InsightArise CarsU.S. Owner Complaint Index
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2018 BMW X3 problems, complaints & recalls

Far fewer Falling

NHTSA has received 73 owner complaints about the 2018 BMW X3, or 8.4 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.20, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #12 for fewest complaints per year. Against other BMW models its rate is 28% lower; against other Luxury SUVs it is 44% lower.

Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count

Complaints filed between 2018-02-09 and 2026-08-14. Median delay from incident to filing: 12 days.

73Complaints
8.4Complaints per year on the road
0.2Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
11Recalls
8.2%Share involving a crash or fire
15Last 12 months

Analysis

The following model year (2019) drew 21.8 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 13 complaints, 85% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.

The most common problem area is Engine (27.4% of complaints), followed by Electrical (26.0%) and Body & structure (13.7%). Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “coolant”, “housing”, “oil filter”, “plastic” and “leaking”. 6 reports (8.2%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 2 injuries and 0 deaths.

Half of the reported incidents happened within 77 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (64% of incidents). In the last 12 months 15 new complaints were filed, versus 23 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.

NHTSA lists 11 safety recalls for this model year. 59% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.

Complaint index

  • vs. all tracked vehicles0.2
  • vs. other BMW models0.72
  • vs. other 2018 models0.17
  • vs. other Luxury SUVs0.56
  • Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (13)0.15
  • #12 of 73 · 2018Rankings ›

1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.

Other model years

  • 20188.4 per year0.2
  • 201921.8 per year0.52
  • 202016.3 per year0.39
  • 202118.7 per year0.44
  • 202215.0 per year0.36
  • 20233.0 per year0.07
  • 202413.5 per year0.32
  • 202520.3 per year0.48

BMW X3 problems, complaints & recalls by model year ›

What owners complain about

  • Engine20 · 27.4% · 1.23×
  • Electrical19 · 26.0% · 1.65×
  • Body & structure10 · 13.7% · 1.49×
  • Interior & equipment7 · 9.6% · 1.07×
  • Airbags & seat belts5 · 6.8% · 1.78×
  • Brakes4 · 5.5% · 0.91×
  • Steering4 · 5.5% · 0.85×
  • Driver-assist systems2 · 2.7% · 0.47×

vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average

Engine · Common terms in reports

  • coolant14
  • housing9
  • oil filter7
  • plastic6
  • leaking7
  • temperature6

Electrical · Common terms in reports

  • headlights4
  • flash3
  • instrument cluster3
  • dash4
  • speed6
  • garage3

Body & structure · Common terms in reports

  • structure recall3
  • notification structure3
  • motion3
  • confirms available3
  • tool confirms3
  • opened3

Problem areas: Electrical · Engine · Body & structure · Interior & equipment

When complaints were filed

2018: 7 7 2018 2019: 6 6 2019 2020: 5 5 2020 2021: 2 2 2021 2022: 3 3 2022 2023: 5 5 2023 2024: 14 14 2024 2025: 24 24 2025 2026: 7 7 2026
  • Crashes reported: 4
  • Fires reported: 2
  • Injuries: 2
  • Deaths: 0

Vehicle age at incident

  • <1 yr17.8%
  • 1–2 yrs4.1%
  • 2–3 yrs4.1%
  • 3–5 yrs9.6%
  • 5+ yrs64.4%

Median age at incident: 77 months

What owners report

Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.

Segment peers · 2018 · Luxury SUVs

ModelsComplaintsComplaints per year on the roadComplaint index
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE566.50.15
2018 BMW X5708.10.19
2018 BMW X3738.40.2
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC9911.40.27
2018 Audi Q714116.30.39
2018 Acura MDX16519.00.45
2018 Audi Q520123.20.55

Safety recalls (11)

STRUCTURE Campaign 24V764000 · 2024-10-15

Summary: 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.

Risk: Interior rear cargo rail detachment during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicles in this recall were previously remedied for this issue under recall number 24V-534 and will need to have the new repair completed.

STRUCTURE Campaign 24V534000 · 2024-07-17

Summary: 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.

Risk: Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL Campaign 21V521000 · 2021-07-08

Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.

Risk: A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat foam, which includes the occupant classification system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL Campaign 20V152000 · 2020-03-18

Summary: 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.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag could damage the instrument panel and cause small pieces of the panel to strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA Campaign 19V684000 · 2019-09-27

Summary: 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."

Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

SEATS Campaign 19V563000 · 2019-07-31

Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, xDrive30i and M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i and M40i vehicles. The front seatback frames may have been improperly welded, allowing the seatback to unexpectedly fold forward or rearward.

Risk: In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seats, free of charge. The recall began September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service 1-800-525-7417.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER Campaign 18V453000 · 2018-07-06

Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and certain 2019 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the rear brake circuit, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL Campaign 18V431000 · 2018-06-21

Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i and X3 M40i vehicles. The rear turn signals on the outboard side panel will illuminate red, while the inboard turn signals simultaneously illuminate amber. 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."

Risk: Turn signals that flash multiple colors may confuse other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear turn signal lights, and replace if necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: STEERING ASSIST Campaign 18V374000 · 2018-06-06

Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i, X3 sDrive30i, and X3 M40i vehicles equipped with the "Active Lane Keeping Assistant" option. The steering wheel may be incompatible with the lane keeping assistant function and may not detect if the driver's hands are off the wheel.

Risk: If the sensors do not properly detect the driver's hands are off the wheel, the driver may not be alerted by one or more warning signals, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 19, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

STRUCTURE:BODY Campaign 18V154000 · 2018-03-07

Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i and X3 M40i vehicles. The rear spoiler may not have been properly attached during assembly, or may be missing screws, possibly causing the spoiler to detach while driving.

Risk: If the spoiler detaches while driving, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spoiler, correcting its attachment as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 1, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL Campaign 17V719000 · 2017-11-15

Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2, and X3 xDrive 30i SAV vehicles. These vehicles may have an error in the software for the instrument panel, causing the display to not properly illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."

Risk: If the display does not illuminate during start up or does not illuminate various control and warning symbols while driving, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster display software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

How to check whether your car has an open recall ›

Investigations

No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints were filed for the 2018 BMW X3?

73 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2018 BMW X3, or about 8.4 per year on the road.

What is the most common problem reported for the 2018 BMW X3?

The most common category is Engine, accounting for 27.4% of complaints.

Does the 2018 BMW X3 have any recalls?

NHTSA lists 11 safety recall(s) for this model year.

Is the 2018 BMW X3 still generating complaints?

In the last 12 months 15 new complaints were filed, versus 23 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.

How does the 2018 BMW X3 compare with similar vehicles?

NHTSA has received 73 owner complaints about the 2018 BMW X3, or 8.4 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.20, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #12 for fewest complaints per year. Against other BMW models its rate is 28% lower; against other Luxury SUVs it is 44% lower.