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2021 BMW X3

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 BMW X3 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 86.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 17 of 109 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 11 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 reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

109 reports
Mileage unknown · May 8, 2025
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

Constant emergency braking when I’m not near another vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11659861

Mileage unknown · May 5, 2025
Engine

BMW b58 engines have been having issues with oil pumps, common symptoms are the oil level not being able complete above 20%. Which indicates a failing oil pump upon a lot of research it’s a very common issue b58 owners know about, many report having seized engines, low oil pressure warning lights. Lots of complaints have been op…

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BMW b58 engines have been having issues with oil pumps, common symptoms are the oil level not being able complete above 20%. Which indicates a failing oil pump upon a lot of research it’s a very common issue b58 owners know about, many report having seized engines, low oil pressure warning lights. Lots of complaints have been opened with bmw, with bmws response being to replace oil pump. I have this issue on my car and now have to look into getting the oil pump replaced

NHTSA ODI #11659071

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2025
Fuel/propulsion System

The oil pump failed and needs to be replaced. Yes it is available for inspection. If the pump does not get replaced, the oil will not flow through the car like it's supposed to and the engine could seize up and stop working. My dealership confirmed that the oil pump has failed. Another service center mentioned that it's a comm…

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The oil pump failed and needs to be replaced. Yes it is available for inspection. If the pump does not get replaced, the oil will not flow through the car like it's supposed to and the engine could seize up and stop working. My dealership confirmed that the oil pump has failed. Another service center mentioned that it's a common problem with certain BMWs because of the plastic component that they used. Because of the issues, BMW switched to metal but never issued a recall to fix those who still have the plastic component. The first error message I received said that the engine oil level is low and I need to add 2 qts of oil. When I tried to digitally measure the oil levels after oil was added, it wouldn't work. It would load to about 20% and then go back to the initial screen without taking a reading. I didn't realize that was a symptom at the time but the dealership confirmed it. I took it to the dealership within a day of receiving the error message.

NHTSA ODI #11655225

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2025
EngineUnknown Or Other

The car has keyless ignition and was accidentally left on/idling in the garage despite no one in the car and the key fob not present. The car was on for 8.5 hours in the closed garage and filled the house with exhaust, which includes dangerous carbon monoxide fumes, known to be lethal and nearly ended in tragedy. Luckily, my wi…

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The car has keyless ignition and was accidentally left on/idling in the garage despite no one in the car and the key fob not present. The car was on for 8.5 hours in the closed garage and filled the house with exhaust, which includes dangerous carbon monoxide fumes, known to be lethal and nearly ended in tragedy. Luckily, my wife woke up for an unrelated reason to check on our daughter and smelled the fumes in the house and found the car running in the garage. Multiple carbon monoxide detectors were in the home and did not go off, so presumably the fumes had not yet reached toxic concentrations by the time the car was turned off. 2 days later, I took the car to the BMW dealership to be inspected for defects and was told by the technician that it was functioning properly and I should assume the engine is running if the keyless ignition button is not turned off. The lack of an auto-shutoff safety feature to prevent this occurrence is completely unsafe and unacceptable. This is a known issue of keyless ignition cars for over a decade and is an easy mistake to make given how quietly the cars run. Many other car manufacturers have already implemented this feature, so it was shocking that such a well-respected car brand like BMW did not include this safety control as a default feature.

NHTSA ODI #11638813

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2025
Seat Belts

My vehicle is part of the cargo rails recall, how ever I also experiencing a separate safety issue with the seatbelts that I believe requires urgent attention . Seatbelts falling to block properly during sudden braking.

NHTSA ODI #11637113

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2025
Structure

The contact owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufactu…

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The contact owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI #11634641

Mileage unknown · Dec 30, 2024
Wheels

Vehicle is not alerting driver that flat tire has occurred. Especially problematic as vehicle has run flats. Pressure sensors are working correctly, and accurately reporting PSI and temperature. Software automatically "resets" tire pressure based off of tire size and set speed, this is not something that a user can control. …

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Vehicle is not alerting driver that flat tire has occurred. Especially problematic as vehicle has run flats. Pressure sensors are working correctly, and accurately reporting PSI and temperature. Software automatically "resets" tire pressure based off of tire size and set speed, this is not something that a user can control. In other words, I can't "reset" the sensors when the tire has 10 PSI, so that it will think that that is normal. Asked if others have seen similar issues in a forum: [XXX] Right away someone else has had newer car to dealer multiple times with the same issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11633271

Mileage unknown · Dec 30, 2024
Forward Collision AvoidanceUnknown Or Other

Upon starting the vehicle, the electronic dashboard comes on, declares “Reduced Driver Assistance” then about 15 seconds later, the entire dashboard goes dark and won’t come back on until the car has been shut down for several minutes. This sequence of events happens 95% of the time that I start the car. Upon restart, the dash…

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Upon starting the vehicle, the electronic dashboard comes on, declares “Reduced Driver Assistance” then about 15 seconds later, the entire dashboard goes dark and won’t come back on until the car has been shut down for several minutes. This sequence of events happens 95% of the time that I start the car. Upon restart, the dashboard will stay on about 40% of the time, the other 60% it shuts off again. While I can still see my speed in the heads up display, I have no idea how much gas I have, I can’t get any information from the dahsboard and I can’t use the cruise control. I’ve read about other owners of the 2021 BMW X3 M40i having this same issue however the dealership seems to have no idea and wants me to spend $1,000 in diagnostics to see if they can find the problem….then I would have to pay to have it fixed as well. This seems like a pretty big safety issue.

