Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 3 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

3 total · 3 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Brakes recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 26V422000 · Jul 2026

A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle. Additionally, malfunctioning ABS and/or DSC systems can cause a loss of vehicle control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
The Integrated brake system will be inspected and, if necessary, replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce customer service at 1-877-877-3735. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 21, 2026. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 24V739 or 24V104 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 24V697000 · Sep 2024

A loss of brake power assist or rear brake function can result in extended stopping distance. A loss of ABS or DSC can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 13, 2024. Owners can contact BMW Customer Service at 1-800-525-7417.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 24V104000 · Feb 2024

A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle. Additionally, malfunctioning ABS and/or DSC systems can cause a loss of vehicle control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between June and December 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls Royce customer service at 1-877-877-3735.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

30 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
3

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 2transmission slipping 1
A recent report: Our X1 has a lot of "slip" in the transmission. It's most apparent when you back up and then switch to drive. In our X1, the car keeps rolling backward like it's in neutral. Drive doesn't engage…
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Our X1 has a lot of "slip" in the transmission. It's most apparent when you back up and then switch to drive. In our X1, the car keeps rolling backward like it's in neutral. Drive doesn't engage until after a long delay.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11709771 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
4

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 2
A recent report: We have owned the car for nearly 2 years and the rear cross traffic alert has never worked, even when cars and pedestrians are walking behind the vehicle. BMW says nothing is wrong. Many other…
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We have owned the car for nearly 2 years and the rear cross traffic alert has never worked, even when cars and pedestrians are walking behind the vehicle. BMW says nothing is wrong. Many other drivers report the exact same issue with their BMW.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11738793 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
17

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

loss of braking 6loss of steering 1
A recent report: On 2/25/26, in rush hour traffic we were driving on a NJ highway. We happened to be in the left-most of 3 lanes with a concrete divider (no shoulder – there was about 3 ft between the concrete…
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On 2/25/26, in rush hour traffic we were driving on a NJ highway. We happened to be in the left-most of 3 lanes with a concrete divider (no shoulder – there was about 3 ft between the concrete divider and the left side of the left lane). We were about 4 car lengths behind the next car when traffic was slowing for a red light. The car indicated “Everything OK”. When I hit my brakes, they did not engage; they locked. The car skidded; it felt like we were on ice, but the road was clear. We were upon the car in front of us and had no place to go. I held the steering tight and tried pumping the brakes to disengage the lock. To no avail. I was planning on scraping the divider on my side to slow the car down. I steered the car into the tight space next to the divider thinking it would cause less injuries as opposed to plowing into the back of the stopped car in front of me. We slid at least 4 car lengths before traveling past 3 stopped cars in succession, I just barely missed hitting the concrete divider and/or the cars in the lane in front/beside me. On the left side, I could see that my mirror was over the divider and on right side we were within an inch or two of a hit. Realizing that I miraculously missed hitting anything, I tested the brakes going only a couple of inches and the brakes did engage. I slowly moved across the lanes to get to the right shoulder. Through all of this, the car indicated “Everything OK”. On 2/26 the car was towed to the dealership. The dealership technician and BMW representative easily replicated the brake failure. Through their testing they determined that the Integrated Brake Module, the same part that had be replaced in Nov 2025 for a recall, had failed again. Before, during, and after the incident, the car indicated “Everything OK”. After repeated requests, neither the dealership or BMW rep gave us any information about why the car failed to warn us of the problem or assurance us of its safety.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11727462 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
1

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 1
A recent report: 2024 BMW X1 xDrive, 8000 miles, original tires. Front right tire wear to 2.7mm, front left tire wear to 4mm, and rear tires wear to 5mm. AWD vehicle where fronts should not be significantly outpacing…
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2024 BMW X1 xDrive, 8000 miles, original tires. Front right tire wear to 2.7mm, front left tire wear to 4mm, and rear tires wear to 5mm. AWD vehicle where fronts should not be significantly outpacing rear wear. Left-right asymmetry on front axle suggests alignment issue. Dealer and BWM North America refused in investigation and call it normal. Requesting NHTSA agent review and case escalation.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11739328 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
2

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 2
A recent report: While visiting BMW of Alexandria, an approved BMW dealership, I was told that BMW vehicles have an issue where running it through a safe, approved inside car wash when it's below 40 degrees…
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While visiting BMW of Alexandria, an approved BMW dealership, I was told that BMW vehicles have an issue where running it through a safe, approved inside car wash when it's below 40 degrees Fahrenheit outside is dangerous. Parts break, glass shatters, it's just dangerous. Not believing that, I sent the question to BMW of USA customer care. They had a case manger, Jake, call me today. He stated that is theoretically possible for a BMW. When I said it's scary that my kids, my wife, could be in the vehicle when parts shattered or exploded, his only comments were about warranty coverage. I even directly asked if that's possible and is there any history in BMW of that happening. He said he did not do research and refused to do it... only saying it's theoretically possible and warranty coverage would depend on the cause. That implies BMW absolutely KNOWS that it's possible and likely implies it's happened before. Can DoT ask the question and get a more direct answer?

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11704220 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
3

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 3
A recent report: Please see attachment:

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11696349 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 30 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2024 and 2026, roughly 14 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2024 has 30 complaints on file, fewer than the 2023 (70) and more than the 2025 (15). Of the 11 model years of the BMW X1 we cover, the 2016 has the most (159). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.