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Drivers looking for a luxury compact SUV, often gravitate to the 2019 BMW X3 because of its sleek style and spacious cabin. The automaker themselves state that “Adventure Awaits” with this model, and that couldn’t be truer. The trouble is that the adventure ahead isn’t what most people signed up for. Instead, this SUV features a defective tailgate and several electrical issues.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2018 2020 2021 2022
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2019 BMW X3
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Structure:body | |
| Electrical System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Power Train | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Electronic Stability Control | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Engine | |
| Visibility/wiper |
Problems with the Build Quality
The 2019 BMW X3 isn’t a low-dollar SUV; it’s a luxury model that costs a pretty penny. This extra cost isn’t a big deal for most drivers because it’s assumed that the quality is worth it. When it comes to how well this X3 was built, it’s clear that the extra money wasn’t put into the engineering.
Just read one of many reviews left on the NHTSA website, “The tailgate opened by itself while I was driving on the highway. I had a short local drive before entering the highway. About 5 mins on the highway at around 60 mph, the tailgate opened by itself. The car felt very noisy and hard to control (I was on a windy highway). I had to exit the highway, stop on a local street and close the trunk. The same random opening also happened once in my garage while the car was parked and locked, a week ago. With two random openings happening in one week, I am afraid of driving it. You never know when the tailgate will suddenly open again.”
With several service bulletins coming from the company, there isn’t anything related to this situation, despite the numerous complaints circulating. What is shown is several recalls that also show how poorly this vehicle was put together. For example, in NHTSA Campaign Number 19V563000, it is revealed that the front seatback frames weren’t appropriately welded, allowing the seatbacks to fold unexpectedly. This can occur with people in them and during a crash.
Another example is labeled with NHTSA Campaign Number 19V291000 that describes how the instrument panel assembly might have been manufactured wrong, thereby preventing the deployment of the passenger’s front air bag. Where is the adventure? Is it from having all the groceries fall out the back of this SUV while driving or folding into a pretzel when the seat malfunctions? It appears the engineers wanted to make sure there was an adventure included in every part of the SUV.
Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 BMW X3 Tailgate Problems:
THE TAILGATE OPENS ON ITS OWN. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT THE KEY FOB BEING NEAR A PERSON OR ANYTHING PRESSING ON IT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND BMW DEALERS WILL NOT FIX IT, IF THEY DO NOT SEE IT IN PERSON. SO, FAR THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY OR IN A PARKING LOT.
BACK HATCH DOOR OPENS RANDOMLY. IT WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT AND STATIONERY BUT NEIGHBOR REPORTED IT OPEN THIS MORNING.,
TRUNK POPS OPEN BY ITSELF MANY TIMES WHILE PARKING
WHEN SLOWLY DRIVING UP A HILL, THE TAILGATE OPENED AND THE CONTENTS IN THE BACK FELL OUT.
Problems with the Electrical System
The main parts of the electrical system include the battery, starter and alternator, but there is much more involved than that. It also runs the power windows, headlights, power steering, windshield wipers and modern technologies. When there is a problem with the electronic equipment of a vehicle, it can reveal itself in multiple ways.
One such case is demonstrated by a NHTSA complaint. “The seat ventilation on the passenger seat has failed three times. Each time the fans within the seat that activate to push air through the vents sound like they are tearing through the seat. Each time, the dealer has repaired the issue, only for it to return again. The car is going to the dealer once again after I asked for them to escalate this issue.”
We see the documentation of several electrical problems. One was part of a recall labeled with NHTSA Campaign Number 19V684000. In this case, the back-up camera fails to work correctly at times. Other electrical service bulletins include trouble with the remote to unlock the car, a missing digital speedometer and lost Bluetooth connection.
One of the more concerning issues is illustrated in Service Bulletin # B130219. This talks about how the engine wiring harness comes in contact with the vehicle’s tank vent valve line. Vibration and oscillation can wear through the valve line. From the failing structure to the faulty electrical wiring, this SUV provides more adventure than most drivers want to deal with. After spending so much time at the dealership, it’s not uncommon for BMW enthusiasts to jump ship for another brand after all this trouble
Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 BMW X3 Electrical Problems.
