Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 BMW X3 SAV, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags15
- Steering3
- Structure2
- Engine2
- Electrical system2
- Unknown or other1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Visibility1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive, 335is and M3 Coupes and Convertibles, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i SAVs, 2007-2010 X3 xDrive30i SAVs, 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M SAVs, 2009-2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d SAVs, 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M SACs, 2010-2011 BMW X6 xDrive50i SACs and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i Convertible, 528i Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535i xDrive Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, and X3 xDrive 35i, 2010 X3 xDrive 30i, and X5 xDrive 30i, 2012 640i Coupe, and 640i Convertible and 2010-2012 535i Gran Turismo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and may possibly break.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 2010 BMW X3 SAV: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10253326 | While driving the vehicle on normal roads at10mph and above, a "cracking" sound from the top of the B-pillar(s) is heard. |
| 10249437 | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
| 10249027 | The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. |
| 10182619 | Discharged Battery Energy Diagnosis Must Be Performed: The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle "discharged battery" complaints. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time in the workshop, it is very important that the diagnostic test plans are performed to completion, with all results taken into consideration. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root caus |
| 10057568 | BMW: ON SOME VEHICLES, WHEN STARTING, LOW BEAM, WITH 0552 OPTION, WOULD BRIEFLY FLASHES, DUE TO A FAULTY LED MAIN LIGHT MODULE THAT NEEDS REPLACING. MODEL 2008-14 F01, F02, F06, F07, F10, F12, F13, F25. *PE |
| 10057566 | BMW: SOME VEHICLES, WITH 552 OPTION, ARE EXPERIENCING A MALFUNCTION OF LED HEADLIGHT ON ONE WHERE IT FLICKERS ON AN DOFF DURING DRIVING AND THE CONTROL CHECK MESSAGE IS INDICATING DEFECTIVE DRIVING LIGHT OR PARKING LIGHT. *PE |
| 10057527 | BMW: SELECTIVE CATALYST REDUCTION MODULE (SCR) HAS A STORED FAULT, PRESSURE BUILD UP IS LOW, CAUSING SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. * |
| 10057341 | BMW: MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT FOR ENGINE IS ILLUMINATED DUE TO PURGE AIR SYSTEM MICRO LEAKAGE AND VENTILATION OF FUEL TANK FROM CONTAMINATION. *PE |
| 10057335 | BMW: THE CAMSHAFT (VANOS) ADJUSTMENT UNITS, ON CERTAIN VEHICLE, HAD THE LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENDED, WITHOUT THE LIMITATION OF MILEAGE, TO 10 YEARS. *PE |
| 10056324 | BMW: IN SOME VEHICLES, WHEN THE K CAN2 WIRING IS SHORTED, NO COMMUNICATION WITH ANY CONTROL MODULES (BOX ELECTRONICS, TELEMATIC CONTROL MODULE,CAR ACCESS SYSTEM, RADIO/NAVIGATION, CENTRAL GATEWAY MODEL OR FOOTWELL MODULE) DURING VEHICLE TESTING, NO ENGAGEMENT OF TRANSMISSION GEARS, FAIL TO START, WHEN DRIVING, WILL STOP RUNNING. MODEL F25 (X3). *PE |
| 10056099 | BMW: WHEN USING IPHONE, VARIOUS CONNECTIVITY FAILURES OCCUR, SUCH AS DISCONNECTION OF CALL, LIST OF CONTACTS INCOMPLETE, DUE TO THE VARIANTS AND SOFTWARE USED. MODEL 2008-2014. |
| 10053326 | BMW: DIFFERENT FAULT CODES STORED FOR THE N51, N52K, N52T, AND N55 ENGINES IN THE DME RELATED TO VANOS AND CAMSHAFT POSITION. *KB UPDATED 11/1/13. *PE UPDATED 05/05/2014 *JS |
| 10052360 | BMW: SOME VEHICLE ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE A DELAY IN RESPONSE TO ACCELERATION, AFTER SLOWING DOWN, DUE TO AN UNFAVORABLE SOFTWARE CALIBRATION. MODELS F10, 25, 07, E70, 71. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10052358 | BMW: ON SOME VEHICLES, THE ALTERNATOR WOULD MALFUNCTION, DUE TO SPORADICALLY CHARGING OR NOT CHARGE AT ALL, INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN ENGINE'S AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE. MODELS F10, F25. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10052012 | BMW: BATTERY HAS AN INCREASED DEMAND DUE TO DEVELOPEMENTAL PROCESS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS IS CAUSING THE BATTER TO NEED TO UNDERGO AN ENERGY DIAGNOSIS. *KB |
| 10051899 | INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY IS INTERMITTENTLY INOPERATIVE. BMW F25, AND F30 MODELS. *KB |
| 10051459 | BMW: DSC WARNING LIGHT IS ON. THE WARNING LAMPS FOR DSC, ABS AND BRAKE WARNING ILLUMINATED. THERE MAY ALSO BE A WARNING IN THE CONTROL DISPLAY FOR CHASSIS CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE. *JS |
| 10045283 | BMW: EXPERIENCING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP IS ILLUMINATED, A NOISE, LIKE RATTLING, COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *PE UPDATED 10/31/12. *PE MODELS 2010 E70, 71, 82, 88, 90, 92, 93, F07, 10, 12, 13, 25. UPDATED 1/18/13. *PE UPDATED 4/18/2013. *KB UPDATED 05/13/2013 *JS UPDATED 5/19/15. *PE |
| 10044679 | BMW: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEFECT IN THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER THAT FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10044026 | BMW: HEAVY CONDENSATION ON XENON HEADLIGHTS. IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS OR HIGH HUMIDTY, CONDENSATION MAY BUILD UP INSIDE ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHT(S). THE CONDENSATION IS STILL PRESENT EVEN AFTER A FEW DRY DAYS. *JS |
| 10044023 | BMW:VARIOUS FUNCTIONS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAIL. IN RARE CASES, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT START. ONE OF THE 100-AMP FUSES IN THE REAR POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX (X3) MOUNTED ON THE BATTERY HAS FAILED. *JS UPDATED ON 4/25/2013. *KB |
| 10043865 | BMW: GAUGE NEEDLES RANDOMLY STOP IN WRONG POSITION ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, MOVING THE WRONG WAY, SHOWING INCORRECT VALUES AND REMAIN IN WRONG POSITION AFTER IGNITION IS SWITCHED OFF. |
| 10043862 | BMW: ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION AND VARIOUS CHECK CONTROL MESSAGES ARE DISPLAYED IN CID (CENTRAL INFORMATION DISPLAY) AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *PE MODELS 2009-2012 E70, E71, E72, E82, E88, E90, E91, E92, E93, F01, F02, F04, F07, F10, F12, F13, F25. UPDATED 11/2/12. *PE |
| 10041407 | BMW: SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON AND THE ENGINE HAS REDUCED POWER WITH TROUBLE CODES STORED. *RM UPDATED ON 4/24/2013. *KB |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation