2005 BMW X3 problems
The 2005 BMW X3 has 144 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (35%) concerns seats. Next are air bags (22%) and electrical system (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 144 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Seats 35% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 25
- Injuries and deaths
- 21 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 84,000 miles 130 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 10 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 20 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 9 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 19 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 23 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 21 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 8 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 10 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 4 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 6 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 130 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 84,000 miles. For seats specifically, the median reported mileage is about 95,000 miles (49 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 25 complaints mention a fire; 21 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 96% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2005 ranks 16th most-complained-about out of 22 model years of the BMW X3 with enough data (40 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 BMW x3. The contact was driving approximately 25 MPH on normal road conditions. The driver side heated seat was activated. Suddenly, an unexpected excessive high voltage of heat penetrated through the bottom of the seat. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and deactivated the heated seat system. The driver sustained a minor burn to the left leg and the driver seat cover exhibited a burn mark. The vehicle was able to resume normal operation.
The drivers seat warmer caught fire and burned on the left hand side of the seat. The seat warmer wires were exposed and burned the seat and through my pants.
The seat heater in my 2005 BMW x3 caught fire and melted a hole in the seat and burned my left butt cheek while I was driving. My left butt cheek was burned a little but I was otherwise uninjured. I read online that a ton of other people with the same/similar make and model car as me have had the same problem. The dealer said it would cost about $2000 to replace the entire seat.
2005 bmx x3 seat warmer on the driver's side burnt through the seat and burnt my leg. The dealer refuses to recognize this is a product defect and will replace the seat.
The left side of the drivers side seat heater has overheated and burned through the leather and my pants. There appears to be similar complaints on this website and a NHTSA recall bulletin number 04v575000 for older 5 series vehicles. I think this investigation should be expanded since so many people have experienced this behavior.......updated 12/03/15