NHTSA recall 17V138000
A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.
| Published by | NHTSA (United States) |
|---|---|
| Campaign number | 17V138000 |
| Manufacturer | BMW of North America, LLC |
| Reported | 2017-03-02 |
| Owners notified | 2017-04-18 |
| Component | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT |
| Units potentially affected | 121909 |
| Report | Quarterly report 6, for 2018 quarter 3 |
|---|---|
| Filed with NHTSA | 2018-10-30 |
| Vehicles in the campaign | 121909 |
| Reported remedied | 80845 (66%) |
| Reported unreachable | 0 |
| Reported removed | 19992 |
These are the manufacturer's totals for the whole campaign at the end of 2018 quarter 3, as filed with NHTSA. They do not say whether one vehicle has been remedied: check the VIN with the official lookups. The reports are from data as of 2026-10-19.
What is wrong
BMW of North America, LLC, (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2013 X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M and X5 xDrive35d vehicles, 2011-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles, and 2011 x6 ActiveHybrid Vehicles. Water and debris may enter the front driveshaft's universal joint, causing excessive wear and possibly resulting in the joint's failure.
What can happen
If the front universal joint fails, the front wheels would not be driven, affecting vehicle traction. Additionally, continued driving of the vehicle with a broken front universal joint may damage other components. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began on April 18, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
| 2011 BMW X5 | Built 2010-11-22 to 2013-04-22. |
|---|---|
| 2012 BMW X5 | Built 2010-11-22 to 2013-04-22. |
| 2013 BMW X5 | Built 2010-11-22 to 2013-04-22. |
| 2011 BMW X6 | Built 2010-11-22 to 2013-04-22. |
| 2012 BMW X6 | Built 2010-11-22 to 2013-04-22. |
| 2013 BMW X6 | Built 2010-11-22 to 2013-04-22. |
| 2014 BMW X6 | Built 2010-11-22 to 2013-04-22. |
| 2011 BMW X6 ACTIVEHYBRID SAC | Built 2011-01-03 to 2011-09-22. |
A vehicle with no link is not in this site's catalog, which covers cars, multipurpose vehicles and trucks by model year. The campaign is from data as of 2026-10-19.
Bulletins for the same vehicles and component
| B011515 | 2018-12-10. Service bulletin. "Front Propeller (Drive) Shaft: Limited Warranty Extension to 10 Years/120,000 Miles. INFORMATION For the above-referenced vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (""BMW NA"") is extending the limited warranty for the: ? Front propeller (drive) shaft to 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date This bulletin is notice of a ""limited warranty extension."" This is NOT a notice of a Recall or Service Action. There is no immediate repair required unless the BMW vehicle is currently experiencing problem with this component. Customer Notification Letter - VIN and Component-specific Warranty Extension Even though this is NOT a Recall, BMW NA will be sending VIN-specific ""customer notification letters,"" in a ""phased"" release, beginning on or after August 24, 2015. A sample letter is attached. ELIGIBLE BMW VEHICLES To assist you in identifying the eligible vehicles, the DCSnet Warranty Vehicle Inquiry has been updated with the ""Vehicle Comment"" shown below: BMW NA has extended the limited warranty for the front propeller (drive) shaft on this vehicle to 10 years/120,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date, subject to the applicable vehicle and coverage eligibility requirements, exclusions and limitations that apply to the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. Please see SI B01 15 15. Note: Always check the DCSnet Warranty Vehicle Inquiry ""Vehicle Comments"" and the ""Repair History (Claims)"" sections first, before performing any repairs. " |
|---|---|
| 260114 | 2018-11-13. Service bulletin. Service Action: Inspect Front Driveshaft. The universal joints in the front driveshaft may wear out prematurely. |
| 260114 | 2018-11-13. Service bulletin. Service Action: Inspect Front Driveshaft. The universal joints in the front driveshaft may wear out prematurely. |
| 260114 | 2018-11-13. Service bulletin. Service Action: Inspect Front Driveshaft. The universal joints in the front driveshaft may wear out prematurely. |
| B260114 | 2018-11-13. Service bulletin. Driveshaft Technical Service. This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B26 01 14 dated August 2014. PERFORM THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN THIS SERVICE INFORMATION ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES BEFORE CUSTOMER DELIVERY OR THE NEXT TIME THEY ARE IN THE SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE OR REPAIRS. designates changes to this revision SUBJECT Service Action: Inspect Front Driveshaft. The universal joints in the front driveshaft may wear out prematurely. |
| B-260114 | 2015-09-28. Service bulletin. FRONT DRIVE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINTS MAY WEAR OUT PREMATURELY *CN |
| SIB-26-01-14 | 2015-02-08. Service bulletin. BMW: THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT'S UNIVERSAL JOINTS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. MODEL 2010-11 E70 (X5), E71 (X6), E72 (X6). *PE |
A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.