I PURCHASED A NEW 2019 BMW X3 XDRIVE 30I MIDSIZE SUV ON AUGUST 31, 2019. I SPECIFICALLY CHOSE THE DRIVER ASSIST OPTION THAT INCLUDES BOTH LANE DEPARTURE AND BLIND SPOT WARNING FEATURES. UPON TESTING TO VERIFY THAT THESE FEATURES WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, I DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WARNING FEATURE DID NOT WORK. NO VIBRATION AT ALL WAS DETECTED WHENEVER I CHANGED LANES EVEN THOUGH I SET THE DESIRED VIBRATION LEVEL TO THE HIGHEST SETTING AND I WAS VERY CAREFUL TO DRIVE AT A SPEED, 50 MPH, FOR WHICH THE FEATURE SHOULD BE ACTIVE. THIS WAS ALSO TRUE OF THE BLIND SPOT WARNING–NO VIBRATION DETECTED. I VERIFIED THAT BOTH SAFETY SYSTEMS HAD ACTIVATED BY OBSERVING THE APPEARANCE OF THE LANE DEPARTURE ICON IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ILLUMINATION OF THE TRIANGULAR LIGHT IN THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS UPON APPROACH OF A VEHICLE IN THE ADJACENT LANE. HOWEVER, NO VIBRATION WAS DETECTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I PURPOSELY CHANGED LANES WITHOUT SIGNALING ON TESTING THE LANE DEPARTURE FEATURE OR WHEN I SIGNALED TO CHANGE LANES WITH ANOTHER CAR IN THE BLIND SPOT IN TESTING THE BLIND SPOT FEATURE. THE BLIND SPOT VISUAL WARNING LIGHTS IN BOTH OUTSIDE MIRRORS WORKED OK, BUT NO VIBRATION WAS DETECTED WHEN SIGNALING TO CHANGE LANES. I REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS A FAULTY MOTOR THAT GENERATES THE STEERING MECHANISM VIBRATION. A NEW PART IN ON ORDER. I’M REPORTING THIS TO ALERT OTHERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE TESTED FOR PROPER FUNCTIONALITY OF THESE SAFETY FEATURES. ONE HAS A VISUAL WARNING FOR THE BLIND SPOT FEATURE TO BACKUP THE STEERING MECHANISM VIBRATION, BUT NOT SO FOR THE LANE DEPARTURE. THE ABSENCE OF VIBRATION COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE DEPENDING ON THE PROPER OPERATION OF THIS FEATURE.
THE LANE DEPARTURE WARNING SYSTEM ON MY NEW BMW X3 (PURCHASED MAY 3, 2019) DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS A NON-TRIVIAL FAILURE IN BMW’S SO-CALLED “INTELLIGENT SAFETY SYSTEM.” THE RESPONSE I’VE RECEIVED SO FAR FROM MY BMW DEALER IN OCALA, FLORIDA IS UNSATISFACTORY. THEY INSIST IT IS WORKING, JUST AT A SLIGHT VIBRATION. I FEEL NO VIBRATION, AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE DRIVE THE CAR AND AGREE. DURING A LAPSE IN CONCENTRATION – WHICH IS WHAT THIS FEATURE IS INTENDED FOR – THERE IS NO WARNING OF LANE DEPARTURE. IT’S NOT A SAFETY FEATURE IF IT DOESN’T WORK. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT BMW SAFETY ENGINEERS WOULD WANT THE FUNCTION TO BE IMPERCEPTIBLE EVEN AT THE “STRONG” SETTING. BMW APPARENTLY THINKS THIS FEATURE IS IMPORTANT, AS THE COMPANY PLACED AN ASSOCIATED LIGHTED BUTTON RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASHBOARD! PERHAPS THEY ARE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT OR DIE BEFORE ACTING. PLEASE RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM ON BEHALF OF CUSTOMERS BEFORE THAT HAPPENS. THANK YOU.
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Complaint Data
| Category | Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly |
| Date | Feb 03, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2019 bmw x3. The contact stated that while driving at 42 mph, the sunroof exploded without impact. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,578. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 27, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | We were towing a rental travel trailer (~3500 ib), going east bound on highway 80 near martinez, ca. The travel trailer suddenly went into oscillation, the amplitude got larger and larger, and finally both suv and trailer landed on the sides on the embankment. The suv was supposedly in "tow" mode, so the feature "trailer stabilization control" should have been activated to reduce the sway/oscillation (and perhaps issued some warnings). However, we only got traction control alarm just prior to the crash. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 28, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | Unable to feel vibration in steering wheel for the lane departure warning system. |
| Category | Air Bags, Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification, Seat Belts |
| Date | Aug 24, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | While driving, an error message appeared on the car screen that said: passenger restraint system malfunction: contact bmw carefully drive to the closest service center. Passenger restraint system is limited. Increased risk of injury in case of a collision. Continue wearing safety belt. 1) what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Passenger restraint system 2) how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Increased risk of injury in case of collision 3) has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The dealer ran a diagnostic and no fault was found. They tried to claim that there was water on the seat because an umbrella was on the seat. It was not raining before or during the time the message appeared. The umbrella has not been used for quite some time and was not wet. 4) has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Just the dealer. 5) were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? None. This appears to be a random deactivation of the passenger restraint system. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| Date | Aug 12, 2022 |
| State | CT |
| Description | The contact owns a 2019 bmw x3. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly brake and would stop abruptly though there were no other vehicles or objects nearby. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who duplicated the failure. However, the dealer was advised by the manufacturer that the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failures and the concerns he had regarding the vehicle's safety. The failure mileage was 31,000. |
| Category | Electrical System, Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 06, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Multiple times while driving, my key fob in my pocket has opened the trunk. Extremely dangerous, and apparently very easy to accidentally press. Same thing with the alarm, almost caused me to have an accident. |
| Category | Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jul 02, 2022 |
| State | MA |
| Description | On may 20, 2022 at around 10 am. I pulled into my work parking lot. I proceeded to park the car in front of the main building. I put the car on park but the car accelerated on its own at high speed. It curved around the bushes yanking them out and then smashed into the building. The airbags opened. I called 911 for help. Ambulance took me to a hospital nearby. I lost a lot of blood due to a large cut in my mouth. I had some other minor injuries including a fracture in my sternum and nose. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jun 09, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | The contact owns a 2019 bmw x3. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, an unknown warning light was illuminated with a message displayed stating that the vehicle would turn off shortly, and to keep the vehicle function active, switch to ready mode. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that an unknown part was replaced however, the warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was contacted by the dealer but the contact was unaware of what was said. The failure mileage was 9,000. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 05, 2022 |
| State | MN |
| Description | Was driving on the freeway, not more than 60mph, no over bridges, no potholes, no people, and heard some exploded over my head. I pulled the car over and saw the sunroof was shattered. I didn't see any heavy object flying. After reaching home, I searched online what could be the reasons and found there were 100s of cases like this already reports. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | May 26, 2022 |
| State | RI |
| Description | I own a 2019 bmw x3 that I leased in december 2018 and then purchased in dec 2021 at the end of the lease. It has about 22k miles on it. A few weeks ago, a warning light came on, telling me that my rear brakes needed to be inspected. I took it in and the dealer told me that rear brake pads and rotors had to be replaced. They should not have to be replaced so soon especially since I am not a teenager, and my driving is 90% on freeways. I am in my sixties and my family and I have owned/leased more than 25 foreign and domestic cars and have never come across one that required a complete brake replacement with so few miles. When I contacted the service department at my dealer, they said this is a common problem with all bmw's and especially x3s. I asked even if we assume that the pads need replacement, why the need to replace the rotors at the same time. They said the original rotors are so thin that they cannot be machined. They have seen many that had warped at low miles, some that had cracked and a few that had broken into pieces. They said that they and other area dealers have brought this serios concern to bmw of north america but they keep getting ignored. They said that I was lucky that my braked did not seize and that I did not get into a serious accident. Please investigate this serious safety issue before someone dies. Thank you. |
| Category | Electrical System, Power Train |
| Date | Apr 05, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | My digital gauges were frequently going off center in my vehicle. I scheduled service with the dealer however they did not have a loaner available for weeks so they scheduled the appointment for a few weeks out, my car subsequently completely died on the road and after a minute or two I was rear ended by a truck and the car was completely totaled. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Mar 12, 2022 |
