10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
49,308 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 BMW X6 engine problems

engine problem

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2011 BMW X6 Owner Comments

problem #13

May 312020

X6 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My vehicle cut of on me on the freeway in the middle lane and traffic. My engine started smoke. I was afraid for myself and children. I have always took my car into the BMW of bloomfield dealership for services and maintenance I have never miss not one appointment. For the last 5 to 6 months. My vehicle stayed in their dealership. The longest was approximately 42 days and once I received my car my engine started smoking so I give them back my vehicle. I asked them if they found out what caused my engine to smoke like this? there couldn't give me a straight forward answer. On numerous occasions while picking up my vehicle they always left something unplugged causing my interior lights to go crazy because of the wires being not properly fixed. This has happened at least 3 times in six months. I've probably spent no less than 3,500. On top of them telling me I need some run flat tires and all the lights will stop because of those tires. Only 5 days later my car stalled right in the middle of the freeway. I called roadside assistance and they took the car over to the BMW dealership the called me to inform me of my engine being doesn't work I asked how they said they don't know, and in the same breath they said that if I wanted a new engine it will cost me 15,000 not including time and labor.

- Fraser, MI, USA

problem #12

Oct 092018

X6

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. After fueling the vehicle, the contact drove off and the vehicle decelerated and shut off. In addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to BMW of las vegas (6900 w sahara ave, las vegas, nv 89117, (702) 570-0279), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle would not have the vehicle repaired unless it was free of charge. The manufacturer was notified and did not assist. The failure mileage was 72,000.

- Los Vegas, NV, USA

problem #11

Jul 022018

X6

  • miles
After idling on a car wash for at least 5 minutes, the car start to smoke. I have talked to 3 more owners of my series and they are going through the same problem. This is a BMW defect and now am using excessive oil too.

- Reno, NV, USA

problem #10

Sep 042017

X6

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Turbo coolant recall. The turbo coolant pump is not working which cause the car to over heat now currently leaking from the hoses. The car is currently parked and if I start to drive it, it starts to overheat and smoke.

- Wynadanch, NY, USA

problem #9

May 132016

X6 6-cyl

  • 118,000 miles
Within the first year of owning my vehicle (BMW X6) I had engine performance issues, which required sensors to be replaced. And several months later I had to replace a water pump. After owning my vehicle for a little over 2 years and with 2 years remaining on my contract. As I was driving my vehicle the engine just died at a stop light, with no warning. I was informed by the BMW dealership that my engine had frozen and would need to be replaced at a cost of $21,000 dollars. My vehicle was in excellent condition and maintain by the dealership were I purchased the vehicle (erhard BMW, farmington hills, mi). I informed them that I smelled wires burning each time I tried to started my stalled vehicle. I think the engine failure is due to an electrical issue. My car is still at the dealership in the back parking lot. I was blessed not to be on the highway with this failure.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA

problem #8

Aug 252016

X6

  • 93,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated that while driving at any speed, the engine over heated and the dashboard displayed an error message "go to a BMW center". the vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V521000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #7

Dec 052015

X6

  • 48,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. While driving approximately 65 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated continuously. In addition, the vehicle decelerated independently and a reduced power warning message illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred immediately afterwards. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V521000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000.

- Springfield Gardens, NY, USA

problem #6

Oct 022015

X6

  • 56,002 miles
On 10/02/2015, I was driving my kids to school. Suddenly, there's this loud explosion noise coming from the engine compartment. At the time of the incident, the vehicle was in motion on a city street. The road was very smooth, the vehicle did not collide with any potholes or any road objects. I pull over to the side of the road, did a quick inspection, didn't see anything. So I got back onto the car and continue driving. During accelerations and going above 40mph on the freeway, the vehicle started to vibrate and I started to lose control but managed to slow down and pull to the side of the freeway. After doing research and asked several mechanics, it turns out that the front drive shaft of the vehicle is going bad, and this is a very common problem with the BMW X6. I was advised to have the front drive shaft replaced as soon as possible or else if the drive shaft happens to break on the freeway, it could cause a major accident which me and my kids could have been killed. Additionally, at 54K miles, the vehicle's valve stem seals has already gone bad, (they usually don't go bad until 120K miles) the engine oil is leaking towards combustion chamber and burn off through the catalytic converter. The vehicle is emitting an extremely toxic, sulfuric smell from the exhaust, you can smell it from far away while the vehicle is started. I had several neighbors complained about the smell. Not only that this is bad for our health due to the cancer-causing carcinogen it is also bad for the environment. BMW has long acknowledged the problem and issued a "customer care package" which they refused to call it a recall. In fact, they replaced many different components on my vehicle, but the customer care package did not fix the toxic, sulfuric smell from the exhaust. This is extremely unacceptable that falsely advertise and sold us an unsafe vehicle for nearly $85,000.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #5

Dec 042014

X6

  • 75,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the turbo pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V521000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

- Fairburn, GA, USA

problem #4

Oct 152014

X6

  • 49,000 miles
Hi my name is [xxx] I bought a BMW X6 5.0 2011 I've been having a lot of problems with my SUV! in the last month I've been in the dealership 4 times for coolant issues it's sad because the third time my wife and I were at the movies our eyes started to itch, burning and felt like vomiting. So I brought the car back and they found leaks in the hoses and car was there for about eight days, don the head service manager told me they ran all the test they can and got everything done. On the 3rd of November our eyes started to itch and felt like vomiting again, so I called the dealer this Thursday and told them what's going on, don the head service guy and the head mechanic and the service guy both smelled a sent in my vehicle so for the fourth time my cars in the shop again.I picked my car up this Monday and brought it back to the dealerwith low oil light on and a sent in my car! I love the BMW vehicles but I just don't feel comfortable driving this vehicle anymore I feel like it's not safe or feel comfortable driving it anymore :( my wife is pregnant she's four month in the pregnancy and I'm said that BMW test us as test dummies. I just hope this didn't cause any kind of health issues for us long-term and for the baby, I spoke to [xxx] from BMW I explained to her that I did not go to the hospital because I do not have health insurance and I did not want to have a hospital bill. Please help I could give you more info you could call me at [xxx] I really don't want to put my family back in the vehicle again. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Chesterfield , MI, USA

problem #3

Jul 012014

X6

  • 55,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, there was a loud explosion and the vehicle stalled with some warning lights illuminated on instrument panel. The vehicle was merged to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the engine, drive shaft and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

- Lafayette , LA, USA

problem #2

Jul 012014

X6

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, there was a loud explosion and the vehicle stalled with some warning lights illuminated on instrument panel. The vehicle was merged to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the engine, drive shaft and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

- Lafayette, LA, USA

problem #1

Feb 222011

X6 6-cyl

  • 20,000 miles
We leased our 2011 BMW X6 3.5I in August 2010 from BMW of tenafly. The first high fuel pressure pump malfunction occurred within the first 6 month - in February 2011. The car stalled in the middle of busy highway and become uncontrollable while my wife was driving our kids from kindergarten. The dealership identified the faulty fuel pump and the car was in service for the whole 2 month, while we where driving loaner. Within a year from that service, in April 2012 the engine stalled in the middle of the road again. I was driving at about 40mph when suddenly the dashboard lights turned off and the car become absolutely uncontrollable, endangering the lives of my family, bystanders and other drivers on the road. Fortunately, I was able to stop the car by applying my whole weight on the brakes and enormous force to turn the wheel and roll into the nearby gas station. Miraculously, nobody get hurt, but after that incident my wife and I developed subliminal fear of driving, expecting our car to become uncontrollable at any moment. My wife demanded to exchange the car, stating the fear of driving, but our dealership refused to do so. This time it was in service for about two weeks. Within the 3 month of that service in August 2012 the 'reduced power' engine malfunction notification emerged on the dashboard, and the next morning the car refused to start. This time dealership identified the faulty generator, although all the signs of this failure was very similar to high fuel pressure pump malfunction. Today - 02/02/2013, without any warning signs, our car stalled in the middle of highway again. As in previous situations there where kids in the car, when it become absolutely uncontrollable, while moving in the left line on busy highway.

- Fort Lee, NJ, USA

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