BMW X3 SAV · model year

2011 BMW X3 SAV

18 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011BMWX3 SAV carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 2011 X3 SAV is engine with 4 filings, followed by steering (3) and air bags (3). 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2011 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.

18
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

18 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE4
STEERING3
AIR BAGS3
POWER TRAIN2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
SEATS1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1

Recalls (1)

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

Recent Complaints

20190513STEERING

STEERING IS "STICKY" WHEN TRYING TO MOVE FROM THE CENTER POSITION IN MY 2011 BMW X3 35I-- DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS USED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE CURRENT LANE OF TRAVEL, HIGHER THAN NORMAL RESISTANCE TO TURNING IS FELT. ONCE THE INITIAL RESISTANCE IS OVERCOME, THE RESISTANCE LESSENS, RESULTING IN A TENDENCY TO TURN THE WHEEL FURTHER THAN WAS INTENDED. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE CAR CENTERED IN MY LANE AND RESULTS IN THE CAR JERKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHICH MAKES IT DANGEROUS AND STRESSFUL. TIRES AND ALIGNMENT ARE ALL VERY GOOD AND WEARING CORRECTLY.

Mileage: 79,000

20190419AIR BAGS

NOTHING HAPPENED (YET) BUT BMW SERVICE TELLS ME THERE'S NO RECALLS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF ON MY VEHICLE

20190419ENGINE

NOTHING HAPPENED (YET) BUT BMW SERVICE TELLS ME THERE'S NO RECALLS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF ON MY VEHICLE

20190305ENGINE

THE COOLANT SYSTEM IS GIVING ME MANY PROBLEMS. THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK DEVELOPED CRACKS IN THE SEAM AND LEAKING. THE THERMOSTAT WAS STUCK, CAUSING ZERO HEAT INTO THE CABIN ON A COLD DAY. THE VEHICLE STALLED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY. IT WOULD NOT RE START THE IGNITION KEPT TRYING, AND AFTER 20 MINUTES STALLED IT FINALLY STARTED, LIMP DRIVING TO MY HOUSE FROM THERE. . THE DISPLAY READS DRIVE MODERATELY /DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION.

Mileage: 64,000

20190305POWER TRAIN

THE COOLANT SYSTEM IS GIVING ME MANY PROBLEMS. THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK DEVELOPED CRACKS IN THE SEAM AND LEAKING. THE THERMOSTAT WAS STUCK, CAUSING ZERO HEAT INTO THE CABIN ON A COLD DAY. THE VEHICLE STALLED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY. IT WOULD NOT RE START THE IGNITION KEPT TRYING, AND AFTER 20 MINUTES STALLED IT FINALLY STARTED, LIMP DRIVING TO MY HOUSE FROM THERE. . THE DISPLAY READS DRIVE MODERATELY /DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION.

Mileage: 64,000

20180927STEERING

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING

Mileage: 70,000

20180522AIR BAGS

ONLY HAVE MY CAR FOR ONLY A YEAR. TAILLIGHT FROM PASSENGER SIDE: THE RUNNING LIGHT DEFECTS WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. I WAS TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY LIGHT AND THIS IS WELL KNOWN FOR THIS CAR. YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY DRIVER RESTRAINT LIGHT CAME ON AND MY A/C OR TEMPERATURE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AND CONTROL DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING. I AM NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE DRIVER SEAT. JUST BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALER FOR THE PCV VALVE HEATER RECALL SERVICE. WAS TOLD THIS MAY SOLVE THE ISSUES AND MAY NOT. IF NOT, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE TAILLIGHT, AIRBAG AND THE CONTROL DISPLAY ISSUES.

Mileage: 68,900

20180522ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ONLY HAVE MY CAR FOR ONLY A YEAR. TAILLIGHT FROM PASSENGER SIDE: THE RUNNING LIGHT DEFECTS WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. I WAS TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY LIGHT AND THIS IS WELL KNOWN FOR THIS CAR. YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY DRIVER RESTRAINT LIGHT CAME ON AND MY A/C OR TEMPERATURE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AND CONTROL DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING. I AM NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE DRIVER SEAT. JUST BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALER FOR THE PCV VALVE HEATER RECALL SERVICE. WAS TOLD THIS MAY SOLVE THE ISSUES AND MAY NOT. IF NOT, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE TAILLIGHT, AIRBAG AND THE CONTROL DISPLAY ISSUES.