| State | SC |
| Description | The car sos system “masses a dos call†to the police department. After clsryfiyng the error, the car shows the following message: “ emergency call malfunctionâ€. Bmw disabled my car emergency system to avoid this problem again but tried to change me to fix the problem |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Dec 25, 2021 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | On september 7, 2021, the tailgate of my 2019 bmw x3 opened on its own in my garage. The car had been turned off for approximately 20-25 minutes. My key was inside the house, nowhere near the garage. No one had touched the car after it was turned off. My husband was in the garage, standing approximately 6-10 feet away from the car when the tailgate opened on its own. I believe this is both a safety and security issue. The tailgate opened on its own. This could have occurred while driving on a highway (safety), or while parked on a public street (security). Street. On 9/9/21 I reported the problem to zach santillo in the service dept of our dealer: bmw-newton, nj. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Nov 08, 2021 |
| State | WV |
| Description | After having 'repaired' the instrument panel relay which was causing the display to intermittently blank out, I am now experiencing the following dangerous events: 1) instrument panel will still occasionally blank out, with no consistent causal reason. 2) on occasion, firm acceleration has preceded an instrument panel glitch, but I cannot get a consistent result from this cause/effect. 3) on occasion, instrument panel glitch will result in a warning that indicates a loss of 4 wheel drive system. This glitch currently seems to remedy itself on its own after a few seconds 4) on occasion, while stopped with the auto parking mode engaged, pressing the gas pedal results in a complete engine shutdown. This requires a restart of the engine to proceed and the previous mentioned instrument glitches. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 20, 2021 |
| State | GA |
| Description | Sunroof shattered randomly |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 25, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Trunk opened while vehicle was in motion. It's possible that the trunk button of the remote was accidentally depressed when it was in a pocket but I strongly believe that the vehicle should ignore such commands when the vehicle is in motion or even in gear. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 13, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Tailgate suddenly opens without warning. Happened twice this month while car was parked and engine was turned off, as well as while car was stopped, in park, and engine was running. Note that this happened repeatedly during the first year of ownership, and bmw monterey (california) tried at least 4 times to fix it. Claimed it was finally fixed, and it did not recur for some months, but once again it is happening. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | May 27, 2021 |
| State | PA |
| Description | Going to park at an outdoor public parking lot I was going at slow speed made two left turns to get to my my parking space. More than half way into parking spot the car suddenly accelerated and jump the curve going down a small incline and jumping the curve of the parking space below at that time able to control car. Lucky that there was no person walking or a car parked in the parking space below because it would have caused a head-on collision or something even worse, as far as I can see there was no damage to car. My wife was in the car and she was shook by incident!!! Incident happen very sudden and unexpected. I have seen multiple similar incidents on internet and it seems like dealership can't replicate the issue and they dismiss it. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Apr 19, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | My 2019 bmw x3 with comfort access option package will open the hatch without any input from me. This has happened 4 times now and all when locked with the key in my pocket and I was well over 100 feet away. This can injure people/kids in parking lots or cause damage to my garage or hatch. Some people have reported online that this has happened whilst driving! |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Apr 07, 2021 |
| State | LA |
| Description | Repeated warning of 'rreduced driver assistance support |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Mar 05, 2021 |
| State | NE |
| Description | We previously had an issue with this vehicle where the dashboard gauges were shifting a few inches to the left and lost visibility to the speedometer. This was resolved after a few visits with the gauge cluster being replaced. We are now having an issue where occasionally the dashboard gauge cluster will go completely blank for a few seconds. The idrive components remain on during this time. It's difficult to take a picture, as it only occurs while driving. There does not seem to be any consistency to when this occurs, but it does not happen when stationary. The times it has happened, it does seem to be while accelerating after a turn. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 27, 2021 |
| State | VA |
| Description | Tailgate opens on its own. Once in motion more often after loading dogs in the back, closing it and then it opens as I open the drivers door. A fix is to start the car first the open the tailgate and close that seems to help. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes |
| Date | Nov 23, 2020 |
| State | CA |
