What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2018 BMW X3

No clear pattern

16.3% of complaints about the 2018 BMW X3 arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2018 vehicle, but with only 104 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is electrical system (21 complaints), typically at 6.1 yr or about 20,600 miles.

Complaints
104
Median age at failure
6.4 yr
Median mileage
15,000 n=42
Crash / fire / tow
13.5% of reports
Safety recalls
10

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Electrical system
21 reports · 20,600 mi
6.1 yr
4.8%
Engine
16 reports · 6,000 mi
7.8 yr
6.2%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

24V764000 2024-10-15
Structure

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.

Interior rear cargo rail detachment during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

24V534000 2024-07-17
Structure

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.

Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.

21V521000 2021-07-08
Air bags:frontal

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.

A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

20V152000 2020-03-18
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.

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.

19V684000 2019-09-27
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce C

The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

19V563000 2019-07-31
Seats

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, xDrive30i and M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i and M40i vehicles. The front seatback frames may have been improperly welded, allowing the seatback to unexpectedly fold forward or rearward.

In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.

18V453000 2018-07-06
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and certain 2019 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

18V431000 2018-06-21
Exterior lighting:turn signal

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i and X3 M40i vehicles. The rear turn signals on the outboard side panel will illuminate red, while the inboard turn signals simultaneously illuminate amber. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Turn signals that flash multiple colors may confuse other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

18V374000 2018-06-06
Lane departure: lane keep: steering assist

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i, X3 sDrive30i, and X3 M40i vehicles equipped with the "Active Lane Keeping Assistant" option. The steering wheel may be incompatible with the lane keeping assistant function and may not detect if the driver's hands are off the wheel.

If the sensors do not properly detect the driver's hands are off the wheel, the driver may not be alerted by one or more warning signals, increasing the risk of a crash.

18V154000 2018-03-07
Structure:body

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i and X3 M40i vehicles. The rear spoiler may not have been properly attached during assembly, or may be missing screws, possibly causing the spoiler to detach while driving.

If the spoiler detaches while driving, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 5,900 mi 10 mo in service
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED THE INCORRECT SPEED. THE DEALER (GAULT AUTO SPORT BMW, 2311 NORTH ST, ENDICOTT, NY 13760, (607) 748-9875) INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,900.
Electrical system 14,000 mi 8 mo in service
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REDUCED THE VEHICLE SPEED AND REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WIDE WORLD OF CARS BMW LOCATED AT (125 NY-59, SPRING VALLEY, NY 10977) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO TIRE TREADWEAR. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.
Electrical system 12,500 mi 3.1 yr in service
DIGITAL IMAGE OF SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER NEEDLES SHIFTED TO THE LEFT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY READ THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. CONSISTENT WHEN VEHICLE STATIONARY OR IN MOTION; NEEDLE POSITION WOULD CHANGE WHILE IN MOTION AND CHANGING SPEEDS BUT MAJORITY OF "NEEDLE" NOT VISIBLE. DID NOT RESET AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES. DID RESET AFTER A FEW DAYS.
Engine mileage not reported 6.4 yr in service
The oil filter housing, which is made of plastic, cracked while the vehicle was running on the highway, leading to sudden loss of the all the coolant and engine overheating.

Other X3 model years

2022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004

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