A 2014 to 2018 BMW X5 diesel with proof its EGR cooler recall was done is the safer buy, while the oil-burning 4.4 twin-turbo V8 from 2008 to 2013 is the one to avoid.
7 known faults, 7 rated high severity in our database; owners report 29.7 mpg, 80% of the official figure. Everything below is built from that data and the archived owner history, not from a press car.
Found a BMW X5 for sale? Check the advert before you go and see it
Paste the BMW X5 advert and we read it against its 7 known faults, the MOT history and the DVLA record, then tell you what to ask the seller and what to look at on the day. Free, about a minute, no card.
Check a BMW X5 advert (free) →A 2014 to 2018 X5 is the safer buy, because its serious known fault comes down to one part: the EGR cooler on the 2.0d and 3.0d diesels, which cracks, leaks coolant and can set the inlet manifold on fire between 40,000 and 100,000 miles. A recall covered it, so find a diesel with proof the cooler's been checked or replaced. The propshaft, alternator bolt and oil-burning V8 faults all belong to the earlier E70.
An E70 (2007 to 2013) needs a lot more checking. The front propshaft on xDrive cars wears, rusts and can break between 50,000 and 80,000 miles, which can badly damage the engine, and BMW issued a service action to check and replace it. Don't touch the 4.4 twin-turbo V8 (N63) from 2008 to 2013, as its valve stem seals give up between 60,000 and 100,000 miles and it starts drinking oil.
On an E53 (2000 to 2007), the 3.0d automatic is the version to be wary of: servo valves in its gearbox fail between 120,000 and 150,000 miles and wreck it, and BMW's sealed-for-life fluid doesn't help. If it's an E53 you want, look at cars from the summer 2003 update, which are much better to drive on and off road, but remember their 3.0d autos carry the same gearbox fault.
The newest X5, from 2018, has plenty of room inside and a seven-seat option, and the xDrive30d is the one most buyers should pick. It's a diesel, though, and the EGR cooler fault runs on BMW diesels from 2010 to 2019, so check the coolant level, sniff for burning under the bonnet and make sure there aren't any engine warning lights before you buy.
Don't buy the 4.4 twin-turbo V8 (N63) from 2008 to 2013: its valve stem seals degrade between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, leaving it burning oil fast, puffing blue smoke after a long idle and misfiring on oil-fouled spark plugs. The 3.0 single-turbo petrol (N55) is the lesser risk, but its VANOS housing screws can loosen or snap, leaking oil and sending the engine into emergency mode, so it's only worth having with proof of the recall repair.
There isn't an X5 diesel from 2010 to 2019 that escapes the EGR cooler fault, where leaking glycol cooks into soot that can catch light and melt the inlet manifold, so judge any diesel on its recall paperwork. The E70 3.0d also has an alternator bolt that can shear off and stop the battery charging, which BMW fixed under a recall. The 3.0d in both the E53 and E70 runs a timing chain with a strong record that rarely fails if the engine's been serviced.
On an E53 3.0d, the automatic gearbox is the weak link, with servo valve failures between 120,000 and 150,000 miles that take the whole box with them. A manual 3.0d isn't part of that fault. The E53's six-cylinder diesel can also have its swirl flaps snap off and get swallowed by the engine, which wrecks it, and very poor idling is the first thing you'd notice.
BMW treats the 6-speed and 8-speed automatics and the xDrive transfer case as sealed for life, but they aren't maintenance-free: the gearbox wants new fluid and a filter every 60,000 miles or 96 months, and the transfer case wants fresh fluid every 50,000 miles. Ask for invoices for both. One owner's 2012 E70 with the 8-speed auto slurred its changes, and a dealer software update didn't cure it.
A test drive at 50 to 60 mph tells you most about an E53 3.0d automatic, because a kick or jolt as it changes gear there is the servo valve fault starting, and a transmission warning or fail-safe mode confirms it. On any E70, listen for vibration, grinding or a bang from under the car, the signs of a worn front propshaft, and don't settle for less than proof its service action was done.
Leave a 2008 to 2013 4.4 V8 idling for 5 minutes, then drive off and watch the mirror: thick blue smoke means worn valve stem seals. On a 2010 to 2019 diesel, look for a coolant level that's dropped with no leak to be seen, a burning smell from the engine bay, an engine management light or limp mode, which all point to the EGR cooler. On an N55 petrol, an orange engine light or emergency mode points to the VANOS screws.
Check the ride height at the back, since rear air suspension failures have been reported on E70s, and on an E70 3.0d watch for a battery warning light, the sign of a sheared alternator bolt. Owners have reported peeling, corroded alloy wheel centres on E70s and on a 2016 car at 14,500 miles, so look closely at each wheel. Look inside the rear lights for water, and on an E53, make sure the remote locks and unlocks the car.
Read the dates in the service record, not just the stamps. A December 2012 X5 that a BMW dealer sold as approved used, with a full service history, went two and a half years without a service before its first at 15,384 miles, then had another just before sale. Get proof of every recall: the EGR cooler on diesels, the alternator bolt on E70 3.0ds, the VANOS screws on the N55, and on E53s the brake pedal bush, seat belt tensioners and front brake hose clip.
Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.
An E53 is worth buying only once you've ruled out its gearbox fault, because servo valves in the 3.0d automatic fail between 120,000 and 150,000 miles and badly damage the box. One owner's automatic, with a full service history, started kicking between 50 and 60 mph at 121,500 miles. Fluid that BMW says never needs changing makes it worse, so an auto that's had fresh fluid from a specialist is the one to go for.
