10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,125 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 BMW X3 engine problems

engine problem

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2016 BMW X3 Owner Comments

problem #4

Sep 032018

X3

  • 48,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A very dangerous and catastrophic situation is created when using the start/stop feature. When stopped at a traffic light or stopped in stop and go traffic on the highway this feature fails. Once this feature is engaged when the vehicle is stopped when the accelerator is pushed to start again the vehicle goes into park instead of accelerating. This presents a very dangerous and potentially catastrophic situation because you may be making a maneuver by acceleration to switch lanes or something similar and the car fails and goes into park and does not move. Perillo BMW performed unsuccessful service on this approximately four weeks ago. This did not fix the problem. Perillo performed service again for the same issue two weeks ago. My hope is that this is a permanent fix because to not take this problem seriously and leave it to chance that this may occur with severe consequences. This is a safety issue that I think the NHTSA should address directly with BMW. Specifically- 1. the car comes to a complete stop at a traffic light, stop sign or in stop and go traffic on the highway. 2. the start/stop feature is engaged 3. when the accelerator is pushed to go again the car immediately goes into park and the steering wheel locks. 4. to go again, the break must be pressed and the gear shifted manually into drive. Prior to BMW servicing the vehicle this has occurred more than 20 times in a three-month period. There is absolutely no chance that the driver accidentally pressed the park while stopped. The driver purposely does not keep their hands on the shift gear.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #3

Mar 152016

X3 6-cyl

  • miles
2016 BMW X3. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration and episodes of steering wheel briefly unresponsive when merging into traffic. The consumer stated the vehicle would suddenly accelerate while the vehicle was moving and stopped with the driver's foot on the brake.

- Glendale, CA, USA

problem #2

May 102017

X3

  • 11,500 miles
I had pulled into a parking lot traveling very slowly then turned left into a parking space with my foot on brake but just before coming to a complete stop the car suddenly surged forward at great speed, leapt over a concrete "log" designed to stop a vehicle and crashed into a concrete wall 3 feet in front of the car. My first reaction was to lift my foot from the pedal thinking I had depressed the accelerator in error, however the car increased speed and I just had time to glance down and ascertain that my foot was on the brake before the car plowed into the wall, deploying the air bags. The whole incident was over in 2 - 3 seconds and the car was perfectly aligned in the parking space except for the front wheels being the wrong side of "log". the X3 was not drive-able and was towed on a flatbed to the BMW service center and subsequently declared a complete write-off by the insurance company. I am horrified by the fact that many car manufacturers are aware of this sudden unintended acceleration problem yet, because it is difficult to prove, usually put all reported incidents down to operator error, therefore absolving them of responsibility. My insurance company is not investigating the cause, neither is BMW. Why is that? is it going to take a fatality before something is done to rectify this very real problem. Below is the contact details for the chubb claims examiner who is willing to share his report and photos should NHTSA decide to investigate. Sam jackson 800 432 2482 ext 0860 sam.jackson@chubb.com claim # 77140147

- Greenwich, CT, USA

problem #1

Dec 292016

X3

  • 13,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X3. While stationary, the vehicle accelerated rapidly without warning. The vehicle was taken to be repaired, but the dealer could not diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.

- Sugar Land, TX, USA

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