Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 BMW X7, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train15
- Engine13
- Electrical system12
- Unknown or other11
- Suspension5
- Seats5
- Steering5
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Structure3
- Service brakes3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2020 X7 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 0 people died inside them. 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 X7 failed the safety check 0.63% of the time — 46% less often than the average 2020 passenger car (1.18%). Median odometer at inspection: 35,341 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2020
5,160 new BMW X7 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2020; the largest markets were Germany (1,881), the United Kingdom (717), Poland (461).
- Average mass
- 2,490 kg
- Average CO₂
- 238 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 262 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 74% · Petrol 25% · Diesel/electric 0.6% · Petrol/electric 0.5%
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 X7 cars on Dutch roads are the 3.0 petrol (250 kW, 335 hp), 4.4 petrol (390 kW, 523 hp) and 3.0 diesel (195 kW, 261 hp), out of 4 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0 petrol | 250 kW 335 hp | 116 |
| 4.4 petrol | 390 kW 523 hp | 46 |
| 3.0 diesel | 195 kW 261 hp | 29 |
| 3.0 diesel | 294 kW 394 hp | 21 |
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
224 first registered in 2020 are on Dutch roads; 40% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €157,618.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde64
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld58
- Band beschadigd20
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm19
- Band onvoldoende profiel18
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm10
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage8
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht8
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
619 cars built in 2020 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 22 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, 665 of these cars first registered in 2020 took their annual MOT test. 83% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2020 the figure was 88%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 12.8% | 4.9% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Visibility | 0.8% | 2.8% |
| Brakes | 0.6% | 1.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.5% | 0.6% |
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
161 2020 cars are on the New Zealand register; 10% arrived as used imports, 89% 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 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 BMW X7 SUV AWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- 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 3 variants: combined 10.8–13.6 L/100 km (about 17–22 mpg US), CO₂ 254–318 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| X7 xDrive40i · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Premium gasoline | 12.0 | 9.4 | 10.8 |
| X7 M50i · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Premium gasoline | 15.5 | 11.4 | 13.6 |
| X7 xDrive50i · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Premium gasoline | 15.5 | 11.4 | 13.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
9 Transport Canada recalls for the 2020 BMW X7.
| 2026285 9 Jun 2026 | Lights And Instruments Issue: Under certain conditions, the windshield wiping system may not meet certain requirements of Canadian regulations. Safety Risk: This small error do… |
| 2025514 25 Sept 2025 | Engine Issue: On certain vehicles, the recall repairs completed by a BMW dealer during recall 12 83 24RC (Transport Canada recall no. 2024-444) 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… |
| 2024444 1 Aug 2024 | Electrical Issue: On certain vehicles, if you try to start the engine repeatedly, the starter could overheat. If this happens, and nearby components contact the starter,… |
| 2022501 7 Sept 2022 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the springs that lock the backrest for the third-row seat may not have been installed correctly. As a result, the seat backrest ma… |
| 2022202 20 Apr 2022 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could allow you to close the sunroof remotely without the key fob inside the vehicle. Canadian regulations requ… |
| 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… |
| 2020409 1 Sept 2020 | Lights And Instruments Issue: On certain vehicles, the wrong headlight lenses may have been installed. This could cause the headlights to produce blue light. Canadian regulations do… |
| 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 … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 340I, X6, 2020-2025 840I, 2020-2022 740LI, 2019-2020 X7, and X5 vehicles. After repeated attempts, the starter motor may overheat from an electrical overload.
BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2019-2020 X5, X7, 2020 3 Series Sedan, X6, 2020-2021 7 Series Sedan, 2020 8 Series Convertible, 8 Series Coupe, and 2020 8 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. In the event the starter motor fails, repeated attempts to start the vehicle can cause the starter motor to overheat from an electrical overload.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2022 BMW X7 xDrive40i, X7 Drive50i, X7 M50i vehicles with third-row seats. One or more of the compression springs that lock the backrest may not have been installed properly, and could dislodge or detach.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive); 2019-2022 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M; 2021-2022 X5 xdrive45e; 2020-2022 X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6M and 2019-2023 X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, X7 xDrive60i, X7 M60i, X7M, Alpina XB7 vehicles. The roof function control unit may be programmed incorrectly, allowing the sunroof to close without the key fob present inside the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
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 8 Series Coupe, Grand Coupe and convertible 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8 and 740 Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750 Li xDrive, M760 Li xDrive, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xdrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, and 2019-2021 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, and 2021 M3, M3 Competition, M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, X5 xDrive45e, 745 Le xDrive. The rotor and shaft within the integrated brake system may not have been welded properly and could separate during a hard braking event, possibly resulting in a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and braking assistance.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 M50i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i and X6M vehicles and 2021 X5 xDrive45e vehicles. The weld between the front axle support and the right front control arm bearing bracket may separate.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X6 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, X6 M50i, X6M, X7 M50i and 2021 X5 xDrive45e vehicles. The headlamps may allow a blue light to illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive 40i, X5 xDrive 40i and one X7 xDrive 40i vehicle. The starter motor may have an extra bolt that could potentially fall into the transmission housing and cause an engine stall.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X7 xDrive40i and X7 xDrive50i vehicles. The rear reflex reflectors may not reflect an adequate amount of light. 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."