Swirl flaps in the six-cylinder diesel's inlet manifold can snap off and get swallowed by the engine, wrecking it, and very poor idling is the first warning. Flat spots come from a faulty mesh air mass sensor, which needs the ECU reprogramming once it's replaced, and cracked inlet manifolds sap power. Failed injectors cause misfires. Turbos have failed because the ECU allowed too much boost, and the fix includes cleaning the inlet pipework, as a blockage can leave the engine running on its own oil.
An engine management light on an M54-engined E53 can mean a bad plug on the throttle housing on later cars, which needs a new engine wiring loom, or on earlier ones a split breather hose on the crankcase or a split diaphragm in the cyclone separator. Some early V8s have had porous engine blocks, and wiring loom problems have been reported on older cars. The alarm's body control module can drop back into shipping mode and stop answering the remote, though a specialist can recode it.
Cars from the summer 2003 update got xDrive and a much better drive on and off road, and the updated car scored five stars for crash safety, but their 3.0d autos still carry the servo valve fault. It wears out steering bushes, brakes and tyres quickly, and those wide tyres can make it a handful in heavy rain. Ask for proof of the recalls for the brake pedal bush and radiator fan motor on 2000 and 2001 cars, and for the seat belt tensioners and front brake hose clip.
Real-world economy on this generation: BMW X5 26.3 mpg, BMW X5 27.6 mpg.
The front propshaft on xDrive E70s wears early, rusts and can break between 50,000 and 80,000 miles, which can badly damage the engine. One owner's 2010 4.0d SE had it break away at 52,000 miles and punch a hole in the engine. BMW sent owners a service action letter to check and replace the front propshaft, so don't buy one without proof it was done, and listen for drivetrain vibration, grinding or a bang on the test drive.
The 4.4 twin-turbo V8 (N63) is the engine to avoid on an E70, as its valve stem seals wear between 60,000 and 100,000 miles and can leave it using 1 litre of oil every 500 miles. The 3.0d's alternator bolt can shear and stop the charging: one owner paid £208.45 at an independent garage in June 2012, before BMW recalled E70s in February 2013 to fix it free.
Diesels from 2010 carry the EGR cooler fault, which can end in an engine bay fire, so check the recall's been done. Separately, one owner's 2007 E70 caught fire more than once despite dealer recall work, and the second fire destroyed it. A 2010 40d broke a conrod at 74,000 miles despite a full service history, and its owner was charged £5,450 for a new engine once BMW cut the price.
Two owners have had the centres of their 333-style alloys peel and corrode, one even after the dealer replaced the wheels. Other reports cover dark patches in the bi-xenon headlight beam and rear light seals that let water in and blow bulbs. A low-mileage 40d wants fresh oil and a new filter every year at least, as fuel used to regenerate the DPF can push up the oil level. Use BMW approved screen wash, since the washer jets don't like other fluid.
Real-world economy on this generation: BMW X5 27.6 mpg, BMW X5 31.3 mpg.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
Paste any BMW X5 advert and we check it against the faults, the MOT record and these figures in seconds.
Check an advert now (free) →Owners report 29.7 mpg across the BMW X5 engines with data, about 80% of the official figure, from 1,400 submissions.
BMW X5 Real MPG by engine →It's got a big, imposing presence on the road, and the high seat gives you a clear view out, which helps when you're placing something this size. The later cars are roomy inside, with seven seats as an option, and the third-row seats drop into the floor one at a time when you don't need them. Large windows keep the cabin light and airy.
It's capable away from tarmac as well as on it. On 2014 to 2018 cars the middle-row backrest splits 40:20:40, so you can fold down just one part of it, and there's a grab handle on the C-pillar that makes climbing into the back easier.
A 2014 to 2018 BMW X5 diesel with proof its EGR cooler recall was done is the safer buy, while the oil-burning 4.4 twin-turbo V8 from 2008 to 2013 is the one to avoid. Our database holds 7 known BMW X5 faults, 7 rated high severity, and the sections above say which generation and engine carry them.
A 2014 to 2018 X5 is the safer buy, because its serious known fault comes down to one part: the EGR cooler on the 2.0d and 3.0d diesels, which cracks, leaks coolant and can set the inlet manifold on fire between 40,000 and 100,000 miles. On the fault record the E53 (2000 to 2007) carries 1 known fault against 5 on the E70 (2007 to 2013). Each generation's section above gives the detail. BMW X5 faults by generation.
A test drive at 50 to 60 mph tells you most about an E53 3.0d automatic, because a kick or jolt as it changes gear there is the servo valve fault starting, and a transmission warning or fail-safe mode confirms it. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories and ask for invoices for any work the seller mentions. Then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against every known BMW X5 fault before you travel.
Owners report 29.7 mpg on average, about 80% of the official figure, from 1,400 submissions. Chain (M57, 3.0D, 330D, 530D, E46, E39, E60, E61, E53, E70): no fixed replacement interval, so budget for it if the history does not show it done. The known faults page lists a rough repair cost against each fault. BMW X5 Real MPG by engine.
If you used the Honest John car-by-car reviews before the site closed in 2026, this is where the BMW X5 buying advice now lives. It is written from the archived owner reports and model notes (archived page, 118 items read for this model), our own known-faults database, the confirmed service intervals and the Real MPG figures. Every number on the page comes from that data, not from the text. The same data feeds our free advert check.
CarAdCheck is not affiliated with Honest John or Volkswagen Financial Services. What happened to Honest John, and where each feature lives now.
The BMW X5 is one decision. Reading the advert, the history and the seller are the rest, and these cover them.
Looking at a BMW X5 right now? Check the advert before you go and see it.