59 consumer complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2022 BMW X3. Click any complaint to view the full owner description.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLMarch 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving and stopping at a red light or stop sign, the vehicle accelerated from 20 MPH to 40 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000. The VIN was not available.
SERVICE BRAKESMarch 2, 2026
on [XXX] I was going into a Parking Garage in Beverly Hills, CA. I got a little too far from the ticket machine so I put the BMWX3 in PARK and PUT the Emergency Brake on so I could open my door, step out and grab the ticket. The car immediately rolled backwards into a Dodge Charger behind me. That woman is suing for $150,000. It caused my insurance to double, I had to have PT on my pelvis. I had to pay the deductible to get the car repaired. BMW will not take responsibility for the malfunction. My Dad was a professional driver for FORD and I have never caused an accident in my [XXX] years of driving. The woman claims that she and her children were injured but no air bags deployed. the car rolled. It did give me quite a jolt. Her car showed no visible damage but mine was damaged - tail pipe and bumper. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMFebruary 16, 2026
1. The primary failure occurred within the electrical system and engine compartment wiring. According to the official forensic report (Ref No: XXX by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the fire originated in the engine compartment due to an electrotechnical fault (short circuit). 2. The vehicle spontaneously exploded and caught fire while parked in a closed, underground parking facility of a commercial building. This created an immediate risk of: Mass casualties due to smoke inhalation and potential structural collapse of the parking ceiling. Fire spreading to dozens of adjacent vehicles.The explosion occurred without any prior warning, posing a lethal threat to anyone nearby. 3. The failure was officially confirmed and documented through a State Forensic Examination. The Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Forensic-Criminalistic Department conducted a comprehensive technical audit. They ruled out any external factors (arson/accelerants) and confirmed an internal electrical short circuit as the sole cause. 4. Yes. The vehicle was inspected and seized as evidence by the Criminal Police and the State Forensic-Criminalistic Department of Georgia. 5. There were no warning lights or messages displayed on the dashboard prior to parking the vehicle. The incident was a spontaneous combustion that occurred while the vehicle was stationary and unoccupied. please note that uploaded police documents are in Georgian language and I will be able to send over official translations upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
AIR BAGSFebruary 10, 2026
Airbags deployed with no impact
AIR BAGSJanuary 8, 2026
Driving and side curtain airbags deployed without accident or impact
UNKNOWN OR OTHERDecember 18, 2025
On 12/17/25, I was driving on I-10 in New Orleans, there were no cars around that could have kicked up a rock to cause the sunroof to explode. When the sunroof exploded, I immediately pulled over and that is when I first noticed the strong smell of residue and then I heard the glass shattering. The cover to the sunroof was closed because if not, glass would have been all over me causing a major accident on major 4 lane interstate. The heat was not on to cause any type of pressure to make it explode. When I pulled over, I called 911 and Louisiana State Police answered the call. When the officer arrived he looked at the situation and he could not see a rock, bullet, or anything that would have caused it. Since he could not find anything that caused the issue, he was not able to do an incident report but told me to take it straight to the dealership. The vehicle has been to two different BMW dealerships where I have been told warranty does not cover this issue even though there are multiple reports about this being a normal occurrence with BMW after a 7 year investigation. There were no warnings before this incident. I could have killed myself along with others if I would have lost control of the car due to the car shaking with the sunroof exploded. The vehicle is able to inspected upon request if needed while it sits at the dealership. This vehicle was also bought on 10/27/25.
POWER TRAINDecember 17, 2025
Transfer case fluid has been replaced as well as drivetrain fluid in the front and rear and and the car is still having slight issues shuttering when stopping.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGESNovember 18, 2025
The driver side rear door locking mechanism keeps locking, even when the car is unlocked with the key fob. This is a safety concern, as our granddaughter rides in the rear seat regularly and if an emergency arises where I need to get her out of the back seat quickly, the rear door can stay locked and not allow me to get her out. There were no warning notices for this issue on the dashboard system.
