Among today’s European cars, one of the standout brands is BMW and for good reason. For starters, we’re talking about a luxury carmaker that has been around for decades. Over the years, it’s also been known for producing some impressive cars, whether we’re talking about sedans, SUVs, sports cars.
Indeed, a BMW generally makes for a great investment. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that BMW always gets everything right. In fact, there are some BMW models that would cost a lot of money to maintain. If you’re in the market for used cars, it’s best to avoid these cars completely.
10 2010 BMW X5
There may be a lot of reasons to like the X5. In the case of its 2010 model year, however, there are about 20 reasons to avoid it. Believe it or not, that’s exactly how many recalls this SUV has had over the years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
One of the issues involves the car’s engine idler pulley bolt which can loosen and eventually break. If this happens, the SUV will lose power-assisted steering without warning. Meanwhile, it was also found that the car’s positive ventilation (PCV) valve may suddenly short circuit and cause a fire.
9 2009 BMW X5
The 2009 X5 has already been associated with as many as 18 recalls. Of these, seven of the recalls were made due to the issue involving Takata airbags. Meanwhile, two recalls are associated with problems involving the car’s engine belt pulley bolt.
According to the defect notice, it is possible for the bolt to eventually become loose and even break eventually. If this happens, the car may suffer from an unexpected loss of power steering assist. In addition, a recall was also issued due to an incorrectly attached insulated bulkhead connector. This can cause a cable connection to overheat.
8 2007 BMW X5
Unfortunately, the 2007 X5 is also particularly problematic. Over the years, it has become the subject of 15 recalls. One of the car’s problems involves an issue with the brake vacuum pump. According to a copy of the defect notice, there is a chance for the check valve in the brake vacuum pump to leak lubricating oil.
Over time, this would a contamination of the car’s brake booster. When this happens, the SUV’s power assist braking would be affected. Meanwhile, the car may also have in-tank fuel pumps with faulty wire contacts. This can cause a fuel leak.
7 2008 BMW X5
Just like the 2007 X5, this model year is also associated with a lot of problems. In fact, this BMW SUV has also been the subject of 15 recalls already. One of the reasons for the recall involves a fuel pump that was not manufactured according to specifications.
As a result, the car’s fuel pump can suddenly malfunction and the engine may stall without warning. Just like the 2007 X5, the 2008 X5 also suffers from in-tank fuel pump with wire contacts that were insufficient crimping. More likely, this is also one of the most glaring problems among BMW SUVs.
6 2011 BMW X5
Unfortunately, the X5’s woes continue with its 2011 model year, which has already been the subject of 14 recalls. Of these, five of the recalls involve airbag issues, which are associated with the Takata airbag recall.
On the other hand, it was also found that the car’s belt tensioner in the engine may have cracks due to a manufacturing error. Because of this, the belt tensioner may malfunction and lead to a sudden loss of power steering. And while a lot of used X5s seemed to be troubled, we'd like to point out that there are 15 reasons to buy the 2020 X5.
5 2006 BMW 3 Series
The 3 series is, generally, a dependable luxury sedan. However, if you’re in the market for a used BMW car, you may want to steer clear of the 2006 3 Series. Over the years, the car has already been involved in 13 recalls and over 1,000 complaints, according to the NHTSA.
One of the issues pertains to the car’s engine and engine cooling wherein a short circuit may occur in the heater for the positive crankcase ventilation valve. This is probably one of the reasons why some say that other sports sedans are better than the 3 Series.
4 2002 BMW 3 Series
For the record, not all 3 series cars are bad. Just stay away from the 2002 3 Series too. This specific model has been the subject of 13 recalls, six investigations, and more than 400 complaints, according to the NHTSA.
Of these recalls, six involve issues with the car’s airbags. Meanwhile, it was found that the car has faulty rear lamps in the body panel. In addition, it was also discovered that the car is using amber side reflectors and headlamps which do not meet federal motor vehicle safety requirements.
3 2011 BMW X6
Several model years of the X6 have also been subject to a lot of recalls. However, the situation is not as bad when compared with the X5. In fact, the 2011 X6 has had the most recalls of any X6 so far, after becoming the subject of 11 recalls over the years.
Of the recalls, two involve a failure of the electric auxiliary water pump. When this happens, there is a chance the car’s circuit board can overheat and possibly, start a fire. Interestingly, an X6 ablaze in Russia was reported in 2019.
2 2010 BMW 5 Series
This model year of the 5 Series has already been subjected to 10 recalls. One of the recalls was issued because of a problem involving the housing for the car’s variable camshaft timing adjustment. Specifically, the bolts securing the housing may become loose over time or even break. If this occurs, the car’s engine may stall.
In addition, the car was also recalled due to a faulty fuel level sensor. Admittedly, this 5 Series is disappointing. However, we can't forget that Lyft and Aptiv chose to deploy self-driving 5 Series cars in Las Vegas. That speaks to the car's reliability.
1 2011 BMW 128i
Unfortunately, this BMW sports car has been involved in as many as nine recalls over the years. One of the recalls was issued after a problem was detected in the car’s vehicle power supply system.
According to the defect notice, the connector located at the end of the positive battery cable and the corresponding terminal on the car’s fuse box may be subject to degradation. When this happens, the engine may stall. In addition, the car’s vehicle systems may also fail, which would increase the likelihood of a crash.