9.5

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,150 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.

2021 BMW X3 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2021 BMW X3 Owner Comments

problem #6

Nov 152023

X3

  • miles

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

Sirrus XM Advertising pops up in the middle of the speedometer and stays there. Blocks vision of speedometer. Big Blue square comes on at night distracting driver. Several internet posts and complaints advise that it comes on blocking the rear camera vision. Contacted Sirrus they say they cant do anything about it, it is built into the car. Contacted BMW and their "Genius" squad they don't know how to get rid of it. I see postings of other car brands having the same complaint. Consumers don't spend $700.00 for a vehicle to be solicited for a service that they don't want. Besides the safety factor. This is an invasion of privacy and none requested solicitation. Please look into this.

- Mooresville, NC, USA

problem #5

Nov 142022

X3 4-cyl

  • miles
The BMW X3 went in for a recall to reprogram the DME. After updating the DME software by BMW the DME was no longer talking to other modules. The BMW Assistant Service Manager said and I quote him "IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE WITHOUT A FIX". I ask for clarification and I was told that there were some 100 modules or so that are in the car and that they now no longer reliably talked with other modules as a result of the updating the DME recall software. I was given one example by BMW of possible implications to modules not talking to each other where BMW was not sure if the airbag was getting correct information. BMW when on to say they were not sure what exactly was and was not affected but they considered it now a safety issue. They have had our BMW X3 since February 7th, 2023 after numerous fix attempts. As of today that would be 101 days at the BMW service department. BMW also said there were other BMWs with the same issue. Bottom line BMW treated the issue as a safety issue. Again that safety issue was created by a failed updating the DME software module on a recall. There is a dashboard emissions warning light that appears when the hybrid battery is drained. BMW also indicated that they have no idea what the full extent of failed software update, has done. RECALL. PLEASE PERFORM OPEN RECALL FOR THE DME PROGRAMMING, B121221, ADDDED ON 11/14/2022 AT 4:15 BY [XXX] preformed service Acton 12 12 21. defect code 0012690500. labor ops 00 71 240. ???WARRANTY, INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- The Villages, FL, USA

problem #4

Dec 022021

X3

  • miles
The contact leased a 2021 BMW X3. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V601000 (Electrical System) however, the dealer informed the contact that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Lloyd Harbor, NY, USA

problem #3

Sep 282021

X3

  • miles

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

The high voltage battery recall has been open for 1 year, which any reasonable person would agree is far in excess of a reasonable amount of time as the issue is one that could lead to a fire / death.

- Thornton, CO, USA

problem #2

Jul 102021

X3

  • miles
I was at a stop light and when the light changed I stepped on the gas. The car suddenly turned completely off. I had no steering, no braking no ability to turn the hazard lights on. I was in the middle of the street with traffic behind me and my child was in the back seat with me. The car completely died. There were no warning signs at all Cars started to go around me and I exited the car with my child to avoid getting hit because I could not put my hazard lights. I called my husband and after about 10 minutes I could see the headlights were on. My husband gave me his care and he took my car home but he said the car was acting weird and kept shutting off while on the way back home. then it shut off completely again in our driveway and we cannot close the doors. We are waiting for BMW to pick up the car tomorrow.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #1

Jan 052021

X3

  • 6,900 miles
Our car has just shutdown altogether waiting at a traffic light. Also, the main console above the steering wheel has gone completely black several times while driving.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

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