9 complaints reported

2008 BMW X5 Exterior Lighting

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
9
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2017 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LIGHT HAD MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER REMOVING THE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BULB HOUSING HAD MELTED AND WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL BMW DEALER BMW OF HENDERSON, 261 AUTO MALL DR. HENDERSON, NV. WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT THAT ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2017
Apr 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2017
Jun 2016

I OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE PANEL TO REPLACE THE BULBS BUT FOUND THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING WAS BURNED AND MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING OVER OTHER LIGHTENING COMPLAINTS, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2008 BMW X5 AND A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY BMW BEFORE THERE ARE ANY FIRES AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECTIVE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5 SAV, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2016
Jun 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WIRES WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2014
Feb 2015

I WAS TOLD BY THE BMW DEALER, MY DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE BULB SOCKET IS MELTED TO THE HOUSING BECAUSE OF THE BULB HEATING UP AND I NEED TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES HOUSING, THE BULB CAN NOT BE REMOVED BECAUSE THE SOCKET IS MELTED TO THE HOUSING. I CAN NOT EVEN CHANGE MY BLOWN BULB AND IT IS GIVEN ME A BLOWN BULB SIGNAL ON MY DASH BOARD?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2015
Aug 2014

I HAD THE LIGHT BULB SENSOR ILLUMINATE IN MY CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE LOCAL BMW DEALER FOR LIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT. THE REAR PARKING BRAKE LENSES ARE FUSED TO THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT BULBS. THE LIGHT BULB CAN NOT BE REMOVED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF THIS LENS CATCHING ON FIRE THERE ARE MARKS ON THE LENS COVER THAT SHOWS THIS. I SPOKE TO BMW NORTH AMERICA AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IT COULD CATCH ON FIRE. I CAN NOT REPLACE THE BULB WITHOUT REPLACING BOTH LENSES. MY CAR WILL NOW NOT PASS INSPECTION IN MY STATE DUE TO THIS ISSUE.. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Aug 2014
Feb 2014

A BRAKE LAMP MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH BOARD FOR THE RIGHT TAIL LIGHT, THE MECHANIC OPENED THE PANEL TO REPLACE THE BULBS BUT FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING WAS BURNED AND MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING OVER OTHER LIGHTENING COMPLAINTS, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2008 BMW X5 AND A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. IT IS ALSO EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE, MY MECHANIC IS QUOTING OVER $600 FOR ONE SIDE AND I FEAR I WILL HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE OTHER SIDE. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY BMW BEFORE THERE ARE ANY FIRES AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECTIVE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Feb 2014
Dec 2013 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED. THE BULB HOLDER HAD TURNED BLACK AND WAS SLIGHTLY MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,200.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Nov 2013
Sep 2012

A BRAKE LAMP MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH BOARD FOR, AT FIRST THE LEFT BRAKE LIGHT, THEN LATER THE RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT. I OPENED THE PANEL TO REPLACE THE BULBS ONLY TO FIND THAT IN BOTH SIDES, THE BRAKE LIGHT HOUSINGS WERE MELTED BECAUSE THE BULBS WERE SO HOT. THE TAILLIGHT HOUSING WERE BURNED BLACK AND MELTED. THIS WAS LESS THAN AN INCHES FROM THE ELECTRICAL WIRING. I WAS SURPRISED THERE WASN'T A FIRE INSIDE BOTH PANELS. AS GOODWILL, AND TO RETAIN MY LOYALTY, BMW OF ALEXANDRIA REPLACED BOTH AT NO CHARGE. EACH ASSEMBLY COST $500, AND I NEEDED TWO. CUSTOMERS SHOULD CHECK TO ENSURE THIS IS NOT HAPPENING IN THEIR CAR BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW X5, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Nov 2012

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2008 BMW X5 has 9 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.