BMW X3 SAV · model year

2010 BMW X3 SAV

27 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2010BMWX3 SAV carries 27 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2010 X3 SAV is air bags with 15 filings, followed by steering (3) and structure:body (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2010 X3 SAV. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

27
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

27 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS15
STEERING3
STRUCTURE:BODY2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
ENGINE2
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recalls (3)

14V17600010/04/2014

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xD

16V07100005/02/2016

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons,

22V11900002/03/2022

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi);

Recent Complaints

20181004AIR BAGS

ON MAY 31 2018 I TOOK MY X3 IN TO ROSEVILLE BMW FOR AIR BAG RECALL #B651617 PASSENGER SIDE SEAT MAT THEY TOLD MW PART ON ORDER AND DO NOT HAVE ANY PERSON SEATING IN THAT SEAT UBTILL RECALL IS COMPLEITED. IT IS NOW OCT 4 2018 AND NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE. I JUST GOT 2 MORE RECALL NOTICES FROM ROSEVILLE BMW STATING TO CALL THEM ABOUT RECALL #B651617 PAAS SEAT MAT. SO I CALLED SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME NO PARTS HAVE COME IN AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WILL BE SHIPPED!!!!!, ALSO ON ANOTHER NOTE ON THIS X3 I HAVE ALSO REPLACED WINDOW REGULATORS ALL 4 AND NOW BOTH REAR REGULATORS BROKE AGAIN #5 AND #6 THAT IS NOT CHEAP WHY??????

Mileage: 97,535

20181004ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ON MAY 31 2018 I TOOK MY X3 IN TO ROSEVILLE BMW FOR AIR BAG RECALL #B651617 PASSENGER SIDE SEAT MAT THEY TOLD MW PART ON ORDER AND DO NOT HAVE ANY PERSON SEATING IN THAT SEAT UBTILL RECALL IS COMPLEITED. IT IS NOW OCT 4 2018 AND NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE. I JUST GOT 2 MORE RECALL NOTICES FROM ROSEVILLE BMW STATING TO CALL THEM ABOUT RECALL #B651617 PAAS SEAT MAT. SO I CALLED SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME NO PARTS HAVE COME IN AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WILL BE SHIPPED!!!!!, ALSO ON ANOTHER NOTE ON THIS X3 I HAVE ALSO REPLACED WINDOW REGULATORS ALL 4 AND NOW BOTH REAR REGULATORS BROKE AGAIN #5 AND #6 THAT IS NOT CHEAP WHY??????

Mileage: 97,535

20180503FireSTRUCTURE:BODY

IN MOTION WHEN IT STARTED SMOKING. STATIONARY WHEN IT WENT UP IN FLAMES

Mileage: 74,000

20171122AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL, MY CAR HAS BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST FOR YEARS AND THE DEALER NEVER SEEMS TO HAVE THE PARTS TO REPLACE.

20170616AIR BAGS

IT'S BEEN 17 MONTHS AND BMW NA HAS NOT MOVED ON REPAIRING MY CAR.

Mileage: 59,000

20170428AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER 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. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/25/17*LJ *AS

20170414AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED MORE THAN TWO DEALERS, BUT A SPECIFIC DATE COULD NOT BE PROVIDED FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/01/17*LJ *CN

20170308AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER 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.

20170213AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20161221AIR BAGS

RECEIVED FROM BMW, IN MARCH 2016, RECALL NOTICE 16V-071, DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE. AS OF THIS DATE, BMW STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY PARTS AVAILABLE, AND AS OF THIS DATE (12-21-2016) ADVISED ME NOT TO EXPECT THEM UNTIL EARLY 2017 - ALMOST A YEAR LATER. MY PRIOR COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA HAS BEEN IGNORED. SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE, NEEDS TO BE FIRED.

Mileage: 35,000

20161117AIR BAGS

NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 16V071 ISSUED ON 02/5/16 INSTRUCT THAT 2010 BMW X3 XDRIVE30I DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG IS DEFECTIVE AND MAY PRODUCE EXECESSIVE INTERNAL PRESSURE THAT COULD CAUSE THE INFLATOR TO RAPTURE RESULTING IN SERIOOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE BEEN CHECKING FREQUENTLY WITH BMW AND DID NOT REMEDY THE DEFECT TO DATE WHICH I THINK MORE THAN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME TO COMPLETE THIS DEFEECT.

20161116CrashAIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE WHILE THE PASSENGER REMAINED INSIDE. ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE, PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT, AND CAUSED IT TO CRASH INTO A CURB. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES TO THE BACK, SHOULDER, AND NECK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE VANOS HOUSING BOLTS WERE SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT HAD NOT CALLED THE CONTA

20161116CrashENGINE

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE WHILE THE PASSENGER REMAINED INSIDE. ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE, PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT, AND CAUSED IT TO CRASH INTO A CURB. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES TO THE BACK, SHOULDER, AND NECK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE VANOS HOUSING BOLTS WERE SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT HAD NOT CALLED THE CONTA

20161021AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20160818AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20160818AIR BAGS

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE DATED MARCH 2016 RE "DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE". BMW SARASOTA, FL DEALER STATES THAT NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THIS DEFECT. THAT IS A 6 MONTH DELAY, WHICH IS AN UNREASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME FOR REPAIR.

20160809AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER 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.

20160808AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER 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. UPDATED 10/13/16*LJ *TR

20151015ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 25,000

20150911STEERING

MANY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO BMW OF ROCKVILLE MD. THEY DIAGNOSED FAILURE OF "FAULTY STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AND COIL SPRING." THEY CONFIRMED THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND THAT IT WAS NOTHING WE DID THAT CAUSED IT-- IT WAS A FAULTY PART. AFTER ONLY 33,000 MILES, TO HAVE A CRITICAL PART FAIL, SEEMS SERIOUS TO ME. THEY CHARGED US $2080.76 TO FIX, BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE WARRANTY DUE TO AGE OF CAR. TO MY MIND IF A PART FAULT OR FAILURE OCCURS, THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, A RECALL ISSUE, NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE AND THE CARMAKER SHOULD FIX AND REPORT IT.

Mileage: 33,500

Compare 2010BMWX3 SAV to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2010 BMW X3 SAV have?
The 2010 BMW X3 SAV has 27 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2010 BMW X3 SAV?
Yes, the 2010 BMW X3 SAV has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 BMW X3 SAV?
The most-complained component for the 2010 BMW X3 SAV is AIR BAGS with 15 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and STRUCTURE:BODY.
Is the 2010 BMW X3 SAV safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.