2013 BMW X5: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
483 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The X5 scores BUY in every year the record covers, 2011 to 2015, between 80 and 90, and nothing from 2016 onward is scored. The 2013 and 2014 cars are the ones to buy, scoring 90 on 483 and 392 complaints, while the 2012 car, at 813 complaints and 58.1 per year on the road, is the year to look at hardest. Read the full note on the model page. 2013 specifically: a year the record favours — 483 complaints, score 90/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used BMW X3 and X5: the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2013 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 483 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 37.15
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The EGR system in my 2013 BMW x5d has failed. There is a recall notice for the EGR system on the 2014 BMW x5d with the same engine and exhaust system related to a fire warning. It would seem to make sense to include the my car in the recall under the circumstances.
Check engine light indicated on the dash, immediately took it to an nearby auto mechanic Tuffy in Fort Myers Florida, off of Daniel's parkway. The said the diagnostic said it was valve cover and gasket replacement. Got a second opinion at Apex Auto in Tire in Fort Myers. Had them install a new valve cover and gasket cover. Check engine light was still visible. Probing a further diagnostic. They indicated that this ve…
I noticed smoke comes from engine compartment while I was driving. It has been going on for a few months and I found out the BMW Water Pump Electrical Connector related recall (No 24V-608) for Year 2012-2018 including X5. 'What could happen' in their recall is exactly what I'm experiencing but my VIN number is not part of their recall even though the year and model matches. I called BMW and they said it goes by speci…
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 16 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $4,750
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags156 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Engine144 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train111 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System63 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other57 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System27 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other BMW X5 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 BMW X5?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (156 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 BMW X5 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 90/100, computed from 483 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 BMW X5's most common problem?
156 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 BMW X5 sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 BMW X5 cost to run per year?
About $7,805 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $39,028 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2013 BMW X5 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 483 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 483 NHTSA complaints on record (37.2/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (52.6/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems