2006 BMW X3

176 complaints filed with NHTSA.

176
Complaints
8
Crashes
20
Fires
19
Injuries
0
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS65
SEATS40
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL12
ENGINE6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE4
STRUCTURE:BODY4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION3
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER2

Recalls (2)

17V60500028/09/2017

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2010 BMW X3 2.5i, X3 3.0i and X3 xDrive30i Sports Activity Vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if, and how, the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which cou

08V38400005/08/2008

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

BMW IS RECALLING 200,000 MY 2006 3 SERIES SPORT SEAT, MY 2004-2006 5 SERIES STANDARD AND SPORT SEAT, AND MY 2004-2006 X3 PASSENGER VEHICLES. DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT, SMALL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE MAT. IF THIS OCCURS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AI

Recent Complaints

20211214CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2006 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the contact rear-ended another vehicle. All the air bags except for the passenger’s side air bag deployed upon impact. The contact suffered a migraine from the collision but did not receive medical attention but planned to go to urgent care afterward. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. Prior t

Mileage: 130,000

20191202SEATS

WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF DRIVING, ON A CITY STREET, THE CAR WITH THE HEATED SEATS ON, I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL AND THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM ANOTHER CAR. BUT THE SMELL GOT STRONGER AND IT DIDN'T SMELL LIKE A CAR-RELATED SMELL. EVENTUALLY, THE SMELL GOT SO STRONG AND PUNGENT AND I SUDDENLY HAD A SHARP PAIN ON MY LEFT HIP AND I REALIZED IT THE HEATED SEAT WAS BURNING ME. THE PAIN WAS SO ACUTE I HAD TO LIFT MYSELF OFF OF THE SEAT, WHICH WAS DANGEROUS AND COULD'VE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND I IMMED

Mileage: 125,000

20191030FireSEATS

WHILE USING DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER, ELEMENTS OVERHEATED BURNING THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT AND BURNING THE LEFT SIDE/HIP OF THE DRIVER. CAR WAS IN MOTION AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE HEATER IMMEDIATELY AND HAVEN'T USED IT SINCE.

Mileage: 164,750

20190425CrashAIR BAGS

ON APRIL 15 THE VEHICLE WAS IN A COLLISION WITH SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE TEAR DOWN ESTIMATE WAS OVER $10,000. FUNNY THING WAS THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

Mileage: 145,000

20190101FireSEATS

HEATED SEAT MALFUNCTIONS CAUSING "HOT SPOT" THAT BURNS SKIN ON REAR UPPER LEG.

Mileage: 95,000

20181113FireSEATS

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER WIRE BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT, MELTED A SPOT ON MY VINYL RAINCOAT AND SUBSEQUENTLY BURNED MY BUTTOCK. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AT THE TIME.

Mileage: 126,000

20180119FireSEATS

MY HEATED DRIVER SIDE SEAT SHORTED OUT AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE LEATHER SEAT, AND LUCKILY BEING IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY AND HAVING A KNOWLEDGE OF SEAT CONSTRUCTION I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE SEAT OFF. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ON VARIOUS BMW FORUMS., INCLUDING FIRES! I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO FIX AND REPAIR.

Mileage: 100,000

20171204CrashAIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT'S SHOE BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAI

Mileage: 75,000

20170130FireENGINE

AS I DROVE HOME FROM A LONG FLIGHT HOME AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A FROZEN CRANK CASE VENTILATION SYSTEM WHICH CAUSED OIL TO SPRAY OUT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I PULLED OVER WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. I WAS ABLE TO BLOW OUT THE FIRE. TEMPERATURES WERE 5 DEGREES F THAT NIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A "MORE ROBUST CRANK CASE VENTILATION SYSTEM" THAT THEY WOULD INSTALL AT MY COST. AFTER THE WEEK LONG REPAIR, TH

Mileage: 122,000

20170130FireSEATS

AS I DROVE HOME FROM A LONG FLIGHT HOME AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A FROZEN CRANK CASE VENTILATION SYSTEM WHICH CAUSED OIL TO SPRAY OUT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I PULLED OVER WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. I WAS ABLE TO BLOW OUT THE FIRE. TEMPERATURES WERE 5 DEGREES F THAT NIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A "MORE ROBUST CRANK CASE VENTILATION SYSTEM" THAT THEY WOULD INSTALL AT MY COST. AFTER THE WEEK LONG REPAIR, TH

Mileage: 122,000

20170127FireSEATS

DRIVER SEAT HEATER CAUGHT ON FIRE THIS MORNING DEALERSHIP SAID NO RECALL YET MILLION MSG BOARDS CLEARLY SHOW FAULTY ISSUE I HAVE DOCUMENTED OVER 30 SEPARATE CASES ALREADY SINCE 2009! SMOKE FILLED CAR BURN SMELL BURNED HOLE RIGHT THRU SEAT HAPPENED IN MINUTES SAFETY ISSUE 100% BMWGALLERYNORWOOD SAID NOT COVERED TO FIX?!?! HAVE ON VIDEO&PICS GLAD MY 16 YEAR OLD SON WAS ONLY IN DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED HIS SWEATSHIRT RUINED WITH BURN MARKS IMAGINE IF HE WAS ON MAIN RD!!