UNKNOWN OR OTHERNovember 14, 2025
windshield glass excessively weak and prone to crack and chip. yes, a weak (defective windshield) has great safety concerns. yes, Safelight glass repair has repaired this windshield several times in 2 months. yes, we have recently brought this vehicle to a BMW service center. no warning light for this issue. There are several websites that confirm there is a significant problem with the windshield on this specific make. model and year.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMSeptember 28, 2025
Starter
UNKNOWN OR OTHERSeptember 27, 2025
I am a [XXX] male who has been driving for [XXX]. I am very familiar with cars. I recently experienced a situation which could be catastrophic for anyone, especially children. I was sitting in the car on a moderately cool day with the sun shining very bright. I was in a parking lot parked in a remote location. My wife, who was driving went into a store to shop. She took the FOB with her. She shopped longer than expected. The car's interior started to heat up and eventually I realized i was in a very dangerous situation. I could not open the doors or windows without the FOB. I was considering kicking out a window when my wife returned to the car and opened a door. She later went to the dealership and was told there is a special procedure one most follow to unlock the doors without the FOB being present and someone in the car. This is a ridiculous situation which could become tragic if a child was involved. The simple remedy would be to have the interior locking pin for each door extend far enough beyond the door panel so one can unlock the door in an emergency like they did in the "old" days. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
ENGINESeptember 20, 2025
While driving, noticed smoke coming from under the hood. Immediately pulled in a parking lot where the smoke turned to fire and burned the entire car by the time fire dept arrived. I was the only person in the car and was luckily able to exit the vehicle before the actual fire started. Incident reported to insurance company and they are investigating. There were no dash warning lights of any kind.
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKESAugust 27, 2025
When starting the vehicle, the message center displays "Loss Communications Brake System Control Module A." The vehicle losses power steering, speedometer indication, tire pressure monitoring, and stability control. There are numerous codes displayed for Brake System, Power Steering, Parking Brake and Stability Control. This is the third time that this event has happened. Turning the vehicle off and restarting after approximately 1 hour the codes were clear and everything appears to work properly. This event occurs randomly and resets after the vehicle is turned off and restarted after a period of approximately 1 hour. The loss of power steering and speed indication is a safety hazard. I have been driving this vehicle when the power steering and speedometer stopped working. The steering requires a lot more effort to turn and you do not know the current speed of the vehicle. The BMW dealer charged us the customer for a software update to fix this issue. We are not confident that the vehicle is fixed because this is a random event. I believe this should be a safety recall. There is a recall on BMW 2023 and 2024 models for the same issue. The recall does not include the 2022 model at this time. Codes displayed: U0129, U0418, P15C9, P15C8, P15B9, P15B8, P0507, P0610, P152B, P152A.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHERAugust 4, 2025
I believe there is a flaw in the architecture of start-stop technology in conjunction with the electronic shifting technology installed in cars today.. I have ran into this issue twice in a 18month period and I believe it is something the NHTSA should institute new requirements on car manufacturers. My wifes BMW X3 start stop technology has failed twice in 18months and that is not a big deal. Things break and need to be repaired but given the car can not be put in neutral it left us stranded unable to move the vehicle in the middle of the road until a tow truck could move us out of the road. I could have easily put the car in the neutral (if allowed) and pushed the car off to the side of the road out of traffic. Luckily in both occasions a police officer pulled up very quickly and was able to alert traffic there was a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. I want you to imagine being in stop and go traffic on highway 95 and this happens. Then the traffic actually dissipates and your vehicl is in the middle lane on hwy 95 unable to be moved until a tow truck arrives and now the traffic is going 65-70 mph. The BMW X3 can not be place in neutral unless you go underneath the car in some sort of service panel. I do not believe given the mandate of auto-stop start on these new cars coupled with the inability to place cars into neutral is a good design point and I would hope the the NHTSA would mandate cars be able to put cars in neutral to avoid potentially catastrophic accidents on the highways across America..
