2008 BMW X3 problems
The 2008 BMW X3 has 93 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (34%) concerns air bags. Next are engine (33%) and seats (6%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 93 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 34% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 6 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 117,000 miles 38 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 2 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 0 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 9 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 4 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 5 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 5 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 5 |
What the data shows
Of the 38 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 117,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 6 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 2 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 19th most-complained-about out of 22 model years of the BMW X3 with enough data (3 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW x3. While driving, the driver's seat heating element burned through the seat to the contact's clothes. The contact sustained a burn on the right side of his behind, which required medical attention. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 203,000. The VIN was not provided.
After turning on the driver's seat heater, it defaults to high, the left side seat bolster started to smoke. A few seconds later before my wife realized what was happening she felt her left arm and side getting a lot hotter than the rest of her seat. The seat heater then immediately burned a hole through the leather seat while my wife was driving down a city road.
BMW fort lauderdale refuses to replace passenger side air bag! They claim only drivers side tanaka airbag needs replacement!
I am working with a journalist at CNBC to get info about this death trap out since NHTSA is ignoring the issue completely. People are telling you their family members are injured and/or dying because 2008 BMW X3’s simply loose power at 70mph and transmission issues that make this care not accelerate, jerk, stall, etc. I have been helping contact other owners in an effort to see if they have any unreported issues and many say their complaints were also ignored.