IllustrationMy lights turn on and off while the vehicle is turned off until I lock the car.
2019 BMW X3
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2019 BMW X3 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 86.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all X3 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
370–25K
725–50K
650–75K
475–100K
2100–150K
0150K+
56 reports with mileage · 112 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
168 reportsmotor mounts are now replaced every 30k miles the part fails. this is quality and safty hazard. this is not covered by BMW shame
The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the blind side indicators did not detect passing vehicles. The contact also stated that the lane departure feature, which vibrates and corrects the wheel, no longer worked as intended. The contact stated that there was…
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The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the blind side indicators did not detect passing vehicles. The contact also stated that the lane departure feature, which vibrates and corrects the wheel, no longer worked as intended. The contact stated that there was a system indicator light on the dashboard that turned orange. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
Coolant is leaking and empty every week. Engine overheating warnings! I purchased this vehicle used on [XXX] from AutoFair in Manchester NH 1 week after purchase coolant warnings and engine light came on. Dealer is refusing responsibility and responding to multiple trips, phone calls and reports. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUA…
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Coolant is leaking and empty every week. Engine overheating warnings! I purchased this vehicle used on [XXX] from AutoFair in Manchester NH 1 week after purchase coolant warnings and engine light came on. Dealer is refusing responsibility and responding to multiple trips, phone calls and reports. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Parking brake is malfunctioning and has seized in lock position, and will not release. Making the vehicle unmovable and not drivable, leaving me stranded.
Shark Fin antenna water ingress causing Emergency Call Malfunction. Known issue with BMW and no warranty or recall due to failed seal allowing water to ingress into the Telematics Control Module disabling all cell service, hands free communication and tracking/navigation in case of an accident vehicle does not provide accurate l…
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Shark Fin antenna water ingress causing Emergency Call Malfunction. Known issue with BMW and no warranty or recall due to failed seal allowing water to ingress into the Telematics Control Module disabling all cell service, hands free communication and tracking/navigation in case of an accident vehicle does not provide accurate location. Cost of repair is 3,000-5,000 due to water damage. Warnings come onto instrument cluster that can be removed and blocks mileage or any other settings to be viewed including cruise control settings
The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH on a main road, the message "Warning - Add Coolant' was displayed, and the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the engine to cool down. The vehicle was towed to an inde…
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The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH on a main road, the message "Warning - Add Coolant' was displayed, and the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the engine to cool down. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
Emergency Call System Malfunction warning message showed up on dashboard. Got it diagnosed at a BMW Dealer and they said there is a leak with the sharkfin antenna that allowed water to seep in and short the telematics control unit. Quoted $2500 by BMW to replace and reseal antenna. In the event of an accident and the driver beco…
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Emergency Call System Malfunction warning message showed up on dashboard. Got it diagnosed at a BMW Dealer and they said there is a leak with the sharkfin antenna that allowed water to seep in and short the telematics control unit. Quoted $2500 by BMW to replace and reseal antenna. In the event of an accident and the driver becomes unresponsive, the vehicle won’t automatically call emergency services since. With this malfunction, my GOS, Bluetooth microphone, and BMW app all do not work. Also can’t get my emissions done because the warning message is blocking the odometer. Contacted BMW North America to investigate and they contacted the dealer saying they can’t do anything about it. Honestly worried to drive the car especially in the winter, if I go off the road or something else and become unresponsive emergency services will not be called.
The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, there was coolant leaking from the vehicle. The coolant level low message was displayed. The contact stated that the temperature gauge was raised to HOT. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an engine cooling fail…
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The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, there was coolant leaking from the vehicle. The coolant level low message was displayed. The contact stated that the temperature gauge was raised to HOT. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an engine cooling failure The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated that the carbon monoxide detector sounded an alarm from the living room. The contact stated that her husband was unable to turn off the carbon monoxide alarm and called the Fire Department. The Fire Department arrived and determined that the vehicle, which had been parked in the…
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The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. The contact stated that the carbon monoxide detector sounded an alarm from the living room. The contact stated that her husband was unable to turn off the carbon monoxide alarm and called the Fire Department. The Fire Department arrived and determined that the vehicle, which had been parked in the garage of the residence, had experienced a thermal event in the engine compartment. The contact was advised that heat had generated carbon monoxide gas that had spread from the garage into an attic crawl space and then into the living room of the residence which had set off the carbon monoxide alarm. The contact stated that they were not able to drive the vehicle out of the garage due to the heat from the engine compartment. The contact stated that after the Fire Department had cleared the garage and residence of carbon monoxide, the contact was able to drive the vehicle out of the garage. The contact was advised by the Fire Department that the temperature in the engine compartment was getting dangerously hot and the vehicle was turned off. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the week prior to the failure, the vehicle was at a dealer for the water pump replacement. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Official recalls
1024V764000 · Structure
Oct 15, 2024
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2022 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the rear cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Interior rear cargo rail detachment during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicles in this recall were previously remedied for this issue under recall number 24V-534 and will need to have the new repair completed.
24V534000 · Structure
Jul 17, 2024
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2023 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the interior cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V521000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
Jul 8, 2021
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat foam, which includes the occupant classification system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.
Consequence: A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat foam, which includes the occupant classification system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air Bags:frontal
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.
Consequence: A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat foam, which includes the occupant classification system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V096000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera; Back Over Prevention:software
Feb 19, 2021
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Back Over Prevention:software
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
20V152000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
Mar 18, 2020
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag could damage the instrument panel and cause small pieces of the panel to strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag could damage the instrument panel and cause small pieces of the panel to strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag could damage the instrument panel and cause small pieces of the panel to strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
19V684000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Sep 27, 2019
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
19V563000 · Seats
Jul 31, 2019
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, xDrive30i and M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i and M40i vehicles. The front seatback frames may have been improperly welded, allowing the seatback to unexpectedly fold forward or rearward.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seats, free of charge. The recall began September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service 1-800-525-7417.
19V291000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
Apr 10, 2019
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The instrument panel assembly may have been improperly manufactured, possibly affecting the deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The instrument panel assembly may have been improperly manufactured, possibly affecting the deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag.
Consequence: If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The instrument panel assembly may have been improperly manufactured, possibly affecting the deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag.
Consequence: If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
18V453000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper
Jul 6, 2018
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and certain 2019 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the rear brake circuit, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
18V374000 · Lane Departure: Lane Keep: Steering Assist
Jun 6, 2018
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i, X3 sDrive30i, and X3 M40i vehicles equipped with the "Active Lane Keeping Assistant" option. The steering wheel may be incompatible with the lane keeping assistant function and may not detect if the driver's hands are off the wheel.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the sensors do not properly detect the driver's hands are off the wheel, the driver may not be alerted by one or more warning signals, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 19, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.