| Description | My car has been at the bmw dealership twice for these incidents. The incidents have happened a total of 4 times. The first time, I was driving about 45 miles per hour along the city street, woodruff ave in long beach. It was a sunny day and there were no other cars around me when the car suddenly starts beeping and dash blinks and then car slams on brakes automatically until it comes to a stop. I am not sure what caused the problem but I think it may be the sensors for the automatic collision braking system. The second time I was going about 15 mph coming up to a right turn in the right turn lane of a city street. There was a car in the left lane that was stopped at the traffic light. My car then sounds the alarm, flashes the warning and slams on the brakes to a stop. My business partner was in the car with me during this time. The third time was october 16, 2020 when I was driving on a city street and there was a car stopped about 30 feet ahead. I was slowing down when the car sounded the alarm, flashed on the screen the warning (which I took a pic of) and the brakes applied automatically and the car stopped. The fourth and last time, the car did not apply the brakes but the warning systems came on and the dash flashed. I took the car again to bmw and bmw north america sent out a field engineer. They have the car from october 23, 2020 to november 18, 2020 at which time they said they could not find anything wrong with my car. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Sep 28, 2020 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | Backup camera not on when reversing: 1. ~aug. 2019 when I reversed my car, the backup camera did not show up. My car was in bmw springfield nj for repair from 25 to 27nov2019. I was told there was a recall (nhtsa campaign id 19v684000) and software was updated. 2. Problem still existed, my car was in same dealership for repair on10feb2020. 3. Raised my concern (lemon law) to bmw corporate, bmw arranged my car for repair on mar. 19. 2020 after the repair, my rear camera view was back but the left image (sensing obstacle was missing). 4. My car was in bmw on apr. 9 2020 for repair, still not working. 5. My car was in bmw for pair on may 26, 2020 and I was told to wait the computer to boot up and then drive. 6. I followed bmw's advice, the left image (sensing obstacle was missing) is back without any problem, but my rear view image sometime did not show up. I think the lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash, which needs further investigation. Picture is attached, showing the whole backup process, the rear view camera was missing the image (~1min). |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Sep 26, 2020 |
| State | PR |
| Description | The panoramic sunroof exploded with the vehicle stop and we inside. The glass broken pieces fell on the cover that was luckily closed. The sun roof had a hole in the middle. The auto dealer provide an estimate of ,900 for the repair and told us to claim the insurance. We understand this represent a defect in the sun roof and should be covered by the warranty. |
| Category | Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jul 09, 2020 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The speedometer is inaccurate. Bmw told me that they have a directive which states that it is normal for a speedometer to be off by up to 7mph. They told me it is impossible to recalibrate. I do not know my true speed which is dangerous and makes it difficult to know if I am driving within posted limits. It also adds false mileage to my vehicle as it always indicates a speed higher than I am actually maintaining. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Apr 24, 2020 |
| State | UT |
| Description | Two recent problems: (1) the tailgate opened on its own twice. Both times the car was parked, once overnight. No keys were pressed. (2) comfort access works intermittently. Several times, pressing the handle groove evoked a click but did not unlock the car. The door did unlock when I pressed the unlock button on the fob. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Mar 18, 2020 |
| State | NH |
| Description | While driving along secondary roadway , with no other cars within sight or obstructions within view, automatic braking of the vehicle occurred. Braking action was severe enough to cause driver to be propelled against the seat belt shoulder strap. Brakes released within approximately one second after application. Took vehicle to dealer next day after episode to diagnose problem. Service technician found, " no faults " stated, " operation of automatic braking on occasion is normal operation due to the sensitivity of the feature". It was indicated to me that the service technician contacted bmw na and was given this explanation. When asked if there was a , "fix I n the work's " to resolve this issue , bmw na replied they considered this operation normal for all of their vehicles with this braking system. I find this answer unacceptable. Inadvertent brake application by the vehicle when there is no vehicles or obstructions in close proximity is a safety hazard. Drivers run the risk of being rear ended by those drivers following to closely especially when the following driver has an expectation that there is no traffic situation that would necessitate the car in front to apply their brakes. Automatic braking systems should be deactivated until bmw na can resolve this problem. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Feb 28, 2020 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Was driving in the city about 40mph, and automatic braking system engaged but there was no hazard. No car near by in front, back, or both sides. This happened 2/26/20 around 10am pt took car to dealership. They claimed the car was dirty on windshield and is the only possible reason. Claimed they were not able to recreate the issue |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 04, 2020 |
| State | CT |
| Description | Frontal collision detection either does not work or is giving false alarms. It dies not warn when the vehicle in front is in close proximity as it is designed to do so. At random times it will give a false notification. This is more prevalent if the vehicle is at a steep angle. |
| Category | Electrical System, Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Jan 20, 2020 |
| State | IL |
| Description | Without warning, the dashboard lights and indicators go dark. The vehicle can be stationary or in motion when it happens. I have contacted the dealer, fields bmw, twice. The first time the service department replaced the battery on my remote key control, the second time service told me it was a known problem at bmw and they were working on a software fix. My second contact was probably six weeks ago, but it happened again two days ago when my wife lost the dashboard lights in the evening. It is very startling (and unsafe) to lose the dashboard lights and indicators, especially at night. Neither bmw nor my dealer has informed me of any pending software fix. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Jan 11, 2020 |
| State | MD |
| Description | While driving home january 11, 2020 at approximately 8:30 pm on a main street thankfully in very little traffic, while proceeding to travel through a traffic controlled intersection at approximately 50 mph the automatic emergency braking system activated. This is the third time that this has happened to me and if it had been a day/night with normal heavy traffic, the possibility of a rear end collision would have been great. Previously as well as during this occurrence, the driver is forcefully pitched forward but the simultaneous high pitched sound did not occur and I did not notice an icon flashing on the dash as before. This occurrence did seem to be of longer duration than the previous incident. These happened on 1/11/2020 with the two previous incidents on 12/02/19 an 12/11/19 respectively. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 01, 2020 |
