BMW X4 years to avoid (and the best years)

64 NHTSA owner complaints and 19 recalls across 5 model years, 2015 to 2020. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.

64complaints
19recalls
6reported crashes
3reported fires
1reported injuries

Which BMW X4 years should you avoid?

No BMW X4 model year stands out from the others in NHTSA owner complaints. The typical BMW X4 year has 11 complaints on file.

What are the best BMW X4 years?

The BMW X4 years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2019 (10), 2016 (10) and 2018 (11). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.

NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.

Every model year

Year	Complaints	vs typical year	Recalls	Crashes	Injuries	Our read	Most reported
2020	15	1.4×	10	1	0	Few red flags	Electrical system
2019	10	0.9×	7	0	0	Few red flags	Electrical system
2018	11	1.0×	1	2	0	Few red flags	Engine
2016	10	0.9×	2	1	1	Few red flags	Engine
2015	18	1.6×	5	2	0	Few red flags	Engine

Most reported problem areas

Share of the 16 complaints sorted by system, all years together.

Electrical & infotainment6 (38%)
Airbags & seat belts4 (25%)
Steering, suspension & tires3 (19%)
Engine & powertrain2 (12%)
Other systems1 (6%)

Recalls (19)

Electrical system · 25V636000 · Sep 2025 · model year 2020
A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire.
Engine · 24V608000 · Aug 2024 · model years 2015, 2016, 2018
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Airbags · 23V797000 · Nov 2023 · model year 2015
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Safety · 21V598000 · Aug 2021 · model year 2020
Loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 21V521000 · Jul 2021 · model year 2019
A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Safety · 21V096000 · Feb 2021 · model years 2019, 2020
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.
Safety · 20V598000 · Sep 2020 · model year 2020
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Steering · 20V355000 · Jun 2020 · model year 2020
A damaged or fractured tie rod may affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Seat belts · 20V164000 · Mar 2020 · model year 2020
If the air bag and/or seat belt pretensioners deploy improperly in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Electrical system · 20V152000 · Mar 2020 · model years 2019, 2020
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.
Steering · 19V738000 · Oct 2019 · model year 2020
A loss of steering control increases risk of a crash.
Safety · 19V684000 · Sep 2019 · model years 2019, 2020
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Suspension · 19V678000 · Sep 2019 · model year 2020
Broken swivel bearings can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 19V563000 · Jul 2019 · model year 2019
In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.
Airbags · 19V291000 · Apr 2019 · model year 2019
If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Brakes · 18V453000 · Jul 2018 · model year 2019
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 16V683000 · Sep 2016 · model year 2015
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Safety · 16V333000 · May 2016 · model years 2015, 2016
Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Body & glass · 14V648000 · Oct 2014 · model year 2015
The driver may not notice that vehicles viewed in the mirror are closer than they appear, increasing the risk of a crash.