Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 BMW X3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system35
- Engine26
- Unknown or other17
- Power train14
- Air bags8
- Structure8
- Fuel/propulsion system6
- Exterior lighting4
- Forward collision avoidance3
- Vehicle speed control3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 21 2020 X3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2020 BMW X3 failed the safety check 0.68% of the time — 42% less often than the average 2020 passenger car (1.18%). Median odometer at inspection: 30,352 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2020
58,704 new BMW X3 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2020; the largest markets were Germany (23,420), the United Kingdom (7,849), France (4,662).
- Average mass
- 1,911 kg
- Average CO₂
- 153 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 158 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 61% · Petrol/electric 20% · Petrol 19%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2020 BMW X3 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 hybrid (135 kW, 181 hp), 2.0 petrol (135 kW, 181 hp) and 2.0 petrol (185 kW, 248 hp), out of 8 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 hybrid | 135 kW 181 hp | 1,273 |
| 2.0 petrol | 135 kW 181 hp | 627 |
| 2.0 petrol | 185 kW 248 hp | 240 |
| 3.0 petrol | 265 kW 355 hp | 129 |
| 1.6 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 121 |
| 2.0 hybrid | 120 kW 161 hp | 76 |
| 3.0 petrol | 375 kW 503 hp | 44 |
| 2.0 diesel | 140 kW 188 hp | 20 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
2,610 first registered in 2020 are on Dutch roads; 64% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €76,786.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde572
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld214
- Band onvoldoende profiel168
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm146
- Band beschadigd128
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht120
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage24
- Bandenspanning op 1 as niet gelijk17
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
7,393 cars built in 2020 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 61 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 7,799 of these cars first registered in 2020 took their annual MOT test. 90% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2020 the figure was 88%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 6.3% | 4.9% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.2% | 3.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Visibility | 1.0% | 2.8% |
| Brakes | 0.5% | 1.8% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.3% | 0.2% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
5 of these cars first registered in 2020 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
228 2020 cars are on the New Zealand register; 9% arrived as used imports, 91% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 BMW X3 SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.1 % |
| 2020 BMW X3 SUV RWD | ★★★★★ | 17.2 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 9.2–14.6 L/100 km (about 16–26 mpg US), CO₂ 215–339 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| X3 xDrive30i · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 10.0 | 8.2 | 9.2 |
| X3 M40i · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 11.3 | 8.7 | 10.1 |
| X3 M · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 16.6 | 12.1 | 14.6 |
| X3 M Competition · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 16.6 | 12.1 | 14.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
12 Transport Canada recalls for the 2020 BMW X3.
| 2025499 23 Sept 2025 | Electrical Issue: On certain vehicles, water could leak into the starter relay and cause it to corrode. If this happens, the relay could short circuit and the starter co… |
| 2024609 15 Oct 2024 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, the recall repairs completed by a BMW dealer during recall 51 84 24RC (Transport Canada recall no. 2024-410) may not be effective. … |
| 2024544 15 Aug 2024 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "N… |
| 2024410 17 Jul 2024 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, the cargo area tie down rails could detach in a rear crash. Safety Risk: A cargo rail that detaches in a crash could create … |
| 2021596 24 Sept 2021 | High Voltage Issue: On certain plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), debris may have entered the high-voltage battery during production. As a result, the battery could s… |
| 2021479 3 Aug 2021 | Brakes Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the vacuum pump to be damaged during engine starting. If this happens, there could be a loss of bra… |
| 2021078 18 Feb 2021 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to appear correctly in the central display. Canadian regulations requ… |
| 2020464 30 Sept 2020 | High Voltage Issue: On certain plug-In hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), debris may have entered the high-voltage battery during production. As a result, the battery could … |
| 2020116 19 Mar 2020 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, there may be a problem with the front seat belt buckle sensors. This could cause the seat belt warnings to turn on, even if the fr… |
| 2019521 16 Oct 2019 | Steering Issue: On certain vehicles, the steering pinion gear was manufactured incorrectly. As a result, the gear could break and cause a loss of steering. Safety … |
| 2019480 1 Oct 2019 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, the rearview camera does not return to the default settings when it turns on. This could make the rearview image difficult to see … |
| 2019470 25 Sept 2019 | Steering Issue: On certain xDrive models, the front axle swivel bearing(s) (steering knuckles) may break due to a manufacturing defect. This could affect handling and … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 BMW 330i, 2019-2022 BMW Z4, 2020-2022 BMW 530i, X3, X4, Toyota Supra, 2021-2022 BMW 430i, 430i Convertible, and 2022 BMW 230i vehicles. The engine starter relay may corrode, causing the relay to overheat and short circuit.
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.
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.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, 2020-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, 2021 X3 xDrive30e, X4 xDrive30i, and X4M vehicles. The seat frame may not have been welded properly to the seat rails.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 M340i, M340i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, X3 M40i, 2020-2021 X4 M40i, 745Le xDrive, 2019-2021 Z4 M40i, and 2020-2021 Toyota Supra vehicles. During engine start, the engine management software may cause loss of braking assist. Full mechanical braking (without assist) remains available.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 530e iPerformance and X3 xDrive30e and MINI Cooper Countryman All4 SE, 2020 BMW i8, and 2021 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le xDrive and X5 xDrive45e vehicles. Debris may have entered one or more of the hybrid battery cells during their production.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 330e and X5 xDrive45e, 2020-2021 X3 xDrive30e, and 2020 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 vehicles. Loose welding beads may form a conductive path between the hybrid battery cells which could lead to a short-circuit.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X3 sDrive40i, X3 xDrive40i and X3M40i vehicles. These vehicles were not programmed with rearview camera software during assembly, therefore, when the transmission is shifted to reverse, a rearview image is not displayed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 Z4 sDrive30i, 2019-2020 330i xDrive, M340i and M340i xDrive, 2020 X3M and X4M, and Toyota Supra vehicles. In certain driving conditions, such as high temperatures and rough road surfaces, a steering gear tie rod may become damaged, possibly resulting in a fractured tie rod.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X3 xDrive30e, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, X4M, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, 840i Gran Coupe, 840i xDrive Gran Coupe, M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, M8 Gran Coupe, X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, and 840i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The sensors in the front seat belt buckles may inaccurately detect a belted occupant as unbelted, possibly causing the air bag and seat belt pretensioners to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
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.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 BMW X3 M40i and X4 M40i vehicles. The steering rack pinion teeth may break under load, resulting in a loss of steering control.