| State | CT |
| Description | Put the car in park, in a driveway with a slight incline, turned off the ignition, and went into the house. The car engaged and rolled down the hill. Pulled it back up the driveway, and two more times put it in park, turned off the ignition, and the car engaged and rolled down the driveway. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Dec 21, 2019 |
| State | MD |
| Description | While driving on a busy city street in moving traffic the automatic emergency braking system activated without cause. The vehicle was travelling at approximately 50 mph without another vehicle or obstacle near the vehicle. This caused the vehicle to suddenly pitch forward, throwing the driver forward with the forceful more while simultaneously making a high pitched screeching sound and flashing a dashboard icon. This has happened on two separate occasions, 12/02/19 and again on 12/11/19. |
| Category | Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 15, 2019 |
| State | WV |
| Description | The issue is becoming more systemic and occurs more often. Issue is as follows: 1) while driving, digital instrumentation will go completely blank for a period of time. This includes speedometer, tachometer, clock, cruise control information. Basically, anything that is on the screen disappears. 2) in addition to the instrumentation malfunction, the following system failures are intermittently occurring (no pattern detected yet): all wheel drive system failure (while driving) - when display does resume, vehicle warning system indicates the vehicle may be driven, but the all wheel drive system is inoperative. Park distance control (occurred while vehicle was stationary) - when display does resume, vehicle warning system indicates pdc system is inoperative. Auto start/stop feature (occurred while vehicle was stationary) - while at a stop and the failure occurred, the engine did shut down incorrect average mileage display - normal mpg for the vehicle is currently around 24. 2. Vehicle was reporting an average mpg of 9. 7 prior to one failure. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Dec 10, 2019 |
| State | MD |
| Description | I was driving and had just entered into hwy. I was traveling approx 45-50mph. There were no other vehicles around, when I suddenly began hearing a popping or clicking sound, followed by what sounded like an explosion. I could hear glass shattering above my head, but was protected from injury because the sunroof shade was closed. I slowed down and pulled off the hwy at the next exit ramp, got out of the vehicle to inspect and saw a huge gaping hole in the sunroof. |
| Category | Electronic Stability Control |
| Date | Dec 09, 2019 |
| State | VA |
| Description | The car has a warning system that has a proxmity system. The car at least once a month brakes while driving indicating a car or obsticle in front of me. Nothing has been in front of me while the car self brakes. The dealership said it must of been due to fog. With the repeated problem no fog or bad weather existed. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Dec 08, 2019 |
| State | IL |
| Description | Trunk opens intermittently while driving down road as well as other times when vehicle running or not |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 05, 2019 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The active safety feature (lane assist) did not vibrate the steering wheel as advertised by the manufacturer. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 27, 2019 |
| State | SC |
| Description | This car was bought brand new in jan 2019 and since buying there were 3 incidents of windshield damages all 3 times by chips hitting the glass. 2 times it was replaced by the oem glass, however I am worried about safety, it appears that this car's glass is more fragile than others. I have also owned other cars and drive on same road under same condition, however this has never happened with any other class. I would be interested if new bmw x3s are more prone for windshield related damages |
| Category | Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Nov 15, 2019 |
| State | NV |
| Description | The digital speedometer reads in kilometers per hour, instead of miles per hour, so I do not know how fast I am going. A couple of months ago, bmw issued a recall related to the reverse camera on the 2019 x3. To repair this recall, the software in the car had to be upgraded. After the dealership repaired the recall issue and upgraded the software, the digital speedometer malfunctioned. The speedometer defaulted to kilometers per hour every time I started the car. It would not stay on miles per hour. Thus, after every start, I would have to go into the main menu and switch the digital speedometer to miles per hour. I took my car into the dealership today to fix the speedometer issue (so it would stay on miles per hour), and they made the situation worse. The option to switch the digital speedometer from kilometers per hour after every start to miles per hour has disappeared. The digital speedometer is now permanently stuck in kilometers per hour (and cannot be switched to miles per hour). Because of this issue, I do not know how fast I am going (which is a major safety issue), and also makes it difficult for me to know if I am breaking the speed limit and thus susceptible to getting a speeding ticket. The dealership advised me that dozens, if not hundreds of people, have complained about the issue and bmw is working on a software fix, but advised that it could take months. I find this absurd for a significant safety issue. There is an analog speedometer in the dash that is in mph, but it is difficult to read and not specific enough (it increases by 20 mph; for example, 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, etc.). The analog speedometer does not have sufficient specificity to tell whether I am going 22 or 39 mph. The design of the analog speedometer is extremely poor and cannot be relied upon to determine actual speed, which is why the digital speedometer is critical. |
| Category | Electrical System, Service Brakes |
| Date | Oct 16, 2019 |
| State | NY |
| Description | Automatic braking spontaneously activated without cause. Happened 2 times. Most recent incident caused injuries to the driver and almost caused a severe accident. This is a full stop from approximately 40 mph |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 13, 2019 |
| State | NM |
