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BMW X3

EPA MPG: 25 mpg

RECALL ALERT:
There are 10 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.

Reliability

Overall Reliability

The 2019 X3 is less reliable than other cars from the same model year.

The 2019 BMW X3 has been recalled 10 times by NHTSA. View Recalls
Most Common Trouble Spots
Common Trouble Spot
Common Trouble Spot

Owner Reported Trouble Spots

The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2019 BMW X3 owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, heat shields, leaks.

What Owners Say

Other/unsure

"Interior ambient lighting stopped working on all but one door. Problem started in about January 2025. Problem fixed by BMW dealer in January 2025."

Anonymous, NC (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

"Front grill system that opens the upper grill for temperature regulation warranty replacement."

Anonymous, CA (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

"The visor for the moon roof would stick and start tearing when you open it. This happens when the cover is closed for a period of time. You can hear and see it getting stuck somewhere while its rolling back."

Anonymous, IL (2019 BMW X3 M40i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

"broken rear spring in suspension"

Anonymous, NY (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

""At 68000 miles the cooling system sprang a big leak and I had to have the manifold removed to correct it, cost was $3700. Also needed new motor mount at same time which was $2500.""

Anonymous A., CA (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

""coollant , wind washer leak""

Anonymous A., NJ (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i Unsure)

"Replaced tires"

Anonymous A., VA (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i Unsure)

"Tire Pressure Monitoring system failure"

Anonymous, KY (2019 BMW X3 M40i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

"Leak in coolant; had replace radiator"

Anonymous, CO (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

Electrical Accessories

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, USB ports, alarm or security system, remote engine start, heated or cooled seats, heated steering wheel, headlights, automatic headlights, automatic wipers, wireless charging pad.

What Owners Say

12V battery

"When battery fails you cannot replace yourself because computer must be reset by the dealer and is a major expense over $1K. Completely unacceptable when the AGM battery is only $200K and Costco"

Anonymous, FL (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

"The battery just went dead. There were no warning signs or messages from the car's diagnostic system. Just went dead."

Anonymous, PA (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Automatic headlights

"Auto headlights would go on and off sporadically. Dealer needed video to know how to fix. Took videos and then dealer fixed."

Anonymous, PA (2019 BMW X3 Unsure Unsure)
Exterior lights (other than headlights)

"RUNNING LIGHT FRONT DRIVER SIDE NO FUNCTION. $650 FIX. tOO mUCH"

Anonymous, FL (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Wiper motor or washer

"This has never been resolved. $900 fix for a kinked hose. Silly they can't replace hose, but need to replace entire system."

Anonymous, TX (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i Unsure)

Noises/Leaks

Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, seals and/or weather stripping, air and water leaks.

What Owners Say

Air or water leaks

"sunroof leaked water."

Anonymous, TX (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Powertrain cooling leaks

""Service said water pump leaks. I cant see it, but I guess they can.""

Anonymous, IL (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

"Had to have the radiator replaced"

Anonymous, FL (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Seals and/or weather-stripping

""All of the seals of the sunroof deteriorated and some of the drains became plugged allowing 6 inches of water around the interior of vehicle until the water flooded the battery and killed the cars electrical system. No warning lights, no visible signs of leaking or water but a pervasive smell for several weeks. The car was not old enough for that sort of issue - poor quality parts for a very pricey vehicle""

Anonymous A., DE (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)
Squeaks or rattles

"When I turn on the AC, my car makes a loud hum. I have taken it to BMW 3 times and they said they didn't hear it once, and the other times they said they didn't know what it was. I googled it and apparently lots of other people have the same problem, and now my car is out of warranty and it costs a ton to fix it."

Anonymous A., TX (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

Climate System

AC compressor, blower (fan) motor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate system, electrical failure, refrigerant leakage.

What Owners Say

A/C compressor

"One of the ac compressors went out"

Anonymous, (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Evaporator

"Replaced"

Anonymous, PA (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

"Entire system needed to be replaced at a cost of almost $6000. The BMW service advisor says this is a known issue and happens frequently but BMW still has not done any kind of recall program."

Anonymous A., FL (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Refrigerant leaks

"This issue has been a repeated problem that the dealership failed to resolve on the first $1500 repair and cost us another $4000"

Anonymous, TX (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i Unsure)

"The coolant resevoir failed as did 8 of 11 coolant hoses. Turns out theyre made of plastic rather than rubber and typically fail around 50-60K miles. My mechanic was adamant that this was a typical fail on the part of BMW. Paid over $4,800 for the fix and this was NOT at a dealership (where is wouldve been more like $6,000. That, coupled with the need to replace the radiator just a year ago and the engine mounts this year, have turned me off of BMW."

Anonymous, GA (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

In-car Electronics

Infotainment system (audio, GPS, phone), rear entertainment system, backup or other camera/sensors, head-up display.

What Owners Say

Display screen goes blank

""It just goes blank, more than sometimes.""

Anonymous, IL (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
In-dash navigation system (GPS)

"First it became unreliable compared to googlemaps on phone. Then it stoooed working completely. it will take the destination but the travel arrow is stationary and not on the route."

Anonymous A., (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i Unsure)
Other in-car electronics problem

"On sunny days the display screen overheats and touch-screen does not respond."

Anonymous A., WA (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

Suspension/Steering

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

What Owners Say

Other steering/suspension problem

"DSC module went out"

Anonymous, CA (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)
Shocks or struts

"Shocks needed to be replace due to noise"

Anonymous A., (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

Fuel System/Emissions

Sensors (O₂, or oxygen, sensor), emission-control devices (includes EGR), fuel-injection system, fuel gauge/sender, fuel pump, problems filling up the tank.

What Owners Say

Fuel gauge/sender

"After refulling, the gauge started to show different level except full. It took BMW over a year to solve the issue but fortunately, it was covered by an extended warranty plan. The tank, the pump and finally the connecting cables were change before the problem get solved."

Anonymous A., QC (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Other emissions/fuel system problem

""Not sure if this is the proper category, but need the water pump replaced due to a leak.""

Anonymous A., FL (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

Engine Cooling

Radiator, cooling fan, water pump, thermostat, antifreeze leaks, overheating.

What Owners Say

Antifreeze leaks

"antifreeze over fill tank cracked and hose line leaked"

Anonymous, CT (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)
Water pump

"Water pump failed at 30K miles along with leaking coolant return line costing almost $4K to fix!"

Anonymous, FL (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, four-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive components, driveline vibration, electrical failure, traction control, electronic stability control.

What Owners Say

Differential

"The seals between the rear axel and differential were leaking and needed to be replaced. The repair cost approximately $1400 to remove the rear axels and replace seals on both sides."

Anonymous A., OH (2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, fuel leaks, oil leaks.

What Owners Say

Engine mounts

"Engine mounts had to be replaced at a cost of $1675.80. The tech said it is a common problem with this car."

Anonymous A., (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

Engine Major

Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbocharger or supercharger, timing chain or belt.

What Owners Say

Other major engine problem

"They replaced the engine mounts. Now they want to replace them again! For $2000."

Anonymous A., GA (2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i 2.0-L 4 Cyl turbo)

Transmission Major

Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, premature clutch replacement.

Engine Electrical

Alternator, starter, hybrid battery replacement, hybrid battery related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, spark plugs and wires failure, auto stop/start.

Transmission Minor

Gear selector and linkage, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission, leaks.

Body Hardware

Windows, locks and latches, doors or sliding doors, tailgate, trunk or hatch, mirrors, seat controls (power or manual), seat belts, sunroof, convertible top, glass defect.

Brakes

Premature pad/rotor wear, pulsation or vibration, antilock system, parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, squeaking, brake failure, regenerative braking.

Paint/Trim

Paint (fading, chalking, peeling, or cracking), loose interior or exterior trim or moldings, rust.

2019 SUVs Reliability

This Car
vs. Similar Cars

BMW vs. Other New Car Brands Reliability

Reliability History
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Overall Reliability Verdict
POTENTIAL TROUBLE SPOTS
Powertrain
Engine Major
Engine Minor
Engine Cooling
Engine Electrical
Transmission Major
Transmission Minor
Drive System
Fuel System/Emissions
Exhaust
Suspension/Steering
Brakes
Climate System
Build Quality
Electrical Accessories
Body Hardware
Paint/Trim
Noises/Leaks
In-car Electronics
Reliability indicates how models have performed in the past, providing the basis for predicting how the vehicles will hold up in the year ahead. These charts provide the most comprehensive reliability information available to consumers. Based on information received from our latest subscriber survey for about 380,000 vehicles, our reliability history charts give you a rundown on how 2000 through 2025 vehicles are holding up in 20 potential trouble spots, ranging from the engine, transmission, electric motor, EV charging, and brakes, to power equipment and the electrical accessories.
Recalls
PROVIDED BY
STRUCTURE
Oct 15, 2024
Interior rear cargo rail detachment during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
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.
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 24V764000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 8725
STRUCTURE
Jul 17, 2024
Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.
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.
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 24V534000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 282387
AIR BAGS
Jul 08, 2021
A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 21V521000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 138
BACK OVER PREVENTION
Feb 19, 2021
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Summary:
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."
What should you do:
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 21V096000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 13858
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 18, 2020
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.
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.
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 20V152000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 15
BACK OVER PREVENTION
Sep 27, 2019
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
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."
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 19V684000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 257473
SEATS
Jul 31, 2019
In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.
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.
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 19V563000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 20
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 10, 2019
If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Summary:
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The instrument panel assembly may have been improperly manufactured, possibly affecting the deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag.
What should you do:
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 19V291000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 50
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Jul 06, 2018
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
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.
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 18V453000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 5594
LANE DEPARTURE
Jun 06, 2018
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.
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.
What should you do:
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.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 18V374000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 51
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