NHTSA campaign 17V138000
BMW Recall 17V-138: Front Driveshaft Universal Joint may Fail
NHTSA recall 17V138000 was reported by BMW of North America, LLC on March 2, 2017, with 121,909 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the BMW X6, BMW X5 and BMW X6 Activehybrid SAC for model years 2011–2014. Owners were notified on April 18, 2017, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 17V138000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
BMW VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 17V138000 (also written 17V-138 or 17V138)
- Filed by
- BMW of North America, LLC
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 121,909 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Power Train — Driveline — Driveshaft
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 79.32% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 17V138000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 17V138000.
Defect description
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.
Safety consequence
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.
Manufacturer 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.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 17V138000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.