| Description | I purchased a new 2019 bmw x3 xdrive 30i midsize suv on august 31, 2019. I specifically chose the driver assist option that includes both lane departure and blind spot warning features. Upon testing to verify that these features were functioning properly, I discovered that the steering wheel vibration warning feature did not work. No vibration at all was detected whenever I changed lanes even though I set the desired vibration level to the highest setting and I was very careful to drive at a speed, 50 mph, for which the feature should be active. This was also true of the blind spot warning--no vibration detected. I verified that both safety systems had activated by observing the appearance of the lane departure icon in the instrument panel and the illumination of the triangular light in the outside mirrors upon approach of a vehicle in the adjacent lane. However, no vibration was detected in the steering wheel when I purposely changed lanes without signaling on testing the lane departure feature or when I signaled to change lanes with another car in the blind spot in testing the blind spot feature. The blind spot visual warning lights in both outside mirrors worked ok, but no vibration was detected when signaling to change lanes. I reported this to the dealership and their diagnosis was a faulty motor that generates the steering mechanism vibration. A new part in on order. I'm reporting this to alert others who may not have tested for proper functionality of these safety features. One has a visual warning for the blind spot feature to backup the steering mechanism vibration, but not so for the lane departure. The absence of vibration could be a significant safety issue for anyone depending on the proper operation of this feature. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Aug 20, 2019 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The check engine light illuminated which resulted in a fault with the mechanical radiator flaps not opening or closing properly. The manufacturer has delayed a fix for six weeks now while they are fixing other models that may have had a higher sales price. Children are present in the vehicle and driving with a 'check engine' light illuminated is discomforting. |
| Category | Electronic Stability Control, Structure:body, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 18, 2019 |
| State | NV |
| Description | While reversing our car in our garage, the car trunk pop open and hit our garage roof creating scratches and peeled paint on the trunk lid. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 14, 2019 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Hatch back opens randomly. Key fobs were no where near vehicle as it was parked in our underground garage. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 14, 2019 |
| State | WA |
| Description | At 9am this morning the hatch back had been open for an unknown amount of time. I closed and locked the car and at 3:30pm this afternoon the hatch had popped open again. This is the fourth report of the same issue this week. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 13, 2019 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Back hatch door opens randomly. It was parked overnight and stationery but neighbor reported it open this morning., |
| Category | Electrical System, Structure:body:tailgate |
| Date | Aug 11, 2019 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Tail gate opens randomly when car is parked and stationary. Tail gate has also opened when traveling at a low speed (under 30 mph). Issue has happened multiple times since purchase of vehicle. Returned to dealer to address issue but was told there was no issue. *tr |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Aug 10, 2019 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Trunk pops open by itself many times while parking |
| Category | Electrical System, Seats, Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 17, 2019 |
| State | FL |
| Description | First problem is that one three separate occassions my rear hatch/tailgate has opened on its own while parked. Each of the three times the car was parked in the garage and has hit my garage door causing damage. While in the garage, my keys were inside the house and no buttons were pushed on the key fob. I have complained to the dealer about this issue twice now and have not had success in solving the issue. Second problem is that the seat ventilation on the passenger seat has failed three times. Each time the fans within the seat that activate to push air through the vents sound like they are tearing through the seat. Each time the dealer has repaired the issue, only for it to return again. The car is going to the dealer once again after I asked for them to escalate this issue. I have not yet had the car one year. My purchase date was in september 2018. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jul 02, 2019 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | I'm having issues with the suv's "hatch" door opening on it's own. I've owned the car since feb 2019. Twice it has opened on its own while parked. Yesterday morning, it opened while I was driving in slow traffic on a very busy road during rush hour, and I had a lot of things in the trunk. The hatch would not close with the button on the armrest, nor with the key fob. I had to pull over and get out, and close it by pressing the button on the hatch door itself. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 02, 2019 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The lane departure warning system on my new bmw x3 (purchased may 3, 2019) does not work. This is a non-trivial failure in bmw's so-called "intelligent safety system." the response I've received so far from my bmw dealer in ocala, florida is unsatisfactory. They insist it is working, just at a slight vibration. I feel no vibration, and have had several people drive the car and agree. During a lapse in concentration ' which is what this feature is intended for ' there is no warning of lane departure. It's not a safety feature if it doesn't work. I find it hard to believe that bmw safety engineers would want the function to be imperceptible even at the "strong" setting. Bmw apparently thinks this feature is important, as the company placed an associated lighted button right in the middle of the dashboard! Perhaps they are waiting for someone to get hurt or die before acting. Please research this problem on behalf of customers before that happens. Thank you. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 10, 2019 |
| State | FL |