TIRESJuly 31, 2025
Subject: Tire Safety Concern – BMW OEM Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season (UTQG 500) 245 50 R19 I am writing to raise a serious vehicle safety concern involving the BMW OEM Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season tires that came factory-installed on my leased 2022 BMW X3. These tires are labeled with a UTQG 500 treadwear rating, which typically implies a lifespan of 40,000 to 50,000 miles. Yet, all four of my tires were found to be severely worn and unsafe at just 23,456 miles. More troubling, I began experiencing significant handling and traction issues as early as 18,000 miles. During normal driving—without aggressive braking, cornering, or high-speed use—the car exhibited: Hydroplaning in moderate rain Slipping and sliding under light acceleration Noticeable vibration and poor stability on dry roads These symptoms were initially confusing until a routine service appointment at Motorwerks BMW in Bloomington, MN revealed that all four tires were nearly bald and posed a safety risk. The dealership confirmed the tread depth was between 1 and 2 mm—well below the safe limit—and told me, alarmingly, that this level of premature failure is typical for this tire. This raises two critical safety issues: The tires were functionally unsafe well before 20,000 miles, long before I was aware of the degradation. The UTQG 500 label creates a false sense of security. A consumer would not expect traction loss or hydroplaning risks within the first 18,000–20,000 miles of normal use from a 500-rated tire. I have since learned that this OEM tire, while labeled identically to the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus sold at retail, is actually a different tire made specifically for BMW. It carries no treadwear warranty, despite its 500 label, and reportedly has never been separately tested to confirm its rating. Both BMW and Pirelli have pointed fingers at each other, offering no solution or responsibility—leaving consumers with unsafe tires and no remedy. I urge NHTSA to investigate this issue.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTUREMay 21, 2025
Vehicle: 2022 BMW X3 sDrive VIN: [XXX] Incident Date: [XXX] A BMW dealership technician discovered that the rear radar sensor (used for blind spot detection) was misaligned due to impact damage behind the bumper. The inspection notes stated "fault present 35 times" and showed missing screws and signs of prior repair. These safety features are critical to safe lane changes and accident prevention. The vehicle was sold as Certified Pre-Owned, and the dealership never disclosed this safety-related defect. This raises serious questions about whether the vehicle had been in a prior collision and whether the blind spot safety system is fully functional or properly calibrated. The dealership later claimed the vehicle was repaired but refused to provide documentation. I have no way to verify the sensor was ever fixed to federal safety standards INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMMay 6, 2025
On April 26, 2025, while driving my 2022 BMW X3, the vehicle suddenly emitted smoke and caught fire. Fortunately, all five passengers, including myself, were able to exit the car before it became fully engulfed in flames. The car was destroyed and is a total loss. The BMW app later displayed a “drivetrain malfunction” message, which did not appear until after the fire had already started. The vehicle was still under the manufacturer’s 48-month new vehicle warranty and had no open recalls at the time. Routine maintenance and service had been performed at authorized BMW dealerships. I am concerned this fire may have resulted from a manufacturing defect, especially in light of similar reports and recalls involving fuel rail cracks or leakage in this model/year. No injuries were sustained, but this was a terrifying and traumatic incident, and I am now left with significant financial loss. What I am requesting: I ask that NHTSA investigate whether this fire was caused by a manufacturing defect common to the 2022 BMW X3 and whether a broader recall or corrective action is warranted
AIR BAGSMarch 31, 2025
I don't know what happen, but Friday March 28, 2024 after getting gas and I started my vehicle a noticed appeared "Passenger Restraint System Malfunctioned. This is related to my Air Bag, and I am told this is not covered under my extended warranty. This is something should be Bmw responsibility.
ENGINEMarch 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle intermittently stalled. The failure had occurred on several occasions. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
SEATSFebruary 15, 2025
I am reaching out with an official complaint regarding a defect in my BMW X3 M40i, which I purchased in November 2024 from Beverly Hills BMW with a mileage of 8,500 miles. The vehicle was certified under BMW’s CPO program, and I additionally purchased an extended warranty. Shortly I began experiencing discomfort while driving. When my back is fully pressed against the seat and my head rests on the headrest, my line of sight is not straight at the windshield but is instead shifted leftward, closer to the A-pillar. This misalignment significantly impairs visibility, making it difficult to maintain a proper driving position and increasing the risk of an accident. Additionally, this issue causes discomfort in operating the vehicle and results in back pain during long drives. I visited my local BMW dealer in Palm Springs, as the original dealer is quite far, and requested an inspection. The service foreman acknowledged something felt off, and an appointment was scheduled for an engineer’s evaluation on January 27, 2025. However, on January 29, my vehicle was returned to me with the claim that no issues were found. I asked how the engineer had inspected the seat and was informed that measurements were taken. When I requested photographic evidence of these measurements, I received images showing an engineer using nothing more than a simple wooden stick instead of professional measuring instruments such as levels, tape measures, or lasers. This method is completely inadequate for an objective and precise assessment of a potential structural defect. Even in these images, it is apparent that the seat is misaligned. Since the official assessment failed to provide objective results, I conducted my own measurements using a 360-degree laser level and determined that: The driver’s seatback is shifted 2 cm closer to the driver’s door; The seat is rotated at a noticeable angle toward the A-pillar. I hope for your assistance, as the seat frame is damaged and using the car is unsafe.
STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGESDecember 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the contact looking in the rearview mirror and became aware that the tailgate had opened. The contact pulled over and closed the tailgate. The contact stated that while entering the garage, the tailgate opened unintendedly. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
STRUCTURENovember 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
STRUCTURENovember 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
STRUCTUREOctober 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
SEAT BELTSOctober 15, 2024
The front passenger seats warmer is not working. In spite of multiple attempts to get it fixed from BMW of Denver Downtown has not fixed the issue. This can have serious impact during winter weather
UNKNOWN OR OTHEROctober 14, 2024
BMW has a safety recall on my vehicle for over two months now with no fix available. I am in the process of moving to Japan and need to sell the vehicle. BMW is prohibiting a lease transfer or sale until the vehicle is fixed, but they cannot fix it. Meanwhile I lost a potential buyer and BMW wants to charge me an early lease termination fee of over $6000 but they will not fix the vehicle and they will not allow me to sell or complete a lease transfer. BMW should accept this vehicle back without charging me extra money for a lease termination fee on a defective vehicle.
STRUCTUREOctober 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
STRUCTURESeptember 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
STRUCTURESeptember 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
STRUCTURESeptember 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMX X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
STRUCTURESeptember 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3 The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V534000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
UNKNOWN OR OTHERAugust 18, 2024
I am filing this complaint regarding the recall on my 2022 BMW X3, which involves the interior rear cargo rails. The recall, added to the NHTSA database over a month ago, indicates that in an extreme rear crash, the attachment between the rear cargo rail and the vehicle body could become damaged. This issue could lead to the rail separating from the vehicle body, increasing the risk of injury. Despite the significant safety risk outlined in the recall, there has been no update on when repair kits will be made available to service centers to begin the necessary repairs. This delay in providing the remedy is causing concern as it leaves my vehicle potentially unsafe for an extended period. I urge the NHTSA to look into the timeliness of this repair process to ensure that the necessary parts are distributed promptly to mitigate the associated safety risks.