Mileage: 172,800

20170112SEATS

HEATED SEAT MALFUNCTIONED WHEN TURNED ON THE SEAT GOT SO HOT IT BURNED THE BACK OF MY THIGH, STRONG SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. TURNED IT OFF RIGHT AWAY. I HAD JUST TURNED TH CAR ON IT HAPPENED WITHIN SECONDS OF TURNING THE HEATED SEAT BUTTON ON.

Mileage: 78,000

20161009CrashENGINE

ON 8/4/2016 AROUND 7:20AM. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT WORK. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND WAS A COMPLETE STOP. SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO PARK. THE CAR EXCELERATED THROWING ME BACK INTO MY SEAT. I KEPT PUSHING THE BRAKE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE CAR WENT AIRBORNE AND EXCELERATED A SECOND TIME. I HIT A FIRE HYDRANT AND LANDED IN THE STREET. I WAS THEN ABLE TO STOP THE CAR. THE DISTANCE FROM THE PARKING STOP TO THE ROAD WAS ABOUT 20 FEET. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A BMW DEALER. BMW HAD MY CAR FO

Mileage: 140,000

20160828AIR BAGS

MY SON WAS DRIVING IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC (CITY STREET) BARELY GOING 5 MILES PER HOUR. HE STEPS ON THE BRAKES AND HIS AIRBAGS DEPLOY. NO COLLISION WAS MADE BETWEEN HIS CAR AND THE CAR IN FRONT HIM. ALL THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT PASSENGER SIDE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SHOULD HAPPEN AT 10MPH OR GREATER AND A COLLISION. NO COLLISION GOING AROUND 5MPH. HARD TO JUSTIFY. MY SON WAS VERY SHAKEN BY THIS INCIDENT WHERE IS ALMOST AFRAID TO DRIVE. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, I PLACED A CALL TO BM

Mileage: 135,000

20160229FireSEATS

WAS DRIVING DOWN MY BMW X3 DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY SEAT WARMERS ON AND THE INSIDE OF MY CAR STARTED TO SMELL LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING I FIGURED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY SEAT WARMER SO I TURNED IT OFF A LITTLE WAYS DOWN THE ROAD I PULLED OVER TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE MY SEAT WAS OKAY AND NOTICED A SMALL BURN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT ON THE BACK OF MY SEAT AND I CHECKED MY SWEATER AND THERE WAS A BURN MARK ON IT TOO

Mileage: 71,000

20160119FireSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE PASSENGER SEAT WARMER BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND BURNED THE PASSENGER'S LEG. THE WIRING BEGAN TO SMOKE AND THE CONTACT OBERVED A SPARK. NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,967.

Mileage: 115,967

20151122CrashAIR BAGS

HAD AN ACCIDENT ON A CITY STREET. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION & IMPACT WAS ON THE FRONT BUMPER. ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. VEHICLE HAD THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LAMP ILLUMINATED FOR A WHILE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. CALLED DEALER AND BMW LONG BACK WHEN I INITIALLY CAME TO KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL. BUT I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN IS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED, ELSE WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:

Mileage: 80,000

20150415FireSEATS

I WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. I HAD MY SEAT HEATER ON AND NOTICED A VERY, VERY HOT SPOT ON THE BOTTOM PART OF THE SEAT ON THE LEFT SIDE. I HURRIED AND SHUT THE SEAT HEATER OFF, BUT NOTICED BURN MARKS ON THE LEATHER. THE SEAT WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY CAUGHT ON FIRE IF I HADN'T SHUT OFF THE SEAT HEATER. *TR

Mileage: 69,000

20150105FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT ACTIVATED, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE SEAT. AS A RESULT, A HOLE WAS BURNED THROUGH THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT AND THE CONTACT'S COAT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

Mileage: 95,000

20150105FireSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT ACTIVATED, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE SEAT. AS A RESULT, A HOLE WAS BURNED THROUGH THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT AND THE CONTACT'S COAT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

Mileage: 95,000