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moderate Owners of the 2019 BMW X5 have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 X5 | 4 |
| 2017 X5 | 4 |
| 2019 X5 (this page) | 10 |
| 2020 X5 | 6 |
| 2021 X5 | 6 |
An air bag that does not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
The limited warranty for the Knee Air Bag wire harness repair cable procedure for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / deliver date.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Brightk Consulting, Inc. v. BMW of North America, LLC. The Court has granted final approval of the settlement. Note: This updated bulletin (10/2023) is a notice that the Class Action Settlement was finalized on September 22, 2023. This is NOT a notice of a Recall or Service Action. Class Allegations The plaintiff in the lawsuit alleges that the front cupholders in certain model year 2019 through 2022 BMW X5, X5 M, X6, X6 M, or X7 vehicles are permeable to spilled liquids that may seep through the cupholders onto components, which in turn, may result in the illumination of the Sup
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop: KNEE AIRBAG.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗The hazard light (aka emergency flasher) button gets stuck in the ON or OFF position when actuated.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗A check control message for the restraint system appears. In the instrument cluster, the red air bag warning light lights up permanently. One of the following fault codes is stored in the ACSM (air bag control unit): 930949 - Knee airbag, driver: short circuit to negative terminal 93094F - Knee airbag, front passenger: short circuit to negative terminal 93094C - Knee airbag driver's side: Resistance too great 930952 - Knee airbag, front passenger: Resistance too great.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners of 2019 BMW X5 vehicles report four distinct restraint system failures, none of which BMW covers under warranty despite occurring on low-mileage vehicles.
The most common complaint involves the Airbag Control Module mounted directly beneath the plastic cupholder. Coffee and accidental spills seep through the unsecured cupholder into the module, corroding pins and disabling the entire restraint system. One owner's ~1-2 ounce spill triggered a fault light within a year; BMW estimates $2,005 to replace the module but denies warranty coverage, calling it an "external factor."
Seat occupancy sensor mats fail prematurely at 36,000–47,500 miles, triggering restraint system malfunction warnings without any evidence of liquid contamination. Replacement costs run $1,800–$1,811. Multiple owners report this is a known, ongoing problem BMW refuses to recall.
One owner reported airbag wiring rubbing against metal at 47,500 miles, causing the restraint light to malfunction. BMW again denied warranty coverage.
A knee airbag warning light appeared on a 36,000-mile vehicle. The owner references an attached recall notice, suggesting BMW acknowledges the issue but has not issued a mandatory recall.
All owners state warranty denial and report seeing this pattern across multiple X5 owners. A class action lawsuit was filed in December 2021 for the cupholder-to-module corrosion design defect.
Liquid from cup holders seeps through unsecured plastic cupholder into Airbag Control Module mounted directly beneath, corroding pins and disabling the restraint system. Owners report coffee and accidental spills gaining direct access to control module.
When: Can occur after any spill; one owner noted ~1-2 ounces caused failure within one year
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger Restraint System fault light illuminates; Airbag system non-functional
Codes mentioned: Passenger Restraint System malfunction code
Repairs/costs cited: $2,005 repair cost cited by BMW dealership to replace corroded Airbag Control Module and restore function
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: BMW states liquid intrusion is 'external factor' not covered by warranty. Class action lawsuit filed December 2021 for this design issue affecting X5 and X7 models.
Seat occupancy sensor mats and detection modules fail prematurely, triggering restraint system malfunction warnings. Owners report failures without evidence of liquid contamination or external interference. Multiple vehicles show this failure pattern at low mileage.
When: 36,000–47,500 miles reported with vehicles out of or near warranty expiration
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger Restraint System malfunction warning light; Driver Restraint Malfunction warning light; Message states 'passenger airbag won't deploy'; Warning appears during normal driving
Codes mentioned: Passenger restraint system malfunction, Driver restraint malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: $1,800–$1,811 replacement cost for seat mat sensor module and mat assembly. One dealer attempted reset twice before advising replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers deny warranty coverage citing 'outside interference' despite no spill evidence. Owners report this is a known ongoing issue BMW is aware of but refuses to recall.
Airbag wiring harness fails due to faulty manufacturing or improper routing. One case involved harness rubbing against metal, degrading insulation and triggering malfunction codes.
When: 47,500 miles; failure timing varies
Symptoms owners cite: Driver Restraint Malfunction warning light; Warning states 'dangerous driving conditions—see dealer immediately'
Codes mentioned: Driver Restraint Malfunction code
Repairs/costs cited: Specific repair cost not stated in narrative; warranty denied despite low-mileage vehicle
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: BMW denied warranty coverage. Owner states wiring should be recalled as defect.
Driver-side knee airbag warning light activates on low-mileage vehicles. One owner references an attached recall notice, suggesting BMW is aware of the issue but not initiating mandatory recall.
When: Occurred by 36,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side knee airbag warning light illumination
Codes mentioned: Knee airbag malfunction code
Repairs/costs cited: Repair cost not specified in narrative
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: BMW refuses to remedy problem or initiate recall despite known issue.
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
This vehicle has only 36,000 miles, and there is a known issue with the knee airbags. See attached notice. My driver's side knee airbag warning light recently went on, but BMW refuses to remedy the problem. They should be required to recall and cover the cost of the repair.
I received notification that my passenger restraint system has a malfunction. The car threw up a code, I received a phone call and text message from the dealer. I thought this was important so I took the car to the dealer. They said the detection mat needs replace and the cost would be $1811.00. The dealer asked me if something spilled on it? The answer was no. I believe this is a safety defect…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.