LANE DEPARTURE,TIRESJune 14, 2024
This BMW vehicle's odometer readings are inconsistent and inaccurate resulting in overage of mileage for lessee. This cars BMW tires were not verifiable to be from BMW and tires subsequently failed within 15,000 miles. No entity at BMW, not the dealership, not the sales, not BMW Financial Services or BMW of North America LLC could provide any information regarding the original tires or provide any warranty information regarding the tires - this impact mileage efficiency, miles per gallon and is a way to game the systems. BMW front sensors on act erratically sometimes working and sometimes going off without anything present, during rain/snow sensors would constantly go off for no reason. Issues have been raised through certified mail to BMW and all have been ignored. There is no accountability regarding the tires with no warranty that fail, inaccurate odometer readings, car sensors and we request an investigation into these three matters.
STEERING,SUSPENSIONMay 7, 2024
I purchased by 2022 BMW X3 new in September of 2021. Since then I have had re-occurring safety issues with the car involving steering and suspension components. I've had the front thrust rod replaced at least three times. The vehicle clunks when in reverse and consumes front tires. I had to order front tires for the car with only about 15k miles on them. I had the vehicle alignment checked multiple times and was informed that the car is in correct alignment specs. My biggest frustration is that BMW consistently lies to me and does everything in it's power to deny that there are issues with the vehicle. The thrust rod issue is a known issue which has multiple technical service bulletins. They actually re-engineered the part because it was designed so poorly that they constantly break. BMW, of course, has tried to hide this information and denies that there is anything wrong with the component. I was informed that they would be placing a re-engineered part on my car once it was available - however they had no ETA according to the dealership because BMW needs so many of these parts to replace their faulty components. When I refused to pick up the car suddenly a re-engineered part was available. I have dozens of service invoices for this issue and e-mails with the dealership and BMW representatives lying and covering up information to prevent a recall of their substandard vehicle. Recently, my steering wheel has started to get "stuck" while driving. I have to use brute force to move the wheel which results in erratic maneuvers on the highway. I brought the vehicle back to BMW who, as usual, said there is nothing wrong with it. When I refused to drive the car due to safety concerns, suddenly it needs a new steering column. Upon research, this is also apparently a huge issue with the X3's. My vehicle has proven unsafe to drive and BMW has no concern about my safety or welfare. I have a lot of evidence and service invoices if needed.
UNKNOWN OR OTHERMarch 12, 2024
CAR WAS PARKED , TURN OFF THE ENGINE, MOVED OUT OF CAR THE CAR MOVED FORWARED BY ITSELF AND HIT THE CURB AND ENDED UP IN NEIGHBOURS LAWN.
TIRESFebruary 1, 2024
Only 18,000 miles driven and they are down to 3/32nds. Unacceptable. Vehicle is a 2022 BMW and tires have been rotated and tire pressure checked weekly. Completely unsafe now.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEOctober 27, 2023
Adas camera bracket on windshield deformed due to heat. The bracket will no longer hold the camera and the deformation was so severe it broke the mounting tab that holds the adas camera.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEOctober 18, 2023
The front collision warning failed and had not given any problem prior to the failure. We were in a car accident where a person turned left (we were going straight) and passed right in front of us when we hit them. The Forward Collision Warning did not display and our vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance. We may of avoided the accident if the sound and display of the warning had triggered.
LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCESeptember 15, 2023
The BMW front facing kafas camera system is prone to failure in the BMW X3. The plastic piece that holds the camera module in place has small plastic tabs that attach it to the windshield. These tabs are prone to breaking. Once the tabs break the front camera system is no longer in alignment and all front safety systems will be disabled. This puts the occupants of the vehicle in danger as all front facing safety systems will be disabled. The dealers do not want to warranty these failures as they try to pass it off as the fault of the owner. The first dealership rejected my issue saying that since my vehicle has a modified suspension that the camera is not able to calibrate which is incorrect. The second dealer I took it to saw the problem was the failed plastic mount but since my front windshield is aftermarket UV rejecting film it must have been damaged by the individual that installed it. This is not the case since the film did not extend behind the plastic pieces covering the electronics. In order to get this issue fixed I to pay out of pocket $2000 even though my vehicle is still under warranty. This issue has been reported by several people on various BMW forums.
LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCESeptember 6, 2023
Mount for BMW KAFAS camera melts/deforms in the heat (normal exposure). This causes the camera to become uncalibrated and disables Pedestrian avoidance braking as well as lane keep assist. I am unsure what other functions are unavailable. After 2+ months of waiting for a new part, the BMW dealer nor BMW NA could not give a timeline on when the windshield/mount would be available for replacement. This means that the safety features that were advertised and paid for by the owner are unavailable to the owner for an indeterminate amount of time. Forum participants indicate that this is a common problem with this model with some owners experiencing multiple failures of this safety system in a short period of time during summer months.
LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCESeptember 6, 2023
The main windshield bracket holding the front camera (responsible for Driver's Assistant including front collision warning, pedestrian warning, lane departure warning, etc.) has the tendency to break on its own. The bracket is made of thin plastic and can melt under direct sunlight and/or usage of vehicle as the camera gets hot as well. Any reasonable exposure or usage will eventually cause the bracket to melt/deform and fail, causing the camera to fall from its original position. The misalignment of camera will cause a cascade of error codes and completely fail to work, rendering the entire safety systems to be useless. The bracket itself is not sold separately and requires the manufacturer to install a completely new windshield which is the only method of fixing this issue. Manufacturer and/or dealerships refuse to warranty if preventative methods are used (such as windshield tint) even though the camera or mounts remain untouched.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURESeptember 6, 2023
There is a failure with the camera not being able to calibrate and a number of error messages
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTUREJune 14, 2023
The clips that hold the KAFAS camera system are faulty and easily break. The KAFAS unit gets exceptionally hot and damages the clips causing the unit to go out of alignment and then cause all of the safety features to fail. The fact that you have to replace the whole windshield to repair two small plastic clips is an egregious mechanical design failure, waste of resource, and just insane design.
POWER TRAINJune 7, 2023
After taking off from a stop light, heard a loud bang and after taking it to the dealer it turns out to be a broken rear right axle and diff retaining bolt. My car is a 2022 MY with 20k miles on it. This was the first time I have done a "hard launch". The car is bone stock, with no modifications whatsoever and all maintenance and repairs done at the bmw dealership. I am going after a warranty claim as this should be covered.
POWER TRAINJune 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The service vehicle warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a message displayed on the instrument panel “Drivetrain Malfunction”. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the cause of the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,712.
SERVICE BRAKESMay 19, 2023
The break pads wore out on the car at around 16,000 miles. Generally brake pads are supposed to last 35,000 to 40,000 miles. My sister in law has a BMW 4 series and their cars brake pads wore out at around 15,000 miles. I'm sure there are thousands of other BMW owners who have been experiencing this same issue When the dealership was confronted they admitted that BMW has changed to a different "softer" type of brake pads and they are regularly seeing that This should be considered as a defect and the cars recalled because BMW knowingly changed their brake pads to save money and has been installing cheap brake pads that don't even last 1/2 of what regular brake pads last BMW knowingly did this because before their service included the brake pads to be changed within 3 years or 36,000 miles. They removed the brake pads as part of the service included within the 36,000 and started selling additional warranty for the brake pads This would confirm that they knew the new brake pads that they were going to be installing were cheaply made and they were going to have a lot of people coming in to get them changed within the service time period of 36,000, so they removed that as being included and starting selling additional warranty for that. The NHTSA should have minimum standards for car parts across the board, so that BMW doesn't take advantage of their customers and install cheap parts so they can make more money We have leased/owned BMW's for 15+ years and have never had this issue. Since this was done on purpose by BMW, there should be a recall issued for the defective brake pads that they have been installing
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINEMarch 1, 2023
I have two major concerns 1) When I drive in the snow and engage "traction control" the brakes stop working properly - to the point that I had to stomp on the pedal with both feet to get them to kick in. It was truly terrifying. Another friend with a 2023 model X3 experienced the exact same thing. No warning signs appeared and my car only has 9000 miles. This just happened so I have no complained to the dealer yet. 2) When I leave my house and head down hill to the stop sign the transmission automatically kicks itself out of "Drive" into "Neutral." This is also dangerous as I pull away from the stop sign into the street i have no idea when I hit the gas nothing will happen and I've almost gotten T-boned by cars who find me stalled in the middle of the road. I had the dealer look at this and they could not duplicate it. Meanwhile I had a 2023 loaner car from them that did the exact same thing! They said there have been no recalls for this so I felt it should be reported too.
BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEFebruary 24, 2023
I have Lane keep assist set to Early with Steering intervention. LKA would sometimes shut off by itself in the 45-60 mph highway speed range in sunny weather with clear road markings, and sometimes would stay on even when my speed decreases even to 35 mph instead of 40 mph. I understand if weather is bad, LKA might not work, but I am very confused, in broad daylight, what would cause the LKA to turn on or off and deactivate/activate at different speeds? I have the standard PDC with the "forward and rear corner sensors that trigger a warning beep at approximately a 2 ft. distance from the object." Is there any way to control the distance the parking distance control sensors activate automatically like in Merc? Since I don't have Active Park Distance Control (Option ZX1) which "automatically applies emergency braking when the reversing vehicle gets too close to an object behind or at the side of the vehicle when a collision is imminent at speeds below 3 mph," would the car still auto brake for me if I am backing up reverse in a parking garage if there is cross traffic alert or I am hitting object behind me?
STEERINGFebruary 10, 2023
2022 BMW X3. CONSUMER STATED THAT THEIR VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING.
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKESFebruary 8, 2023
When the vehicle is moving at a speed of 4mph and lower, it is impossible to shift the vehicle from neutral to drive without applying the brakes. I was pulling out onto a 4 lane road from a side street when I accidentally bumped the transmission gear shifter into the "N" neutral position. When I realized this (I was only going 4 mph at the time) I tried to shift it back into drive but it would not work. The vehicle made a sound that I was doing something wrong. I tried to shift it again (vehicle was probably now moving around 3 mph) and it gave me that same warning sound but this time I looked at the instrumentation panel and saw that the warning text displayed on the panel said that I needed to apply the brakes before I could shift it from neutral to drive. When I applied the brakes the vehicle came to a complete stop because I was going only 3mph and at that point I could shift the vehicle into drive. I believe that if I had pulled out with cars coming at a high rate of speed that I could have been hit on the drivers side because I had come to a complete stop in the right hand lane of the roadway. I could only imagine what could have happened to an inexperienced driver because I somewhat panicked and I have over 35 years of driving experience. This safety issue was brought up to BMW through their customer service/satisfaction center. The representative that I spoke with said he would forward the concern to their "research and design" unit but didn't know if they would respond. I have not brought the issue up with the dealership where I purchased the vehicle because I notified BMW directly. I am concerned that this design fault will one day cause catastrophic injuries.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEFebruary 6, 2023
At time of purchase sales executive mentioned about Adaptive cruise control is in build with premium package but it is not installed in my car.waiting for dealership to respond on my query.
