Car Recall Tracker

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BMW X3 recalls

40 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.

BMW X3 steering shaft may be attached incorrectly critical

Reported 2026-08-12 · Campaign 26V524000 · Model years: 2024, 2025

The steering spindle — the shaft that links your steering wheel and column to the rest of the steering system — may have been attached incorrectly when the vehicle was built. If that connection comes apart, you could lose the ability to steer. A dealer will inspect the connection and either replace the hardware or replace the spindle and steering column, whichever is needed, at no cost. Owner letters are expected to be mailed October 2, 2026.

BMW and Toyota Supra Starter Can Overheat and Catch Fire critical

Reported 2026-01-30 · Campaign 26V056000 · Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023

Wear on a part inside the engine's starter motor can make the starter overheat and catch fire. A fire in the engine bay can spread and injure you or your passengers. The repair is straightforward: a dealer replaces the whole starter motor at no charge. Owner letters were mailed July 21, 2026, and the recall covers both the listed BMW models and the Toyota Supra, so check which brand's service line applies to you.

BMW X3 steering wheel may turn by itself high

Reported 2025-12-11 · Campaign 25V857000 · Model years: 2025

BMW says the steering wheel in these X3s can rotate on its own while the vehicle is sitting still, with nobody turning it. That unexpected movement can injure someone whose hands are on or near the wheel, and BMW warns it also creates a crash risk out on the road. The fix is an update to the steering system software. BMW can send the update to the vehicle wirelessly, or a dealer can install it for you at no cost.

BMW X3, X4 and Z4 starter relay fire risk critical

Reported 2025-09-23 · Campaign 25V636000 · Model years: 2020, 2021, 2022

The relay that switches power to the engine's starter can corrode. A corroded relay can overheat and short out, and that can start a fire. This recall also covers the Toyota Supra, which uses the same part. BMW says park outside and away from buildings until the repair is finished. Dealers replace the engine starter at no cost. Owner letters were mailed February 6, 2026, and these VINs became searchable on the NHTSA site in November 2025.

⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).

BMW X3 front brake discs may be damaged high

Reported 2025-04-16 · Campaign 25V247000 · Model years: 2025

Some 2025 BMW X3 30 xDrive vehicles may have front brake discs that were damaged while being shipped, before they were ever bolted onto the car. Brakes with damage may not work properly, and brakes that do not slow the car as they should make a crash more likely. BMW is replacing both front brake discs and the front brake pads at no charge. Owner letters were expected to go out in early June 2025.

BMW 330i, 430i, 530i, X3: loose starter wiring can stall critical

Reported 2025-04-01 · Campaign 25V202000 · Model years: 2025

The electrical connection between the starter-generator and the battery on these 2025 BMWs can come loose. A loose connection can cause the engine to stall while you are driving, which is dangerous in traffic. The same loose connection can also make the wiring overheat, which can start a fire. BMW mailed a warning letter on May 28, 2025, before the repair was ready, and a second letter goes out once it is. Dealers will inspect and replace the starter-generator and positive battery cable as needed.

BMW X3 rear brake hoses may leak fluid high

Reported 2025-03-12 · Campaign 25V154000 · Model years: 2025

The hoses that carry brake fluid to the rear brakes on these X3s can leak. If that happens, you lose braking at the rear wheels, and you also lose the anti-lock brakes and the stability control system that helps keep the vehicle from sliding. That means it takes longer to stop and the vehicle is harder to control in an emergency. Dealers will replace the rear brake hoses at no charge. BMW mailed owner letters on May 9, 2025.

BMW X3 battery cable connection can overheat critical

Reported 2025-02-21 · Campaign 25V109000 · Model years: 2025

The connection between the positive battery cable and the starter-generator on certain 2025 X3 30 xDrive vehicles may not have been tightened properly at the factory. A loose connection can heat up while you drive. That overheating can make the engine shut off unexpectedly, and it can also start a fire under the hood. A dealer will check the connection and tighten it, or replace the cable and starter-generator if that is needed.