Mileage: 68,900

20180522EXTERIOR LIGHTING

ONLY HAVE MY CAR FOR ONLY A YEAR. TAILLIGHT FROM PASSENGER SIDE: THE RUNNING LIGHT DEFECTS WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. I WAS TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY LIGHT AND THIS IS WELL KNOWN FOR THIS CAR. YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY DRIVER RESTRAINT LIGHT CAME ON AND MY A/C OR TEMPERATURE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AND CONTROL DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING. I AM NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE DRIVER SEAT. JUST BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALER FOR THE PCV VALVE HEATER RECALL SERVICE. WAS TOLD THIS MAY SOLVE THE ISSUES AND MAY NOT. IF NOT, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE TAILLIGHT, AIRBAG AND THE CONTROL DISPLAY ISSUES.

Mileage: 68,900

20180402AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL: THE DEALER HAD FAILED TO OBTAIN THE PART OR PARTS NECESSARY TO FIX THE AIRBAGS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS ALREADY SINCE THEY CLAIMED HAD ORDERED THE PARTS. I CALLED BACK, MADE APPOINTMENT, CONFIRMED APPOINTMENT AND WHEN I WENT BACK TO DEALER, THEY SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART. THEY SAID THEY WERE ORDERING IT AND WILL CALL ME BACK. WEEKS HAD PASSED AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I WOULD NOT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS AND THEN IT WOULD BE TOO LATE.

20171227STRUCTURE:BODY

IN THE SUMMER OF 2014, THE PANORAMIC MOON ROOF EXPLODED FOR NO REASON. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, WITH THE MOON ROOF SHADE CLOSED,THERE WAS A VERY LOUD "BANG". AFTER SAFELY PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AN INSPECTION REVEALED NO EVIDENT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING INTO THE LOT AT WORK, A "RAINING' SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ROOF. AS SOON AS THE SHADE WAS OPENED, SHATTERED GLASS FELL INTO THE CAB OF THE CAR. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT NO COST AFTER SOME INTENSE CONVERSATION WITH MANAGEMENT. THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OF CONSUMER REPORTS HAD EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF UNEXPLAINED MOON ROOF EXPLOSIONS. DURING THE COVERAGE, IT WAS ADVISED THAT INCIDENTS SHOULD BE REPORTED TO YOU SO FOLLOW UPS COULD BE DONE AS NEEDED. WE HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE REPAIR, JUST THAT HAD WE NOT BEEN INFORMED AND INSISTENT, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY THE REPAIR BILL BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. WE AR

20170406UNKNOWN OR OTHER

AS TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISES ABOVE FIRST HASH MARK A WARNING COMES ON THE SCREEN CAR RUNNING HOT DRIVE SLOW AND GET SERVICED. ONCE TEMP REACHES BEFORE THE MID-POINT WHICH IS 250 SO AT ABOUT 230 TO 240 DEGREES THE CAR LOOSES ALL POWER. PUTTING THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR IT DOWN SHIFTS ENGINE RACES AND CAR GOES NO WHERE SLOWS DOWN TO 10 MPH THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS WHEN THERE IS NOWHERE TO PULL OVER IN TRAFFIC. CAR SHOULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED TO CUT POWER IN THIS CONDITION HAD MY WIFE ALL FREAKED OUT.

Mileage: 80,120

20170119SEATS

VEHICLES HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH LOWER ANCHOR BARS FOR USE IN ATTACHING CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS WHICH, IF SPECIFICALLY USED WITH EUROPEAN-ISOFIX-TYPE RIGID-STYLE CONNECTOR CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, COULD BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IF THE LOWER ANCHOR BAR(S) BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THIS WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A CHILD IN A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS IN A CRASH. A REINFORCING BRACKET WILL BE WELDED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS AND THE VEHICLE BODY.

