2021 BMW X3 problems
The 2021 BMW X3 has 153 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (22%) concerns electrical system. Next are engine (15%) and body & structure (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 153 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 22% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 40,000 miles 22 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 | 8 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 3 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 4 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 1 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 22 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 40,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 3 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2021 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 22 model years of the BMW X3 with enough data (153 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 10 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.
The contact owned a 2021 BMW X3. The contact stated while parked and occupied in the vehicle, while shifting the gear shift into park, the vehicle accelerated independently and collided with a Tesla occupied by a mom and daughter, which was in front of her. The contact mentioned that the Tesla collided with another vehicle. The vehicle then reversed independently at a high speed and then accelerated again, and collided a second time with the Tesla and then into a BMW several times.
The contact owned a 2021 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle in front suddenly stopped, and the contact moved over to the left lane and into the grass due to incoming traffic. The vehicle was 50 to 100 feet from a tree, and the vehicle crashed. The contact stated that the braking system and Forward Collision Avoidance failed to operate as designed. The driver's left arm was fractured. Medical attention was provided. The driver’s arm was still in a cast.
My brand new BMW x3 3.0 is not able to track straight, the car needs constant corrections to stay on straight course. Multiple visits to BMW dealerships did not help, the dealers refuse to recognize the issue. This is safety issue since the car tends to go off road and may lead to an accident.
The contact’s wife owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle on several occasions, the vehicle failed to start. The message "Vehicle Failed to Start - Contact Dealer" was displayed. The contact stated that for the vehicle to start, the contact had to turn the power off in the vehicle power, lock and unlock the doors using the key fob, and then, after several attempts, the vehicle eventually started.