BMW X3 rear doors can unlock and open unexpectedly high

Reported 2025-02-20 · Campaign 25V106000 · Model years: 2022, 2023, 2024

The locking parts in the two back doors may not work correctly. Federal safety rules require two separate actions to open a door from the inside so it cannot happen by accident. On these vehicles a single motion can unlock and open a rear door instead. That means a back door could come open when nobody meant to open it, and these vehicles do not meet the federal standard for door locks and door retention.

BMW X3 front left wheel bearing may crack high

Reported 2024-12-05 · Campaign 24V909000 · Model years: 2025

On certain 2025 BMW X3 30 vehicles, the swivel bearing at the front left wheel — a part that lets the wheel turn and steer — may crack. If it cracks, you can lose the ability to handle and control the vehicle while driving. This is a problem with the part itself, not something you can prevent by driving carefully. A dealer will replace the front left swivel bearing with a new one at no cost. Only a very small number of vehicles are involved; one owner was contacted on December 12, 2024.

BMW X3 side curtain airbag may be assembled wrong high

Reported 2024-11-12 · Campaign 24V856000 · Model years: 2025

Certain 2025 BMW X3 30 xDrive vehicles may have a right-side head curtain airbag — the airbag that drops down along the side windows to protect your head in a crash — that was put together incorrectly. The part that inflates it may not work as designed, so the airbag could go off late or not open properly in a crash. The dealer will inspect the airbag and replace it if there is a problem. These vehicles had not yet been sold, so no owner letters were mailed.

BMW X3 passenger airbag fabric damaged during shipping high

Reported 2024-10-17 · Campaign 24V772000 · Model years: 2025

The fabric of the front passenger airbag may have been damaged while it was being shipped between suppliers. A damaged airbag may not fill with air properly in a crash, so someone riding in the front passenger seat could be hurt worse than they otherwise would be. None of these 2025 X3 xDrive30i and X3 M50i vehicles had been sold yet, so BMW did not mail owner notification letters. Dealers replace the airbag free of charge.

BMW X3 rear cargo rail can detach in crash medium

Reported 2024-10-15 · Campaign 24V764000 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

In the back cargo area there is a rail used to tie down or hold items. The bolts that hold that rail to the car may not stand up to a hit from behind. In a rear-end crash the rail can come loose and fly free inside the vehicle, where it could hurt someone. Dealers replace the bolts at no cost. If your car already had this fixed under the earlier recall, it still needs the new repair.

BMW X3 cargo rail may come loose in crash low

Reported 2024-07-17 · Campaign 24V534000 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

These X3 models have a rail inside the cargo area, used to secure items in the back. The part that holds that rail in place can be damaged if the vehicle is hit from behind, and the rail can come loose. A loose rail flying around inside the vehicle during a rear-end crash could hurt the people inside. The dealer replaces the bolts that hold the rail.

BMW SUVs and Toyota Supra can lose power suddenly high

Reported 2023-12-06 · Campaign 23V821000 · Model years: 2023

The cover on the transmission's control unit may not have been welded properly, which can let transmission oil leak into the electronics inside. If that happens, the gears in the transmission can seize up and the vehicle can suddenly lose drive power while you are moving — including at highway speed with traffic behind you. A dealer will replace the transmission control module and change the transmission fluid if needed, at no cost.

BMW steering gear may be loose on several 2024 models critical

Reported 2023-11-16 · Campaign 23V770000 · Model years: 2024

This recall covers certain 2024 BMW models, including the 2 Series Coupe (230i), 330i, X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i. The steering gear — the part that turns your steering wheel movement into the wheels turning — may not have been tightened properly at the factory, so it can work loose over time. A loose steering gear can make you lose control of the vehicle. Dealers will replace the steering gear at no charge. BMW mailed owner letters on January 11, 2024.

