2018 BMW X3 Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 11 NHTSA recalls and 76 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
D
43/100
High Reported Activity — 2018 BMW X3
The 2018 BMW X3 shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.
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11
NHTSA Recalls
11 recalls on record
76
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
4
Crash Reports
2 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 BMW X3 (11)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized BMW dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Lane Departure: Lane Keep: Steering Assist
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 Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Disc: Caliper
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.
🔧 Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
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.
🔧 Seats
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.
🔧 Exterior Lighting: Turn Signal
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…
🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
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…
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal
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…
🔧 Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
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…
🔧 Structure: Body
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…
🔧 Structure
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.
Showing 10 of 11 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2018 BMW X3
Based on 76 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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BMW X3 — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.
→ Recently checked BMW X3 VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.
→ Decode a BMW VIN — free BMW VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.
⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2013 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2012 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 BMW X3
Is the 2018 BMW X3 reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 BMW X3 has 11 recall campaigns and 76 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 BMW X3 have?
The 2018 BMW X3 has 11 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 BMW X3?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 BMW X3 are: Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Structure. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 BMW X3 safe to buy?
The 2018 BMW X3 has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 11 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year BMW X3 should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the BMW X3 are: 2012. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2013.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.