| Description | This vehicle has the 'lane departure feature warning" . This feature has 3 settings,from light to strong. On the first two settings the steering wheel does not vibrate at all, on the strongest setting the vibration for the most part cannot be felt either. I had a 2014 x5, steering wheel definitely had a pronounced vibration that was felt. Brought it back to bmw, engineers say that they had complaints that the x5 vibration was to severe so they made it less obtrusive. If you have three modes of operation and two modes do not work at all, and their strongest mode is barely perceptible , this safety feature is not working, especially if you are depending on it. I have tried it at all speeds, actually the faster you are going especially above 55 mph, you do not feel the steering wheel vibrate at all. |
| Category | Electronic Stability Control |
| Date | May 29, 2019 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Problem is more noticeable driving at 80mph on the highway. Vehicle veer left and right and constant very small turnings need to be applied to keep car centered, much more noticeable when passing between two trucks or when moderate wind is encountered. Took to the dealer, they drove the car and mechanic stated nothing wrong with the car and. However, I never had this same pervasive problem with any other suv I owned in the past. Is dangerous and can cause an accident while this is occurring. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | May 23, 2019 |
| State | CO |
| Description | The plastic covers over the lower child safety restraint buckles ripped out during driving, causing the child seat to become loose and unsafe. The angle of these covers forces the child seat lower buckle to angle horizontally outwards. These covers are only secured by a thin plastic tab, so if the pressure of the strap pulls upwards on the cover and breaks the tab during an accident or regular usage, the child seat straps will become loose and the child will be at serious risk of injury. The child seat I had this happen with was a common, best-selling brand in both the u. S. And europe. There was no failure with the seat itself. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Structure:body, Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate |
| Date | May 06, 2019 |
| State | OK |
| Description | Tl* the contact owns a 2019 bmw x3. While driving various speeds, the liftgate spontaneously opened. Additionally, when the push to start was engaged, the vehicle failed to shut off. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to jackie cooper bmw mini (14145 n broadway ext, edmond, ok 73013, (405) 755-3600), but the cause of the failures could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 100. *bf consumer stated while the rear hatch opened and spilled groceries all over the street. Dealer was notified and authorized a retention bar to keep most items in place as payment for the lost items. At that time consumer also addressed an issue with the start button not turning off/shutting down the vehicle completely. Dot was notified.*jb |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | May 01, 2019 |
| State | GA |
| Description | Automatic emergency braking system activated without cause. There was no vehicle or other object in front of my vehicle nevertheless the brakes were automatically employed suddenly slowing the car. Speed at time of the event was approximately 50-60 mph. There was a warning signal and dashboard icon for the aeb system. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Apr 25, 2019 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The tailgate opens on its own. This happens without the key fob being near a person or anything pressing on it. This is a serious safety issue and bmw dealers will not fix it, if they do not see it in person. So, far this has occurred several times while the vehicle was parked in a driveway or in a parking lot. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Apr 22, 2019 |
| State | PA |
| Description | When slowly driving up a hill, the tailgate opened and the contents in the back fell out. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Feb 26, 2019 |
| State | NC |
| Description | When driving on a sunny day on occasion the sun is reflected from the head up display unit into the driver's eyes or field of vision causing a distraction and difficulty seeing the traffic ahead. The attached picture was taken while the vehicle was stationary in the driveway, but typical of the event when driving 70 mph on an interstate highway. The sun reflection is shown both at the head up unit and on the windshield (positioned near the front of the hood between the actual head up display and the head up unit) heading towards the driver's head. This has happened on 3 occasions over the last 6 months. A bmw engineer at first said they had never heard of this and then became more interested when shown a picture. Some time later bmw called and asked if they could replace the faulty head up unit under warranty and return it bmw for analysis. The picture attached is from the replacement unit, which has the same issue. They claim this new unit was working to bmw specs at the time. |
| Category | Latches/locks/linkages:hatchback/liftgate:lock, Structure:body |
| Date | Feb 21, 2019 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The tailgate opened by itself while I was driving on the highway. I had a short local driving before entering the highway. About 5 mins in the highway at around 60 mph, the tailgate opened by itself. The car felt very noisy and hard to control (I was on a windy highway). I had to exist the highway, stop on a local street, and close the trunk. The same random opening also happened once in my garage while the car was parked and locked, a week ago. With two random opening happened in one week, I am afraid of driving it. You never know when the tailgate will suddenly open again. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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One of the best problem free BMW’s I’ve ever owned. Just over 50k miles and nothing has broke or failed. I’ll keep this for at least another 50k or until they change the styling significantly.
People saying their tailgate opened…silly. Mine did that once when my keys were in my pocket and I DID IT. Maybe do a recall on the key fob not the car.
Comfort is above par…love the seats and ability to adjust.
one of the worse driver seats on earth
the seat looks not centralized and to adjust ur posture u have to set on the edge which causes severe back pain since day one also the seat edges are elevated and the middle is sinked down specially the back portion making it even worst and after 5 months i am in my 45th year i am walking like 80 years old person , i went to BMW dealer they said nothing can be done , i asked to change the seat they said we cannot do that just traid it