BMW 3 Series, X3 and X4 seat frames poorly welded high

Reported 2023-03-29 · Campaign 23V211000 · Model years: 2020, 2021

The metal frame of a seat may not have been welded properly to the rails it sits on — the rails are what bolt the seat to the floor and let it slide. A badly welded frame may not hold a person in place in a crash, so you could be hurt more badly in a crash. Dealers will replace the seat frame and the seat back free of charge.

BMW X1, X3 and 228i fuel rail can crack critical

Reported 2022-07-20 · Campaign 22V513000 · Model years: 2022

A part that feeds gasoline to the engine under high pressure, called the fuel rail, can crack on these BMWs. If it cracks, gasoline can leak out inside the engine compartment. That area gets very hot and holds electrical parts, so leaking fuel there can start a fire. You might notice a strong gas smell or a fuel stain near the front of the car. A dealer replaces the fuel rail with a new one at no cost.

BMW X3 and X4 transmission fault can cause rollaway high

Reported 2022-02-09 · Campaign 22V070000 · Model years: 2022

These 2022 BMWs, including the X3 xDrive30i and X4 xDrive30i, may have a control unit inside the automatic transmission that was not put together correctly. Fluid can leak inside the transmission, and that leak can let the vehicle roll away on its own after you park it. A rolling vehicle can hit a person or another car. Dealers replaced the faulty unit free of charge, and BMW says every vehicle in this recall has already been repaired.

BMW and Toyota Supra lose power brake assist high

Reported 2021-08-02 · Campaign 21V598000 · Model years: 2020

In certain BMW cars and the Toyota Supra, a software error in the engine computer can cut off the power assist for your brakes when the engine starts. The brakes still work mechanically, but without the boost you're used to, so the pedal will feel much harder to push and you'll need to press far more firmly to slow down. BMW dealers will reprogram the engine software at no cost to you.

BMW X3 and X4 passenger airbag may not deploy high

Reported 2021-07-08 · Campaign 21V521000 · Model years: 2018, 2019

The front passenger seat has a sensor system built into the seat foam that tells the car whether someone is sitting there. On these vehicles that system may have been put together wrong, so the car can think the seat is empty when a passenger is actually in it. When that happens, the car switches off the front passenger airbag. In a crash, that airbag would not inflate to protect the person sitting there. Dealers replace the seat foam.

BMW X3 and X4 fuel filler pipe can leak critical

Reported 2021-03-24 · Campaign 21V199000 · Model years: 2021

The pipe you pour gas down connects to the fuel tank through a welded valve. On these vehicles that weld can fail, letting the pipe come loose from the tank and gasoline leak out. Spilled fuel near anything hot can start a fire. BMW replaces the whole fuel tank at no cost. BMW says it already reached every owner by phone and that all of these repairs have been completed, so no letters are being mailed.

BMW Cars and SUVs: Backup Camera Image May Fail medium

Reported 2021-02-19 · Campaign 21V096000 · Model years: 2019, 2020, 2021

When you shift into Reverse on these BMW cars and SUVs, the backup camera may not work properly. Part of the picture can be blocked, or the screen may stay dark and show no image at all. Backup cameras are required so you can see people, pets and objects directly behind the vehicle. If you rely only on the screen while backing up, you could hit something or someone you cannot see. A dealer will check the camera software and update it if needed, at no cost.

BMW X3, X4 and 5 Series backup camera partly blocked low

Reported 2020-09-30 · Campaign 20V598000 · Model years: 2020, 2021

On these BMWs, a small part of the picture from the backup camera may be slightly blocked, so you do not see everything behind the car that you should. The rest of the camera view still works. If you back up using only the screen and do not also look over your shoulder or check your mirrors, you could miss a person or object in the hidden area. A dealer will check the camera and load updated software if needed.

