The G05 rolled out in 2018 for the 2019 model year as the fourth-generation X5. No fewer than 72,573 units were sold in the United States last year, making it BMW's most popular nameplate in this part of the world. Proudly assembled in South Carolina, the mid-size utility vehicle has been recently hit with a recall over an honest mistake.
BMW of North America informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that a number of X5 xDrive40i vehicles produced for the 2024 and 2025 model years may feature incorrect information on the tire placard. What kind of incorrect information? Think tire size and pressure, which is the recipe for a blowout at high speeds.
An employee noticed this problem on April 30, prompting a full-on investigation at BMW Plant Spartanburg. The subsequent reviews indicated that information for certain tires within the data system was inappropriately used for certain vehicles. More specifically, 703 units of the BMW X5 xDrive40i.
Fortunately, the automaker isn't aware of any field reports or customer complaints related to the described concern. Dealers have already been instructed to replace the iffy placard with one containing the correct tire dimensions and inflation pressure. BMW further highlights that said utility vehicles do not conform to FMVSS number 110.
Owner notification letters, meanwhile, will have to wait until July 2. In the meantime, owners can verify whether their SUVs are included in this recall by running the 17-character vehicle identification number on BMW's recall portal. Alternatively, the NHTSA's website also boasts a VIN look-up tool.
Photo: Sam Cobb for BMW
Affected vehicles were produced in the period between March 29, 2023 and April 29, 2024. Also worthy of note, said vehicles feature VINs beginning with 5, which stands for made in the USA. Every single version of the X5 is assembled stateside, with said versions ranging from the inline-six sDrive40i to the V8-powered M Competition.
The X5's direct competitor from Mercedes-Benz, by comparison, relies on a four-cylinder turbo as the standard powerplant rather than a turbo sixer. On the other hand, the GLE 350 4MATICSUV starts at $62,650 versus $68,000 for the X5 xDrive40i.
BMW lists the rear-drive sDrive40i and all-wheel-drive xDrive40i with the very same 0-60 acceleration estimate of 5.3 seconds. The B58 single-turbo sixer hiding underhood is good for 375 horsepower and 398 pound-feet (540 Nm) of torque between 1,850 and 5,000 revolutions per minute.
That kind of torque and that kind of peak torque band make a world of difference in a heavy vehicle such as the X5. The same cannot be said about the base GLE, which makes do with 255 ponies and 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) from 1,800 to 4,000 rpm. And not surprising in the least, the GLE sells worse than its Bavarian rival, with Mercedes-Benz reporting 57,696 deliveries in the US of A last year.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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