BMW X5, though it has 13 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 2007 BMW X5 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.