BMW and MINI plug-in hybrid batteries may catch fire critical

Reported 2020-09-30 · Campaign 20V601000 · Model years: 2020, 2021

Debris may have gotten inside the hybrid battery cells of these BMW and MINI plug-in hybrids while they were being built. That debris can cause a short circuit in the battery, which can start a fire. BMW will inspect the battery and replace the battery module if needed, at no cost, but the full fix was still being developed. Until your vehicle is repaired, BMW says do not charge it and do not use sport mode, manual mode, or the shift paddles.

BMW and MINI Hybrid Battery May Short and Catch Fire high

Reported 2020-08-18 · Campaign 20V490000 · Model years: 2020, 2021

On certain 2021 BMW 330e and X5 xDrive45e, 2020-2021 BMW X3 xDrive30e, and 2020 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 plug-in hybrids, stray bits of welding material left inside the hybrid battery can connect cells that should stay separate. That can cause a short circuit inside the battery, which can lead to a fire. A dealer inspects the battery and replaces the battery modules if needed, free of charge. BMW says all affected vehicles have already been repaired.

BMW X3 Backup Camera Shows No Image in Reverse low

Reported 2020-07-29 · Campaign 20V443000 · Model years: 2020

Some 2020 X3s left the factory without the software that runs the backup camera. When you shift into reverse, no picture appears on the screen. That falls short of the federal rule requiring a rear view when backing up. Dealers load the missing software free of charge. BMW says every affected vehicle was already fixed as of November 9, 2020, so most owners have nothing left to do.

BMW and Toyota Supra steering tie rod can break high

Reported 2020-06-15 · Campaign 20V355000 · Model years: 2020

A tie rod is part of the linkage that turns the front wheels when you steer. On these cars, driving in hot weather or on rough roads can damage a tie rod, and a damaged one can crack all the way through. If that happens, the car may not steer or handle the way you expect, which could cause a crash. BMW and Toyota dealers replace the steering tie rods free of charge, and have been doing so since August 2020.

BMW X3, X4 and 3-Series seat belt sensor fault medium

Reported 2020-03-19 · Campaign 20V164000 · Model years: 2020

Sensors inside the front seat belt buckles may wrongly read a buckled-up person as unbuckled. The car uses that signal to decide how the front airbags and the seat belt tighteners should fire in a crash. With the wrong information, those safety devices may not go off the way they are supposed to. Dealers will inspect the driver and front passenger buckles and replace them if they find a problem.

BMW X3 and X4 Dashboard Panel May Break in Crash medium

Reported 2020-03-18 · Campaign 20V152000 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020

On certain 2018-2020 BMW X3 and 2019-2020 BMW X4 models, the cover over the dashboard was not tightened down properly where it sits against the passenger airbag. In a crash hard enough for the airbag to deploy, the airbag could break that panel and send small pieces of it flying at the driver or passengers. The vehicle drives normally otherwise. A dealer will replace the dashboard panel casing, free of charge.

BMW X3 M40i and X4 M40i may lose steering control critical

Reported 2019-10-16 · Campaign 19V738000 · Model years: 2020

Certain 2020 BMW X3 M40i and X4 M40i vehicles have a problem inside the steering unit. The teeth on a gear that turns your steering wheel motion into wheel movement can break when they're under load. If those teeth break, you would lose the ability to steer the vehicle. BMW dealers will replace the whole steering unit at no cost to you. BMW already sent notification letters to owners, and the recall began October 9, 2019.

BMW and Toyota Supra backup camera picture can vanish low

Reported 2019-09-27 · Campaign 19V684000 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020

On these BMW, Rolls-Royce and Toyota Supra vehicles, the camera and screen settings can be changed so the rear view picture no longer appears. The vehicle then remembers that setting, so the next time you shift into reverse the picture is still missing and you cannot see what is directly behind you. Federal rules require that image to appear, so these vehicles do not meet the standard. Dealers correct it with a free software update to the camera system.

