Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 21, 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

77 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
16

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 5fluid leaks 3transmission slipping 2
A recent report: Purchased BMW X3 Feb 2025. On test drive left wheel shimmy on left turn noted. Salesman stated it "was a safety feature he could not turn off". Vehicle continues to have shimmy/vibration on left…
Read full complaint

Purchased BMW X3 Feb 2025. On test drive left wheel shimmy on left turn noted. Salesman stated it "was a safety feature he could not turn off". Vehicle continues to have shimmy/vibration on left front wheel with left turns. I have had the tires balanced/rotated and aligned multiple times with no change to left vibration on left turn. I have informed BMW of issue every time the vehicle is in for service. They finally did a "check" on the vehicle and found no issues. The dealer kept my vehicle for a week for the service tech to test drive, he was unable to reproduce the issue. In doing research, BMW Service information Bulletin (Revision 3) replaces SI B27 2 20 May 2024 was located. I presented it to the Service Tech and Service Director. The Service Director stated they have seen a lot of this issue coming in lately, and in the future expected there would be a recall. He stated it was covered under warranty, CPO and 50, 000 miles. The dealership changed out the transfer case fluid as per SI B27 02 20 states. I was informed to drive it for 125 miles and record any wheel issues. I did. The issued continued with turns and now would pull to the right at times. I made an appt to have the transfer case replaced. After having my vehicle for 8 days, I received a call stating that they cannot reproduce the issue and therefore, will not replace the transfer case. I have stated to them that it is not consistent. Their service tech may drive very differently than I. Any change in brake pressure, gas pedal pressure, turning ratio and temperature may have an affect on it, and they should be aware of this. I did not see any reference in the safety bulletin stating that the issue must be reproducible by a BMW service technician.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764787 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
11

Most reports here involve fire.

fire 2software faults 2
A recent report: The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The…
Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to complete 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 made aware of the issue.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764806 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
5

Most reports here involve rollaway. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

rollaway 2loss of braking 1premature wear 1
A recent report: on [XXX] I was going into a Parking Garage in Beverly Hills, CA. I got a little too far from the ticket machine so I put the BMWX3 in PARK and PUT the Emergency Brake on so I could open my door, step…
Read full complaint

on [XXX] I was going into a Parking Garage in Beverly Hills, CA. I got a little too far from the ticket machine so I put the BMWX3 in PARK and PUT the Emergency Brake on so I could open my door, step out and grab the ticket. The car immediately rolled backwards into a Dodge Charger behind me. That woman is suing for $150,000. It caused my insurance to double, I had to have PT on my pelvis. I had to pay the deductible to get the car repaired. BMW will not take responsibility for the malfunction. My Dad was a professional driver for FORD and I have never caused an accident in my [XXX] years of driving. The woman claims that she and her children were injured but no air bags deployed. the car rolled. It did give me quite a jolt. Her car showed no visible damage but mine was damaged - tail pipe and bumper. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11721588 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
6

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 3loss of steering 2software faults 1
A recent report: Subject: Tire Safety Concern – BMW OEM Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season (UTQG 500) 245 50 R19 I am writing to raise a serious vehicle safety concern involving the BMW OEM Pirelli Cinturato P7 All…
Read full complaint

Subject: Tire Safety Concern – BMW OEM Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season (UTQG 500) 245 50 R19 I am writing to raise a serious vehicle safety concern involving the BMW OEM Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season tires that came factory-installed on my leased 2022 BMW X3. These tires are labeled with a UTQG 500 treadwear rating, which typically implies a lifespan of 40,000 to 50,000 miles. Yet, all four of my tires were found to be severely worn and unsafe at just 23,456 miles. More troubling, I began experiencing significant handling and traction issues as early as 18,000 miles. During normal driving—without aggressive braking, cornering, or high-speed use—the car exhibited: Hydroplaning in moderate rain Slipping and sliding under light acceleration Noticeable vibration and poor stability on dry roads These symptoms were initially confusing until a routine service appointment at Motorwerks BMW in Bloomington, MN revealed that all four tires were nearly bald and posed a safety risk. The dealership confirmed the tread depth was between 1 and 2 mm—well below the safe limit—and told me, alarmingly, that this level of premature failure is typical for this tire. This raises two critical safety issues: The tires were functionally unsafe well before 20,000 miles, long before I was aware of the degradation. The UTQG 500 label creates a false sense of security. A consumer would not expect traction loss or hydroplaning risks within the first 18,000–20,000 miles of normal use from a 500-rated tire. I have since learned that this OEM tire, while labeled identically to the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus sold at retail, is actually a different tire made specifically for BMW. It carries no treadwear warranty, despite its 500 label, and reportedly has never been separately tested to confirm its rating. Both BMW and Pirelli have pointed fingers at each other, offering no solution or responsibility—leaving consumers with unsafe tires and no remedy. I urge NHTSA to investigate this issue.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11677606 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
3

Most reports here involve airbags deploying unexpectedly. Of these, 1 mention an injury.

airbags deploying unexpectedly 2software faults 1
A recent report: Airbags deployed with no impact

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11717099 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
26

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1premature wear 1
A recent report: On June 23, 2026 around 3:30pm, we were driving 70 mph on an interstate (I40) and the panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered on our BMW X3. We were not struck by anything and there was no…
Read full complaint

On June 23, 2026 around 3:30pm, we were driving 70 mph on an interstate (I40) and the panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered on our BMW X3. We were not struck by anything and there was no inclement weather or extreme heat. The sunshade was pulled so we were not hit by the glass, but we were very much in danger. My baby was in the backseat and he would have had glass all over him. We had to pull over on the highway and had to arrange for another car to take us home.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746577 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
10

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

software faults 2fire 1
A recent report: 2022 BMW X3 M40i. The Driver Assistance system appears to activate normally after startup with no warning or indication that a fault is present. However, within approximately 3–5 minutes of driving…
Read full complaint

2022 BMW X3 M40i. The Driver Assistance system appears to activate normally after startup with no warning or indication that a fault is present. However, within approximately 3–5 minutes of driving, a Check Control message appears stating “Driver Assistance limited. Camera vision.” The vehicle then identifies affected systems including Pedestrian Warning, Frontal Collision Warning, Side Collision Warning, Automatic Lane Change, Active Blind Spot Detection, and Steering Assistant. A separate message states that Active Cruise Control is reduced and there may be no brake intervention for stationary vehicles. The safety concern is that the system can appear active and available before the warning appears, even though at least some driver-assistance functions may already not be operating. Before the warning was displayed, I observed that Steering Assistant/lane-keeping did not intervene and I crossed out of my lane without steering correction or a lane-departure warning. There was no prior warning that the camera-based system was malfunctioning. I cannot confirm whether the other affected safety functions were operational during this interval. A BMW dealer inspected the vehicle and physically found the KAFAS camera hood/trim warped from heat. The warped component was removed and shown to me, and the dealer ordered a replacement. BMW has issued SIB 66 13 23 addressing KAFAS camera hood deformation on affected vehicles. Fault memory also contained KAFAS codes 800ABF, 800ABE, and 800AC4 for camera field-of-view disturbance and calibration failure. This creates a potential safety defect because the driver may reasonably believe lane-keeping and other camera-based safety systems are functioning until the vehicle detects the failure several minutes later. The vehicle/component can be made available for inspection

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11758544 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 77 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2021 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.