Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

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

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

109 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

Worth reading
37

Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

sudden stalling 9premature wear 3
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the message “Heat Management Module Malfunction” was displayed and the warning light was illuminated. The drive-train…
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The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the message “Heat Management Module Malfunction” was displayed and the warning light was illuminated. The drive-train warning light was illuminated. Upon research, the contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Diesel). The vehicle was previously taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided due to a prior good-faith repair being provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11754695 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
35

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 8fire 7
A recent report: Due to a TSB (SIB 65 12 22) wherein the roof antennae leaks water and causes a short in the telemetry module, the car does not have pedestrian warning, navigation or backup camera / cross traffic…
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Due to a TSB (SIB 65 12 22) wherein the roof antennae leaks water and causes a short in the telemetry module, the car does not have pedestrian warning, navigation or backup camera / cross traffic warning. The car is drivable, but compromised from a safety perspective.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11729946 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
4

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

loss of braking 2
A recent report: The contact owned a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 10-15 MPH in a parking lot and attempting to make a turn, the brake pedal was depressed, but the pedal travelled…
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The contact owned a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 10-15 MPH in a parking lot and attempting to make a turn, the brake pedal was depressed, but the pedal travelled down to the floor, and the vehicle failed to respond. Additionally, the steering wheel seized, and the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the pedal travelled down to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle became inoperable, causing the front driver's side bumper and door of the vehicle to crash into the rear-end of an unoccupied parked vehicle, and then the front end of the vehicle crashed into the side of another occupied parked vehicle. All the air bags of the vehicle deployed. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was filed. The police report confirmed that the impacts occurred a few moments before the contact received failure notifications on the vehicle mobile app. The vehicle remained inoperable and was towed to Spitler's Collision, where it was deemed a total loss. The Chevrolet dealer where the vehicle was purchased was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and sent engineers who inspected the vehicle at Spitler's Collision 8 months later. The manufacturer later informed the contact that the collisions occurred because the driver did not turn away from the other vehicles and did not depress the brake pedal as needed, which the contact stated was the description of the failure. No further assistance was provided. The manufacturer and the auto finance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The failure mileage was 67,540.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11679881 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
2

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 1
A recent report: After car warms up and while driving in warmer temperatures, steering becomes loose, vehicle drifts in lane and becomes difficult to control. Even with steering assist enabled, vehicle cannot…
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After car warms up and while driving in warmer temperatures, steering becomes loose, vehicle drifts in lane and becomes difficult to control. Even with steering assist enabled, vehicle cannot maintain a straight line. Knocking sound from underneath vehicle when steering to center at low speeds.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11488168 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Minor
9

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying.

airbags not deploying 3software faults 3electrical shorts 2
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while her son was using the rear passenger's side seat belt, the contact became aware that the seat belt was fraying. The vehicle was taken to…
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The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while her son was using the rear passenger's side seat belt, the contact became aware that the seat belt was fraying. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was provided an estimate for the seat belt replacement. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11726503 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
16

Most reports here involve fluid leaks.

fluid leaks 1electrical shorts 1
A recent report: I am reporting a chronic manufacturing defect on my 2020 BMW X3 that poses an immediate electrical short-circuit and vehicle safety hazard. The passenger-side panoramic sunroof drainage system/roof…
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I am reporting a chronic manufacturing defect on my 2020 BMW X3 that poses an immediate electrical short-circuit and vehicle safety hazard. The passenger-side panoramic sunroof drainage system/roof structure leaks water heavily through the side panel joint of the door frame, directly saturating the front passenger floor carpet. This issue has been ongoing since I received the vehicle in 2020.The vehicle has been brought to Kelly BMW of Columbus, Ohio, at least four separate times since 2020 specifically to address this leak. Technicians have replaced outer seals and cleared tracks, but the leak persists, and on the last visit, unqualified dealership staff claimed they "could not find anything wrong. "This is a severe safety risk: BMW places the primary electronic fuse blocks and vital vehicle wiring harnesses directly underneath the front passenger floorboard carpet. Constant water logging in this exact area threatens to cause sudden, catastrophic electrical failures, component shorts, or vehicle stalling while driving. The manufacturer has failed to issue a recall for this known, widespread G01 platform defect, and dealership service centers lack the training to properly diagnose it.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11756272 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
6

Most reports here involve fire.

fire 1
A recent report: The heated seat element had a runway incident that caused the seat to smoke and burn a hole through multiple layers and ultimately damaging the airbag sensor mat disabling the passenger airbag system

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11732108 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 109 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2019 and 2026, roughly 16 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.