BMW X3 and X4 front suspension parts may break critical

Reported 2019-09-25 · Campaign 19V678000 · Model years: 2020

Your X3 or X4 has metal parts in the front suspension called swivel bearings. BMW says they may not have been heat treated properly when they were made, which leaves them weaker than they should be, so one can break. If that happens while you are driving, you can lose control of the vehicle. BMW has already contacted owners and told them not to drive these vehicles until a dealer replaces the bearings.

⚠ NHTSA advises: do not drive this vehicle until repaired.

BMW X3 and X4 front seatbacks may fold unexpectedly high

Reported 2019-07-31 · Campaign 19V563000 · Model years: 2018, 2019

The metal frame inside the front seat backrests may have been welded badly at the factory. A weak weld can let the backrest suddenly flop forward or tip backward instead of staying upright. That matters most in a crash, when the seat is supposed to hold you in place and take some of the force. A backrest that folds leaves you less protected and more likely to be hurt. Dealers will replace the front seats at no charge.

BMW X3 and X4 passenger airbag may not deploy high

Reported 2019-04-10 · Campaign 19V291000 · Model years: 2019

The dashboard assembly in these vehicles may have been built incorrectly. That flaw can interfere with the front passenger airbag, so the airbag may not open the way it should in a crash. A dealer will replace the entire dashboard assembly at no cost to you.

BMW X3 and X4 rear brakes may lose stopping power high

Reported 2018-07-06 · Campaign 18V453000 · Model years: 2018, 2019

The pistons inside the rear brake calipers were not coated properly at the factory. The coating helps the brake parts work smoothly, and without enough of it, the rear brakes may not grip as well as they should. That means the car may take longer to slow down or stop than you expect. BMW's fix is quick: a dealer bleeds the rear brake lines, which flushes and refreshes the brake fluid in that part of the system. It costs you nothing.

BMW X3 rear turn signals flash wrong color low

Reported 2018-06-21 · Campaign 18V431000 · Model years: 2018

On some BMW X3 models, the rear turn signals don't all light up the same color. When you signal, the outer light on the side panel glows red while the inner light glows amber at the same time. Turn signals are supposed to be amber so other drivers can tell instantly that you're turning. A signal showing two different colors at once doesn't meet the federal rules for vehicle lighting. Dealers will look at the rear turn signal lights and swap out any that are wrong.

BMW X3 lane keeping assist may miss hands-off driver medium

Reported 2018-06-06 · Campaign 18V374000 · Model years: 2018, 2019

On X3s ordered with the Active Lane Keeping Assistant, the steering wheel may not work correctly with that system. The wheel is supposed to sense when your hands are off it and warn you. If it cannot tell, you may get no alert at all while the system is helping steer the car within its lane. Dealers will inspect the steering wheel and replace it if needed, at no cost.

BMW X3 rear spoiler may detach while driving medium

Reported 2018-03-07 · Campaign 18V154000 · Model years: 2018

On these BMW X3s, the rear spoiler — the trim piece across the back of the vehicle — may not have been attached correctly at the factory, or may be missing screws altogether. Because of that, it can come loose and fly off while you are driving. A part that size landing on the road becomes a hazard for the drivers behind you, who may swerve or hit it. The dealer inspects how your spoiler is attached and secures it properly if needed.

BMW 2-Series and X3 instrument display may not light up medium

Reported 2017-11-15 · Campaign 17V719000 · Model years: 2018

The software that runs the instrument panel — the screen behind the steering wheel with your speed and warning lights — has an error. The display may fail to light up when you start the car, or the control and warning symbols may not light up while you are driving. That means you could miss a warning that something is wrong with the car, or not be able to read your speed. Dealers will reload corrected software.

BMW problem guides that cover the X3

Owner complaints by model year

Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the BMW X3. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.

Model yearComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
201874422
2019168513
2020109260
2021109522
202274246
202312101
202436402
202535310

Buying a used X3?

Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: