Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW X6, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train1
- Suspension1
- Steering1
- Service brakes1
- Tires1
- Unknown or other1
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
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2018 BMW X6 failed the safety check 0.91% of the time — 45% less often than the average 2018 passenger car (1.65%). Median odometer at inspection: 53,678 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2018
7,826 new BMW X6 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2018; the largest markets were Germany (2,491), the United Kingdom (2,249), Poland (640).
- Average mass
- 2,171 kg
- Average CO₂
- 227 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 226 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 92% · Petrol 7.6%
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
In the Netherlands
68 first registered in 2018 are on Dutch roads; 65% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €125,860.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde30
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm11
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm8
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld6
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht6
- Band onvoldoende profiel5
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage4
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,971 cars built in 2018 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 37 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, 2,135 of these cars first registered in 2018 took their annual MOT test. 88% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2018 the figure was 84%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2018 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Visibility | 2.9% | 3.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.5% | 1.0% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.4% | 4.0% |
| Brakes | 0.9% | 2.9% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.9% | 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 New Zealand
21 2018 cars are on the New Zealand register; 38% arrived as used imports, 57% 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; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 BMW X6 SUV AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2018 BMW X6 SUV RWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.5–13.5 L/100 km (about 17–20 mpg US), CO₂ 270–317 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| X6 xDrive35i · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Premium gasoline | 13.0 | 9.8 | 11.5 |
| X6 xDrive50i · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Premium gasoline | 15.4 | 11.2 | 13.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 2018 BMW X6.
| 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… |
| 2019582 18 Nov 2019 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, the attachment points for the lower universal anchorage system (for attaching a child seat) could be damaged over time. As a resul… |
| 2018496 12 Sept 2018 | Wheels On certain vehicles, the wheel bolts may not have been properly tightened. This could cause a wheel could become loose and fall off the vehicle, increasing the … |
| 2018353 28 Jun 2018 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the front left lower control arm pivot bolt may not have been properly hardened during the manufacturing process. This could cause the fron… |
| 2017568 17 Nov 2017 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the lower control arm suspension bolts may not have been tightened properly during the manufacturing process. Loose lower control arm suspe… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2015-2019 X6 sDrive35i, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6M vehicles equipped with rear seat lower anchor bars used in securing child restraint seats. The lower anchor bars may become damaged over time when used with an ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X6 sDrive35i, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6M vehicles. The wheel bolts on these vehicles may not have been properly tightened.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 xDrive35d, and X6 sDrive35i vehicles. The pivot bolt on the front lower-left control arm may not have been properly hardened, which may cause the control arm to break.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 SAV, X5 M SAV, X6 SAV, and X6 M SAV vehicles. Bolts that secure the front suspension may not have been properly tightened.
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 2018 BMW X6: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010768 | For this vehicle, the engine coolant thermostat limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles, as determined from the original in-service date. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 10247578 | When using the Key Reader to retrieve CBS information from the customer key, no current vehicle data is available, or the data does not match the maintenance schedule. |
| 10245422 | Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicles equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation (folding the mirrors/blinking confirmation) is noticeable. Additionally, the red anti-theft alarm LED in the interior mirror does not briefly flash every 2 seconds, indicating the alarm is armed. |
| 10245377 | When using the Key Reader to retrieve CBS information from the customer key, no current vehicle data is available, or the data does not match the maintenance schedule. |
| 10244258 | Second seat row blocking access to third seat row, program seat modules. Visible stitching on first row sport seat. Third seat row backrest Bowden cable routing and length change. |
| 10244242 | Various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (ADCAM system) can lead to customer complaints. |
| 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. |
| 10238090 | After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails. |
| 10238062 | With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Isley, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft and BMW of North America, LLC. The Settlement Benefits are effective and available on and after February 9, 2022. Note: This bulletin is a notice of a Class Action Settlement Service Campaign benefits that are now available. |
| 10235205 | The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, BMW Assistance, and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice cont |
| 10230716 | With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Isley, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft and BMW of North America, LLC. |
| 10227568 | According to the customer, the airbag warning light was on, but it may not be illuminated when the vehicle arrives in the workshop. 1. ACSM fault code "930A60 - Seat occupancy detection, front passenger; malfunction" is stored. The fault may or may not currently be present. Or 2. ACSM fault code "930A1C - Front passenger seat occupancy detection transmitting fault(moisture)" is stored. The fault may or may not currently be present. |
| 10225127 | The Lane Change Warning (LCW) yellow triangle symbol on either one, or both the exterior side view mirrors does not illuminate to alert the driver when it should. |
| 10225126 | Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. |
| 10225115 | Customer is unable to power up or charge accessories through a plug adapter inserted in the front 12-volt power socket plug. Alternatively, it will only operate when constant downward hand pressure is maintained. |
| 10225114 | The front sunroof glass seal has shrunk, creating a gap which can cause wind noise or excess water entry. |
| 10225107 | Coolant is leaking from under the car which is equipped with the S63 engine. A low coolant warning might also be displayed (CC Message ID166). |
| 10224212 | Driver Assistance reduced checked control message (CCM) appears. All or some of the system functions maybe inoperative. The following fault will be stored: 481CC6. |
| 10218384 | Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. Note: Opening, closing and starting via the BMW Digital Key or the Digital Key Card are not affected. |
| 10218382 | A check control message for the restraint system appears. In the Instrument cluster, the red air bag warning light lights up permanently. One of the following fault codes 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. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation