There are 7 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2010 BMW X6in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X6. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXCESSIVE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE AND HE DISCOVERED SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 110815. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY BILL JACOBS BMW (630-357-1200, LOCATED AT 2495 AURORA AVE, NAPERVILLE, IL 60540), BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY A RECALL AND IF THE VALVE STEMS HAD BEEN REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING EXCESSIVELY AND THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE TO DETERMINE A REPAIR REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING INDICATOR IS ON, WHICH PRESENTS A CHANCE OF CIRCUIT BOARD OVERHEATING. IT CAN ALSO INCREASE THE RISK OF A FIRE. THE INDICATOR IS ON WHEN STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN 18V248000
BOUGHT IN 2018 NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 2 OR 3 MONTHS LATER TO DEALER AT SERIVILLE IN BMW FOR OIL CHANGE AND THEN STARTED BURNING OIL, TOOK BACK TO DEALER WAS TOLD VALE STEM SEAT ARE LEAKING ASK TO CHECK MY WARRANTY ENDURANCE THE REFUSE TO COVER WITHOUT ME PAYING 10,000 TO HAVE ENGINE BROKE DOWN I REFUSE IF I HAD MONEY FOR THAT I WOULD HAVE FIXED IT NOT PAY FOR WARRANTY THAT WON'T COOPERATE AND IT'S STILL ACTIVE UNTIL 2023 OR 202033 MINE IS AT 116,695.THIS IS FROM MIX DRIVING MOSTLY WEEKENDS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X6. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V161000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER (BMW OF MANHATTAN, 801 11TH AVE, NEW YORK) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,912.
WATER PUMP FAILURE, VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW WATER PUMP, THIS IS SOMETHING BMW IS WELL AWARE OF ON MANY OF THESE VEHICLES
I STARTED MY STATIONARY VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND I SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, I SAW A SMALL FIRE ON THE CONNECTOR TO THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP. USING WATER I PUT OUT THE FIRE. I TOOK OUT THE PUMP AND HARNESS AND TOOK PICTURES. I CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA, WHO REQUESTED ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO BMW DEALERSHIP, WHO CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE WATER PUMP THAT FAILED. THERE ALREADY IS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR A WATER PUMP FOR MY VEHICLE, BUT AS MY VEHICLE HAS TWO WATER PUMPS, ACCORDING TO BMW, IT IS NOT FOR THIS WATER PUMP. HOWEVER THE FAILURE HAPPENED JUST AS DESCRIBED IN THE OTHER WATER PUMP RECALL. BMW NORTH AMERICA IS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL.
WITHOUT ANY WARNING, MY LATE MODEL 2010 BMW X6M BURST INTO FLAMES, EXPLODED AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. I PICKED THE CAR UP FROM CENTER BMW IN SHERMAN OAKS, CA, ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED FROM 10/25 THROUGH 11/2. CENTER BMW DESCRIBED THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL EIGHT (8) FUEL INJECTORS AND SPARK PLUGS FOLLOWING AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION, AMONG OTHER ITEMS. ALL WORK WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. ON THE LATE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 3, 2012, AFTER LEAVING AN AFTERNOON MOVIE WITH MY CHILDREN (THEY ARE 9 AND 12 YEARS OLD), I CAN BEST DESCRIBE THE EVENT AS A LOUD BANG WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES PER HOUR IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT AND ACTUAL FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT AND UNDER THE CAR ? THERE WAS NO DELAY WITH THE FLAMES, IT HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY. MY FAMILY AND I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, HOWEVER, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AND I HAD TO DRAG MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THE CAR OVER MYSELF AND FORCE MY DOOR OPEN WHILE BURNING MYSELF ON MY RIGHT HAND FROM THE FLAMES. THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND EXPLODED OVER THE NEXT 3-4 MINUTES. CENTER AND BMW N.A. HAVE DONE VERY LITTLE (EFFECTIVELY NOTHING) TO ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION NOR TO ALLAY ANY FEARS THAT MAY APPLY TO MYSELF OR THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC - INDEED, THEY WON'T EVEN AGREE TO AN INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. MY REPEATED QUESTIONS TO BMW N.A. AND CENTER BMW HAVE BEEN - IS THIS LIMITED TO JUST MY CAR OR IS THIS SYSTEMIC ACROSS MANY LATE-MODEL HIGH PERFORMANCE BMW?S CONSISTENT WITH THE MANY RECENT RECALLS CONCERNING WATER AND OIL PUMP FAILURES. PLEASE SEE THE VIDEO HTTPS://WWW.DROPBOX.COM/S/IL4O7IKEG9RT4TU/BMW%20X6M%20110312.MOV
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026