31 recalls covering model years 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.
The integrated brake system in these vehicles can malfunction. When it does, you can lose the power assist that makes the brake pedal easy to press, so the pedal goes hard and the vehicle takes longer to stop. The fault can also stop the anti-lock brakes and the stability control from working, which can let you lose control of the vehicle. The dealer inspects the brake unit and replaces it if needed.
If you crank the engine over and over, the starter motor can draw too much electricity and get very hot. That heat can set fire to things near it in the engine bay. BMW is replacing the starter motor at no cost. Important: if your vehicle was already fixed under the earlier recall 24V576, it needs the repair again. Owner letters were mailed February 9, 2026, and your VIN has been searchable since November 17, 2025.
On these BMW cars and SUVs, the combined brake unit can act up. When it does, you may lose power brake assist, meaning the brake pedal gets much harder to push and the car takes longer to stop. The same fault can keep the anti-lock brakes and the stability control from working right, so the car may be harder to control. Dealers will replace the brake module. Even vehicles already fixed under earlier recall 24V-104 need this new repair.
Welds inside a small motor in the brake control unit can break. If that happens, you lose power brake assist and the rear brakes stop working, so the pedal gets hard and the vehicle needs much more distance to stop. The anti-lock brakes and the stability control may also quit, which makes the vehicle harder to keep under control. Dealers will replace the whole brake unit for free.
If the starter motor fails, repeatedly trying to start the engine can push too much electricity through it and make it overheat. A starter that gets that hot can set fire to nearby flammable parts in the engine compartment. The risk builds up when you keep cranking a car that will not start. A dealer will update the vehicle's software free of charge so the starter cannot be overloaded this way. BMW mailed owner letters on September 27, 2024.
The system that senses whether front occupants are buckled up may wrongly think a belt is fastened. Two things can go wrong: the reminder light that warns you about an unbuckled belt may never come on, and the airbags may not go off the way they are supposed to in a crash. Either problem means you could be hurt worse in a collision. These vehicles also do not meet the federal crash protection standard. Dealers will inspect the front lower seat belts and replace them as needed, free.
The dashboard in your X5 or X7 may not have been built correctly. That matters because the front passenger airbag comes out through the dash. In a crash, the airbag may not inflate the way it is supposed to and may not hold the person in the seat properly. The dashboard itself can also break apart, sending pieces flying at the people inside. Your dealer will replace the entire dashboard at no cost to you.
Your vehicle has an integrated brake system that can stop working correctly. If it fails, the brake pedal can suddenly get much harder to push, so you have to press far harder and the car needs more room to stop. The same fault can also knock out the anti-lock brakes and the stability control, the systems that keep the car from skidding or spinning during hard stops and slippery corners. The dealer replaces the whole brake unit.
The airbag that sits low in the dashboard to protect the front passenger's knees may not inflate the way it is designed to. If the vehicle is in a crash, that airbag may not do its job, which raises the chance of injury for whoever is riding up front. Dealers will replace the knee airbag with a new one at no cost. BMW mailed owner letters on November 3, 2023.
The knee airbag on the driver's side, the passenger's side, or both may not have been built correctly. Knee airbags sit low in the dashboard and are meant to open in a crash to keep your legs and lower body from being thrown forward. One that was not made properly may fail to open the way it should, so you could be hurt more badly in a crash. Dealers will replace the affected knee airbag free of charge.
The bolts that hold the exhaust pipe to the catalytic converter — the part that cleans exhaust gases — may not have been tightened enough at the factory. If that joint works loose, very hot exhaust gas can escape where it shouldn't, right next to other parts under the car. BMW says a loose connection there raises the chance of a fire. The dealer will fit a new gasket at the joint and tighten the bolts properly, at no cost to you.
The windshield on these BMW SUVs may not have been bonded to the body properly when the vehicle was built. A poor seal can let rainwater leak inside the vehicle, where it can reach electrical parts. Water on those parts can cause a short circuit, and a short circuit can start a fire. A dealer will inspect the windshield seal and, if needed, remove the windshield and reinstall it with a new seal, at no cost.
On some 2023 BMW X7 models, only one of the two front parking lights may stay lit in certain driving situations. Parking lights help other people see the front of your vehicle, especially at dusk, at night, or in bad weather. With one side dark, another driver may misjudge how wide your vehicle is or may not notice it at all. The fix is a software update for the control unit that runs those lights, done at the dealer.
On some X7s with a third row, small springs that lock the seat back upright may not have been put in correctly, and one could slip out or fall off entirely. If that happens, the third-row seat back may not latch firmly, so it might not hold as it should in a crash. Dealers will check the third-row seat and reinstall any springs that were fitted wrong or add ones that are missing, free of charge.
The control unit that runs the sunroof was programmed incorrectly. Because of that, the sunroof can be closed even when the key fob is not inside the vehicle. Federal safety rules for power windows and roofs are written to prevent exactly that, so someone standing at the opening cannot be caught by a roof closing when they do not expect it. Dealers will reprogram the sunroof control unit free of charge.