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 Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, and X3 M40i vehicles, X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front axle swivel bearings may not have been properly heat treated during manufacturing, reducing their strength and possibly causing them to 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 2020 BMW X3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11012074 | the NVLD limited emissionrelated warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date. |
| 11012067 | The NVLD limited emission related warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date. |
| 11012066 | The NVLD limited emission related warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date |
| 11009427 | The customer states that one or more of the following situations may occur: 1. The availability of the Steering and Lane Control Assistant is deteriorating, and/or that the function allows thevehicle to move from side to side within the lane markings. 2. The parking space detection is less effective or hardly ever receives any parking space recommendations fromthe PMA. |
| 11008994 | DELIVERY STOP: REAR CARGO RAILS |
| 10253326 | While driving the vehicle on normal roads at10mph and above, a "cracking" sound from the top of the B-pillar(s) is heard. |
| 10252033 | During inspection and/or diagnosis there is noticeable dirt/grease buildup on the axles near the inner and/o router CV boots. |
| 10252031 | One or more of the LED daytime running lights are dim or discolored. |
| 10250374 | An interference noise (groaning noise) can be heard from within the heating and air-conditioning unit in thecenter of the instrument panel. The groaning noise always occurs when either a ventilation flap, air stratification flap or the recirculated airflap moves to a different position. Due to the complex design of the heating and air-conditioning unit, the kinematics causing it (top or bottom,left or right) may not be able to be precisely located. Depending on the vehicle model, the number of servomotors (and the associated kinematics unit) varies.Various models use either 2 or 3 servomoto |
| 10249437 | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
| 10249425 | The Check Control message below appears even though the coolant level is not below minimum when theengine is cold. Check Control message (ID 166): Top up coolant. |
| 10249032 | The Central Information Display goes black intermittently due to resets of the Head Unit (HU-H3). FaultB7F8F9 HU-H: Reset will be stored in the HU-H3. |
| 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. |
| 10249024 | This bulletin outlines known areas of possible water entry, operational noise, or wind noise for the vehicles listed above. It serves only as a diagnostic resource in troubleshooting complaints from the roof area. This bulletin and the associated attachments are designed to provide one single diagnostic resource for troubleshooting all known issues related to the panoramic sunroof of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles which have quality improvement measures already in place. |
| 10249018 | At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21. |
| 10249016 | With the vehicle is on a lift and the front struts are in the extended position, there may be a cracking and orclicking type noise when turning the steering wheel left/right. See attached video V31 01 24. The sound can reoccur when the vehicle is lowered, and the wheels are once again under load. The noise might also be heard for a short time while driving. |
| 10249015 | A vehicle arrives at your center to be diagnosed for a micro-leak in the fuel evaporative (EVAP) system(NVLD natural vacuum leak detection). For this condition, the following fault is stored in the DME: 190302 - fuel tank ventilation and scavenging air system, micro-leak: leakage more than 0.5mm For: Model vehicles other that the ones listed above, or for EVAP faults related to a large leak, after confirming that the fuel filler cap is fitted properly, then, proceed to follow the corresponding test plan |
| 10247574 | A noise can be heard from underneath the seat while the seat is being moved either forwards or backwards. This can occur to the drivers and/or the passengers front seat. |
| 10246225 | A check control message (CCM) for the restraint system (Air bag) appears. In the instrument cluster, the red air bag warning light lights up permanently. One of the following fault codes is stored in the ACSM (air bag control unit): 930949 - Knee airbag, driver: short circuit to negative terminal 93094F - Knee airbag, front passenger: short circuit to negative terminal 93094C - Knee airbag driver's side: Resistance too great 930952 - Knee airbag, front passenger: Resistance too great |
| 10244239 | This situation can result in two customer complaints: 1. Wind noise 2. Excess water entry |
| 10242879 | A groaning noise is present from the door frame of any door, most commonly when driving over rough roadsor during body flex. This situation may be worse in vehicles which are regularly waxed in the area of the door jamb. Note: This service information bulletin contains diagnostic and repair information which was previouslyincluded in an NED test plan that has been removed. |
| 10242874 | Customers may be experiencing one or more of these following issues with Bluetooth operation: Bluetooth cannot be switched on or off in the head unit (HU-H4) Paired mobile devices cannot be deleted Customer is unable to make phone calls or stream music with mobile device Customer is unable to connect a new mobile device via Bluetooth Mobile device does not automatically reconnect via Bluetooth in the next drive cycle (after short sleep cycle) |
| 10242872 | The customer states that one or more of the following situations may occur: 1. The availability of the Steering and Lane Control Assistant is deteriorating, and/or that the function allows thevehicle to move from side to side within the lane markings. 2. The parking space detection is less effective or hardly ever receives any parking space recommendations fromthe PMA. |
| 10242699 | ?When driving over uneven pavement or cobblestones, a knocking noise is present from the passenger side front area (A pillar). Once the vehicle is driven on a flat, even surface; the noise is no longer present. |
| 10242696 | ?Water leaking into the vehicle from the headliner/microphone area. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)