Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 BMW X3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system34
- Unknown or other26
- Engine23
- Structure11
- Vehicle speed control8
- Steering5
- Power train5
- Forward collision avoidance5
- Exterior lighting5
- Service brakes5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 18 2021 X3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 7 people died inside them, and 5 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 2021 BMW X3 failed the safety check 0.52% of the time — 45% less often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 23,197 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2021
54,667 new BMW X3 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2021; the largest markets were Germany (24,226), Italy (5,448), France (5,373).
- Average mass
- 1,968 kg
- Average CO₂
- 129 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 156 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 52% · Petrol/electric 33% · Petrol 15%
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
Real-world fuel consumption
17,656 BMW X3 cars first registered in Europe in 2021 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel hybrid versions use 7.2 l/100 km on the road against 6.1 in the WLTP test (+18%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,536 | 9.9 | 8.6 | +15% |
| Petrol hybrid | 308 | 9.0 | 7.9 | +14% |
| Diesel hybrid | 9,679 | 7.2 | 6.1 | +18% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 6,133 | 6.9 | 2.1 | +233% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
Engines
The most common engines in 2021 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 hybrid (120 kW, 161 hp), out of 8 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 hybrid | 135 kW 181 hp | 2,769 |
| 2.0 petrol | 135 kW 181 hp | 320 |
| 2.0 hybrid | 120 kW 161 hp | 112 |
| 2.0 petrol | 185 kW 248 hp | 85 |
| 3.0 petrol | 265 kW 355 hp | 58 |
| 3.0 petrol | 375 kW 503 hp | 36 |
| 2.0 hybrid | 140 kW 188 hp | 33 |
| 3.0 hybrid | 265 kW 355 hp | 22 |
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
3,503 first registered in 2021 are on Dutch roads; 73% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €75,519.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde403
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld174
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm131
- Band onvoldoende profiel119
- Band beschadigd71
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht66
- Mistlicht voor onjuist afgesteld14
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)13
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
10,106 cars built in 2021 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 41 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, 573 of these cars first registered in 2021 took their annual MOT test. 93% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2021 the figure was 91%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.5% | 3.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 0.7% | 2.9% |
| Brakes | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Visibility | 0.5% | 1.6% |
| Road Wheels | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0.3% | 0.3% |
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 New Zealand
231 2021 cars are on the New Zealand register; 5% arrived as used imports, 94% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 BMW X3 SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.1 % |
| 2021 BMW X3 SUV RWD | ★★★★★ | 17.2 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- 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 9.3–14.6 L/100 km (about 16–25 mpg US), CO₂ 217–339 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| X3 xDrive30i · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 10.2 | 8.2 | 9.3 |
| 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
10 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 BMW X3.
| 2026331 8 Jul 2026 | Engine Issue: On certain vehicles, the engine starter may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the starter could overheat. Note: This recall is an exp… |
| 2026040 30 Jan 2026 | Engine Issue: On certain vehicles, the engine starter may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the starter could overheat. Safety Risk: A starter … |
| 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 … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Toyota Supra, 2022-2023 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2024 5 Series (xDrive), 2021-2022 Z4, 2022-2024 4 Series (Gran Coupe), 2021-2024 4 Series (Convertible and xDrive Convertible), 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe), 2021-2024 3 Series, 2021-2023 X4, 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.
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 2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, and X4, and 2021 X4 xDrive30i vehicles. The inlet check valve weld may fail, allowing the filling pipe to separate from the fuel tank.
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 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 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 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.
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 2021 BMW X3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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. |
| 10242692 | While driving the vehicle on normal roads at 10mph and above, a "cracking" sound from the top of the B-pillar(s) is heard. |
| 10242690 | ?Disturbing noises (thump/pop) when reversing slowly near the steering wheel limit position; for example, when leaving a parking space. |
| 10242686 | ?An unapproved nut was used for the ground point for the chassis ground. |
| 10242529 | 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. |
| 10239611 | Headlight check control (CC) message 128 "High beam headlight failure" is displayed. The following fault codes are stored during a vehicle test: 80419A - Left high-beam headlight: Short circuit and/or 8041A5 - light outputs: Number of permitted short circuit cycles exceeded |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)