NHTSA ODI #11633069

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2024
Forward Collision AvoidanceUnknown Or Other

The malfunction involves the collision warning system and sudden braking functionality. The dealership inspection identified a problem with the KAFAS (camera) unit, specifically its housing being deformed from heat, which affected the functionality of the collision sensor and caused the system to malfunction intermittently. The …

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The malfunction involves the collision warning system and sudden braking functionality. The dealership inspection identified a problem with the KAFAS (camera) unit, specifically its housing being deformed from heat, which affected the functionality of the collision sensor and caused the system to malfunction intermittently. The component is still installed in the vehicle and available for inspection if required. The system triggered sudden braking without an actual threat, creating a serious risk of being rear-ended by vehicles behind me. This issue has occurred twice in the last month, with no warning or actual collision risk present. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the problem was confirmed by the dealership. Their inspection found that the KAFAS camera housing is deformed due to heat exposure, causing malfunction warnings and erroneous braking behavior. They stated this is not a covered warranty issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The dealership performed an inspection and provided an inspection report, but no other entities (e.g., manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives) have inspected the component or vehicle. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, the malfunction indicator light for the collision sensor appeared intermittently. The dealership’s report attributes this to the deformation of the KAFAS camera housing due to heat exposure.

NHTSA ODI #11629071

Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2024
Structure

The contact owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a r…

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The contact owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11625257

Official recalls

10

26V056000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly

Jan 30, 2026

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Toyota Supra, 2022-2023 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2024 5 Series (xDrive), 2021-2022 Z4, 2022-2024 4 Series (Gran Coupe), 2021-2024 4 Series (Convertible and xDrive Convertible), 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe), 2021-2024 3 Series, 2021-2023 X4, 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 24, 2026.

25V636000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly:relay

Sep 23, 2025

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 BMW 330i, 2019-2022 BMW Z4, 2020-2022 BMW 530i, X3, X4, Toyota Supra, 2021-2022 BMW 430i, 430i Convertible, and 2022 BMW 230i vehicles. The engine starter relay may corrode, causing the relay to overheat and short circuit.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 14, 2025.

24V764000 · 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.

23V211000 · Seats

Mar 29, 2023

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, 2020-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, 2021 X3 xDrive30e, X4 xDrive30i, and X4M vehicles. The seat frame may not have been welded properly to the seat rails.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly welded seat frame may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat frame and back rest, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

21V199000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Mar 24, 2021

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, and X4, and 2021 X4 xDrive30i vehicles. The inlet check valve weld may fail, allowing the filling pipe to separate from the fuel tank.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Fuel may leak through the failed weld, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall is scheduled to begin May 17, 2021. Owners were also contacted by telephone. To date, all repairs have been done. No further owner notification letters will be sent. 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.

20V598000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Sep 30, 2020

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

20V601000 · Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery

Sep 30, 2020

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 530e iPerformance and X3 xDrive30e and MINI Cooper Countryman All4 SE, 2020 BMW i8, and 2021 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le xDrive and X5 xDrive45e vehicles. Debris may have entered one or more of the hybrid battery cells during their production.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The debris could result in a short-circuit, increasing the risk of fire or injury.

Remedy: BMW will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery module free of charge. The remedy is currently being developed. Until the remedy is completed, drivers are instructed to not charge their vehicles. Drivers are instructed to not drive in manual mode, sport mode, and to not use the shift paddles. Owners were notified of the safety risk October 23, 2020. The recall began November 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

20V490000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery; Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery

Aug 18, 2020

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 330e and X5 xDrive45e, 2020-2021 X3 xDrive30e, and 2020 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 vehicles. Loose welding beads may form a conductive path between the hybrid battery cells which could lead to a short-circuit.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A short-circuited hybrid battery may increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery modules, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 16, 2020. Although potentially affected BMW owners received interim owner notification letters, all potentially affected BMW owner vehicles have been remedied; therefore, BMW Final owner notification letters will not be necessary. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 330e and X5 xDrive45e, 2020-2021 X3 xDrive30e, and 2020 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 vehicles. Loose welding beads may form a conductive path between the hybrid battery cells which could lead to a short-circuit.

Consequence: A short-circuited hybrid battery may increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery modules, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 16, 2020. Although potentially affected BMW owners received interim owner notification letters, all potentially affected BMW owner vehicles have been remedied; therefore, BMW Final owner notification letters will not be necessary. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 330e and X5 xDrive45e, 2020-2021 X3 xDrive30e, and 2020 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 vehicles. Loose welding beads may form a conductive path between the hybrid battery cells which could lead to a short-circuit.

Consequence: A short-circuited hybrid battery may increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery modules, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 16, 2020. Although potentially affected BMW owners received interim owner notification letters, all potentially affected BMW owner vehicles have been remedied; therefore, BMW Final owner notification letters will not be necessary. 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.