The head restraints — the padded headrests on top of the seats — on the two outer seats in the second row may be the wrong type for these vehicles. Because they are not the right parts, they could come loose and detach in a crash, leaving a passenger's head and neck unprotected at the moment they need that support most. They cause no trouble in normal driving. A dealer will look at the head restraints and swap in the correct ones if yours are wrong.
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.
The brake unit in these BMWs has a part inside — a rotor joined to a shaft — that may not have been welded correctly at the factory. If you brake hard, the two pieces can come apart. When that happens, the anti-lock brakes stop working and the power assist that makes the brake pedal easy to press is reduced, so stopping the car takes much more effort and distance. BMW dealers will replace the whole brake unit.
The shaft that connects your steering wheel to the steering gear has a joint held by a bolt. On these vehicles the bolt may not have been tightened enough at the factory, so the connection can work loose. If it does, the steering can feel sloppy or vague and you may not be able to control the vehicle the way you expect. Dealers will inspect it and replace or properly tighten the bolt, or replace the whole shaft and joint.
These BMWs have a 48-volt battery that works with a starter-generator, a combined starter and charging unit. The connection between that battery and the starter-generator may not have been put together correctly at the factory. A poorly assembled connection resists the flow of electricity and can heat up, and that heat can lead to a fire. Your dealer will inspect the connection and replace it if it is not right, at no cost to you.
A welded joint at the front of your BMW may come apart. It joins the front axle support to the bracket that holds the right front suspension arm, which is part of what keeps the front wheel in place and lets the vehicle steer and handle properly. If that weld separates, the vehicle may not steer or handle the way you expect. A dealer will replace the front axle support at no cost to you.
The headlights on these SUVs can give off a blue tint instead of the white light required by federal rules. Blue-tinted headlights can confuse drivers coming the other way, who may misjudge what they are seeing on the road at night. The issue is the color of the light, not whether the headlights turn on. A dealer will inspect the headlights and replace them if necessary, free of charge. BMW started this recall on October 30, 2020.
On certain BMW X7 xDrive40i and M50i models, the sticker that lists your tire size and the correct cold tire pressure does not match the tires actually fitted to the vehicle. That fails the federal rule on tire and rim selection. If you or a tire shop follow the label, you could end up with the wrong size tire or the wrong inflation pressure, which can affect how the vehicle drives. Dealers replace the label free of charge.
A small group of 2020 BMW X5 sDrive 40i and X5 xDrive 40i vehicles, plus one X7 xDrive 40i, may have left the factory with an extra bolt sitting near the starter motor. That bolt can fall into the transmission housing, where it does not belong, and cause the engine to shut off suddenly while you are driving. Dealers will look for the bolt, remove it, and check the starter and transmission for damage.
The two reflectors on the back of some 2020 BMW X7 SUVs do not bounce back enough light. Those reflectors are what make the rear of your vehicle show up when another car's headlights shine on it, which matters most at night or when you are stopped or moving slowly. Because they are too dim, other drivers may not spot your vehicle as early as they should. Dealers will replace both rear reflectors at no charge.
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.
The steering rack is the part that turns your front wheels when you turn the wheel. Inside it, a small gear meshes with a toothed bar. On these vehicles those gear teeth can break when they are under load, for example while you are turning. If they break, the steering wheel stops turning the front wheels and you lose steering control. Dealers replace the entire steering rack at no charge to you, and the recall started in August 2019.
The bolts holding the wheels on the left side of the vehicle may not have been tightened enough at the factory, and they can work loose as you drive. If they loosen far enough, a wheel can come off the vehicle while you are on the road. The dealer will replace the left side wheel bolts with new ones and tighten them properly. There is no charge to you for the parts or the work. BMW is contacting owners of the affected vehicles directly.
On these BMWs, the high pressure fuel pump may not have been attached to the engine correctly when the car was built. Over time, the flange where the pump bolts on can crack, and gasoline can leak out. Fuel leaking near anything hot or sparking can catch fire. Because the pump sits in the engine bay, a leak is not something most owners would spot on their own. Dealers replace the high pressure fuel pump at no charge to you.
On some 2019 BMW X7 xDrive40i and xDrive50i models, the head airbags for the driver and front passenger may not have been lined up correctly with the interior trim when they were installed. These airbags are the ones that come down along the side windows in a crash. If one sits out of position, it may not inflate the way it is designed to, so it could protect you less and injuries could be worse. Dealers refit them free.
BMW found that on some 2019 X7 SUVs ordered with the "business lounge seat" option, the bolts holding the seat mount to the vehicle may not have been tightened enough. Loose bolts mean the seat may not stay firmly anchored in a crash, so someone sitting there could be hurt more badly than they otherwise would be. None of these SUVs reached customers — they were held on dealer lots for the fix.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the BMW X7. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 52 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 2021 | 46 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 44 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 52 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: