124 of the 606 complaints about the BMW X3 (20.5%) concern Engine, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 0.9× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
124Complaints · Engine
20.5%Share of complaints
0.92×vs. all vehicles
66Last 12 months
10.5%Share involving a crash or fire
1Related recalls
Analysis
By model year, Engine complaints peak with the 2019 model (38, 23% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2023 model (2). 66 Engine complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 29 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
Owners most often describe: “filter housing”, “engine”, “coolant”, “oil filter” and “plastic”. 13 of these reports (10.5%) describe a crash or fire, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
1 recall campaign relates to this area, most recently campaign 21V598000 (2021-08-02, model years 2020).
The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and turning the engine off, approximately 10 minutes later a burning rubber odor was present inside the cablin of the vehicle and smoke was present coming from under the hood.
Engine · 2026-06-01 · ODI 11741213 · Fire
Car spontaneously caught on fire. Total loss. Drove car home from haircut appointment 5 to 10 minutes away. Parked car as normal and went inside.
Engine · 2026-03-22 · ODI 11726141 · Fire
The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. While the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for maintenance, the technician discovered an active coolant leak coming from the coolant expansion tank.
Engine · 2026-08-25 · ODI 11759410
There were several radiatior hose leaks that happened in the winter due to the outdated plastic housing and lines that seized and cracked with colder temperatures.
Engine · 2026-08-14 · ODI 11756942
I was pulling out of a parking spot and my X3 completely stalled and lost power. I got infomation on my screen to take my car to my dealer as soon as possible. I was able to start and drive it home. The following week I took it to the dealer for the problem.
Engine · 2026-08-07 · ODI 11755469
The engine mounts on my BMW X3 have failed. It is a known national issue with the car, it can be exacerbated by the star/stop feature. There are no warnings or recalls and the repair is several thousand dollara.
Engine · 2026-08-04 · ODI 11754843
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
ENGINE Campaign 21V598000 · 2021-08-02 · Model years: 2020
Summary: 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.
Remedy: Dealers will update the engine management software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Why modern engines burn oil, and what owner complaints revealThe design choices that make many recent engines consume oil, the warning signs owners describe, what counts as normal, and which tracked models draw the most engine complaints right now.
Frequently asked questions
How common are Engine problems on the BMW X3?
124 of the 606 complaints about the BMW X3 (20.5%) concern Engine, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 0.9× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
Which BMW X3 model years have the most Engine complaints?
By model year, Engine complaints peak with the 2019 model (38, 23% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2023 model (2).
Is there a recall for BMW X3 Engine problems?
1 recall campaign relates to this area, most recently campaign 21V598000 (2021-08-02, model years 2020).