STRUCTUREJanuary 6, 2023
While driving at approximately 45 mph on Florida Highway 10 with no other cars around the sunroof suddenly shattered. There was a loud “pop” and the sound of glass hitting the top of the car. The sunroof and shade were closed at the time and most of the glass ended up in the street. There is considerable paint damage to the roof of the vehicle from the glass hitting it after shattering.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHEROctober 19, 2022
While driving on the highway my rear hatch opened and I was not given any warning that the hatch was open. My car was full of luggage on our return trip to florida and I could not see that the hatch had opened. We lost boxes that were in the trunk. It could have been a lot worse if we were not notified by passing drivers that something was wrong with my car. Looking for previous issues this happened in 2019 for my model car, BMW X3. I do not understand why this has happened again.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEOctober 17, 2022
- Bracket holding KAFAS camera system to windshield failed causing Driver Assistance system errors in vehicle; surrounding area gets very hot to the touch - System errors restricted certain driver assistance features including collision warnings - Problem was found by two dealerships; first dealership denied claim, second repaired via windshield replacement - Service advisor mentioned another vehicle had similar failure - BMW forum (Bimmerpost) confirmed several identical failures
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,LANE DEPARTUREJune 13, 2022
instrument cluster sporadically working. front collision and lane departure not working when the cluster isn't working. unable to judge speed accurately, Yes problem has been reproduced by Sandy Sansing BMW in Pensacola FL.no the part hasn't been inspected.no other warmings but have had warnings since that the driver assistance restricted. Frontal collision warning, pedestrian warning . I have been given a time frame to fix this as completly unknow- forcing me to drive this car without working instruments.
UNKNOWN OR OTHERMay 4, 2022
My BMW X3 was less then 1 month old with less then 200 miles. On the way home around 11PM I noticed sparks and some coming out the hood. I pulled to the side of the road and as soon as I stepped out of the car flames were coming out from under the car, drivers door. Called 911. Police and fire department showed up within 10 minutes. The fire was put out unfortunately the whole car melted by then. I'm glad I escaped unhurt. Few minutes more I could have been seriously hurt or dead.
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHERFebruary 26, 2022
Limpmode: Life Threatening failure of vehicle shutting down accelerating in heavy traffic in speeds over 70 mph. On 9 Nov 22 I was driving on interstate to take my wife to her radiation appointment. Within 1 mile of exit, traveling in far-right lane in 4 lanes of heavy traffic with an additional two lanes of heavy traffic merging in from the right, I had to get over into the merging oncoming traffic. When I went to accelerate to merge right into the heavy traffic, my BMW dash lit up red and the acceleration was shut off leaving the car coasting. I could not accelerate, stuck in my lane the car started slowing from 70+mph traffic down to 60mph, 55 mph and I was able to get over into exit lanes at 45 mph with car still decelerating up exit ramp. I pulled off to the exit ramp onto the side of the road into the grass/pavement to safety. The BMW’s failure to operate was a life-threatening incident for me, my wife and mother in the car in the middle of very heavy traffic. In addition, all on-coming vehicle traffic was put at risk of life threatening injuries with a high risk of rear end multiple collisons. I sat looking at the dash reading and it read a few minor problems with sensor for pedestrians and cameras and if it proceeded to fail to contact maintenance, however the car was ok to drive. I shut the car off and restarted it and was able to get my wife to her appointment. I drove the car home with no issues. Vehicle was towed to dealership the next day at Century BMW where it was purchased and informed by BMW Mfg not to touch the vehicle. BMW N.A. sent engineers to dealership to investigate cause. BMW N.A. could not recreate environment, however choose to do repairs thought best to resolve issue. BMW N.A. sent report to dealership for parts order and repairs. My many requests for trouble code reports from BMW N.A. and Century BMW starting from 24 Nov 2021 to Jan 2022 were ignored. 18 Feb 22 Partial Rpt. received by accident from service rep.
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHERFebruary 24, 2022
SUV's lift gate has opened on its own twice. Once in the garage resulting garage door damage as well as $798.00 in lift gate damage. The second time the vehicle was outside unattended.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMNovember 3, 2021
When a door or hatch is opened, the car horn is continuously activated for up to two minutes. No switches or key fob buttons deactivate the horn. The dealer service department thinks it is a defective switch or relay in the steering column. The vehicle is underivable because of he loud noise of the horn. It risks damaging hearing, making other sounds undetectable, disturbing others including drivers, pedestrians, and neighbors (one called me to complain, thank you). It also puts one at risk for violent road rage incidents.