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 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i and X7 M50i vehicles. The steering rack pinion teeth may break under load, resulting in a loss of steering control.
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 X7: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11012089 | HEAD RESTRAINT AND/OR BACKREST OF 3RD ROW SEATS CANNOT BE FOLDED DOWN |
| 11012075 | the NVLD modules limited warranty for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the vehicles original in-service / first delivery date. |
| 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. |
| 10252280 | The connection between the LED module and the light tube inside the upper/top headlamp housing is damaged. |
| 10252279 | The seat leather upholstery detaches from the front of the thigh support (aka knee bolster) of either front seat. |
| 10252135 | After performing a BMW Remote Software Upgrade (RSU), the functionality of the Comfort Access andPassive Go/Exit features may be reduced. Also, one or more of the following error memory entries below may be stored in the Basic Central Platform(BCP) module. 80424A Remote control receiver at the front (FBD5 VM): Programming defective 80424B Remote control receiver at the rear (FBD5 HM): Programming defective 80424C Remote control receiver at the front left (FBD5s VL): Programming defective 80424D Remote control receiver at the front right (FBD5s VR): Programming defective 80424E Remote con |
| 10252038 | Check Control message (CCM) indicates: (ID 213): Stop, exercising due care. Voltage supply The Service Engine Soon light is on with the following DME Fault Code: 21B209 - Starter alternator / belt for 48V system (OSA_RIEMEN_RISS): Belt betweenCombustion engine and starter generator torn And/or one or more of the following other issues are also occurring: Noise in the area of the belt drive. Odor from the engine compartment. Smoke formation in the area of the belt drive. Drive belt damaged or prematurely worn. Torn drive belt. |
| 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. |
| 10252023 | The original Conditioned Based Service (CBS) Key data point closed with 23-07 soft ware, all CBS systems are now collectively under analysis. |
| 10252016 | Deactivated: Currently investigating other components that maybe playing a factors besides what is mentioned in the SIB. Topic is under investigation. |
| 10250893 | SITUATION BMW AG is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Recall (effective April 23, 2021) on a certain Model Year 2020 - 2021 BMW vehicles that were produced between August 13, 2019 and December 11, 2020. Do not deliver to a customer, a New, Certified Pre-Owned or Used vehicle subject to an emissions recall, until the vehicle is repaired. Do not use or sell replacement equipment/parts subject to an emissions recall. The 12 V batterys dual storage system (DSS) may contain a software error which intermittently causes a continuous resetting of the microcontroller and communication failure. T |
| 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. |
| 10249031 | Check Engine light is on IHKA has stored fault 80131C IHKA: 12V voltage sensor plausibility |
| 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. |
| 10249025 | The roller sunshade (aka sun protection or sunblind) of the front panoramic sunroof is bunching up during operation or may hang down and appear loose. |
| 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. |
| 10249017 | SITUATION Unusual noises occur only when operating the steering column in the axial direction. 1. A one-time thump sound at the start of movement Shortly after the steering column starts moving, retracting, or extending, a one-time thump noise is heard. See attached video V32 03 23 2. Humming noise while steering column extends in the axial direction. The sound is only heard when the steering column is extended, not when the steering column is retracted. When the steering column starts to move in the extended direction, the humming noise can be heard. See attached video V32 04 23 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 10247567 | Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel pressure system, electric fuel pump: pressure value too low CDA594 - Message (- 0x33E) missing, receiver DME, transmitter TFE |
| 10246302 | Two areas of the third-row seat backrest that may cause a noise concern have been added. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)