Mileage: 60,900

20170119UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VEHICLES HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH LOWER ANCHOR BARS FOR USE IN ATTACHING CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS WHICH, IF SPECIFICALLY USED WITH EUROPEAN-ISOFIX-TYPE RIGID-STYLE CONNECTOR CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, COULD BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IF THE LOWER ANCHOR BAR(S) BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THIS WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A CHILD IN A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS IN A CRASH. A REINFORCING BRACKET WILL BE WELDED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS AND THE VEHICLE BODY.

Mileage: 60,900

20170107ENGINE

BMW'S USE ELECTRIC WATER PUMPS COMPARED TO MOSTLY BELT DRIVEN PUMPS USED BY OTHER MANUFACTURES. IN THE BMW COMMUNITY IT IS WIDELY KNOW THAT THE PUMPS WILL FAIL AFTER 60,000 MILES, AND SOME EVEN SOONER. BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HAS IN FACT CHANGED THE DESIGN AND THE VENDOR SUPPLIER FOR THIS PART. THE COMPANY SHOULD VOLUNTARILY RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE FAULTY PUMP DESIGN AND REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO CHANGE IT OUT OF WARRANTY ON THEIR OWN EXPENSE. BMW HAS NOT TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY BUT ITS A SAFETY ISSUE AS ONE CAN LOOSE ALL ENGINE POWER THAT PUTS THE CAR IN A LIMP MODE, IMAGINE IF THAT HAPPENS ON A FREEWAY WHERE OTHER CARS MIGHT HIT YOU FOR GOING AT 25 MPH IN A 65-70 MPH ZONE IN CALIFORNIA. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME ON A FREEWAY AND IT WAS SCARY AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT THAT DAY BEING CHRISTMAS. BLOG AFTER BLOG ON BMW DESCRIBES THIS ISSUE AND IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THEIR WATER PUMPS AMONGST ALL BMW ENTH

Mileage: 67,700

20160721POWER TRAIN

I FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GEARSHIFT WHICH IS ELECTRONIC. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 50 YEARS AND EVERY CAR OR TRUCK I HAVE OWNED OR DRIVEN THE SHIFT LEVER WHEN PUSHED FORWARD ON THE CENTER CONSOLE OR UP ON THE COLUMN GOES INTO PARK. IN THIS BMW WHEN YOU PUSH THE SHIFT LEVEL ALL THE WAY FORWARD THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE NOT PARK, A SEPARATE BUTTON MUST BE PUSHED TO ELECTRONICALLY PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK.I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO BOTH THE DRIVER (WHO CAN THINK THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AS I HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN DROPPING SOMEONE OFF OR IN A DRIVE THROUGH) AND THEN EITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER STEPS OUT AND THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE NOT PARK AND COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED.IT IS ALSO A HAZARD TO A PERSON OR VEHICLE BEHIND THE VEHICLE THAT THE DRIVER THOUGHT WAS IN PARK. THIS SETUP IS NOT INTUITIVE AT ALL AND GOES AGAINST ALL LOGIC. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN OWNED FOR A SHORT TIME AND I CANNOT GET USED TO THIS SETUP AS I HAVE OTHER V

Mileage: 82,000

20160624ENGINE

VEHICLE IS PARKED ON DRIVEWAY THE ENGINE STARTED . DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION SHOWS WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. ENGINE STARTS BUT CAN NOT PUT IT DRIVE OR REVERSE

Mileage: 49,000

20140501STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE STEERING CONTROL MALFUNCTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

Mileage: 25,000

Compare 2011BMWX3 SAV to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 BMW X3 SAV have?
The 2011 BMW X3 SAV has 18 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2011 BMW X3 SAV?
Yes, the 2011 BMW X3 SAV has 1 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 2011 BMW X3 SAV?
The most-complained component for the 2011 BMW X3 SAV is ENGINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and AIR BAGS.
Is the 2011 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.