2020 BMW X3 Problems & Owner Complaints

Electrical System 33 2 crash 1 fire

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and turning the engine off, approximately 10 minutes later a burning rubber odor was present inside the cablin of the vehicle and smoke was present coming from under the hood. The contact opened the hood discovered flames coming from the engine. The fire and police departments were called to the scene and the fire was extinguished the flame. During the incident the vehicle destroyed and later lowed away. A fire and police report was taken. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was not yet determined. T…”
NHTSA complaint #11741213, 2026 · fire

“The contact owned a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 10-15 MPH in a parking lot and attempting to make a turn, the brake pedal was depressed, but the pedal travelled down to the floor, and the vehicle failed to respond. Additionally, the steering wheel seized, and the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the pedal travelled down to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle became inoperable, causing the front driver's side bumper and door of the vehicle to crash into the rear-end of an unoccupied parked vehicle, and…”
NHTSA complaint #11679881, 2024 · crash

“The accident happened at Noon on [XXX] at the Amazon Fresh/Post office parking lot’s far right exit lane facing [XXX] The address is [XXX] . We were leaving the parking lot and I stopped at the exit lane with 2 cars in front of us. After the first car exited, the second car, a black Ford Explorer, moved forward. I released the brake slightly but my foot was still on the brake pedal. At this moment, my car suddenly accelerated and quickly approached the Explorer. I immediately pressed the brake pedal hard but was unable to stop my car and hit the back of the Explorer. The Explorer was forced…”
NHTSA complaint #11619886, 2024 · crash

Engine 25 5 fire

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and turning the engine off, approximately 10 minutes later a burning rubber odor was present inside the cablin of the vehicle and smoke was present coming from under the hood. The contact opened the hood discovered flames coming from the engine. The fire and police departments were called to the scene and the fire was extinguished the flame. During the incident the vehicle destroyed and later lowed away. A fire and police report was taken. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was not yet determined. T…”
NHTSA complaint #11741213, 2026 · fire

“Component Failed: Engine starter relay and starter motor assembly. The vehicle stalled in traffic and ignited upon a restart attempt. The vehicle is a total loss, currently held by [Insurance Co] at [Location/Lot #], and is available for inspection. Safety Risk: The driver’s life was at immediate risk. The vehicle stalled in active traffic, creating a collision hazard, followed by a rapid, uncontrollable engine fire. The driver suffered smoke inhalation and severe trauma while escaping. A delayed exit would have been fatal. Confirmed by Dealer: The failure mirrors the defect pattern in Recal…”
NHTSA complaint #11724444, 2026 · fire

“The contact owned a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated after parking her vehicle at her residence, the vehicle caught fire around the engine independently. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire and police report were filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was not diagnosed. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,700. The consumer stated the police and fire reports have…”
NHTSA complaint #11507157, 2023 · fire

Unknown Or Other 16 1 fire

“Component Failed: Engine starter relay and starter motor assembly. The vehicle stalled in traffic and ignited upon a restart attempt. The vehicle is a total loss, currently held by [Insurance Co] at [Location/Lot #], and is available for inspection. Safety Risk: The driver’s life was at immediate risk. The vehicle stalled in active traffic, creating a collision hazard, followed by a rapid, uncontrollable engine fire. The driver suffered smoke inhalation and severe trauma while escaping. A delayed exit would have been fatal. Confirmed by Dealer: The failure mirrors the defect pattern in Recal…”
NHTSA complaint #11724444, 2026 · fire

“While stopped at a red light, my front sunroof panel exploded/shattered. My brother and I heard a loud bang. No object hit the sunroof. It was visible that the glass was bubbled outward. And, the 4 corners had cracking. Lucky the roof liner was closed and no glass hit us.”
NHTSA complaint #11735763, 2026

“I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding a defect in my 2020 BMW X3 that has resulted in the failure of a critical emergency safety system. The vehicle displayed an error message indicating an “Emergency Call System Malfunction.” I brought the vehicle to BMW of Murrieta on March 30, 2026, for diagnosis and repair. Upon inspection, the service center determined that the Telematic Control Unit (TCU) had sustained water damage. This damage was attributed to water intrusion originating from the vehicle’s shark fin antenna. This is a known issue documented by BMW in internal Service In…”
NHTSA complaint #11729299, 2026

Power Train 14

“Heat Management Module HMM is bad. BMW used a plastic part that is right up against the engine block. This HMM Heat Management Module resulted in STOPPING the vehicle completely in the middle of the freeway. I had no control. Then the car drove, then stopped again. I had NO CONTROL over the vehicle. Weeks later the Drivetrain Malfunction warning light appeared as i was driving home late at night from the ER. I took it to my BMW dealer. The diagnostic test was performed and was told the Heat Management Module HMM needed to be replaced at a cost to me of $3000. I contacted BMW USA, explained wha…”
NHTSA complaint #11749367, 2026

“Oil pump failures have been reported across multiple production years, and affected vehicle population boundaries remain unclear. Because this condition can result in sudden vehicle disablement without adequate warning especially in the cold, I believe this issue warrants investigation as a potential safety-related defect. Loss of lubrication can cause the vehicle to become disabled without warning while driving or shortly after startup. This creates a safety hazard, particularly when vehicles become immobilized in active traffic or during winter conditions the cold is when they fail the mos…”
NHTSA complaint #11721009, 2026

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the message "Drivetrain Malfunction" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the heat management module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure but offered no assistance and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,400.”
NHTSA complaint #11634326, 2025

Air Bags 8 1 fire

“The heated seat element had a runway incident that caused the seat to smoke and burn a hole through multiple layers and ultimately damaging the airbag sensor mat disabling the passenger airbag system”
NHTSA complaint #11732108, 2026 · fire

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the message to “Drive Safely - See Nearest BMW Service Center” was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was driven to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the wiring harness associated with the driver’s and passenger’s side knee air bags needed to be replaced; however, the part for the repair was not available. The contact researched online and became aware of Manufacturer Communications Number: B650122; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the fa…”
NHTSA complaint #11608527, 2024

“This is the message I get: "Driver restraint system malfunction. Passenger knee airbag rewired to control module . Carefully drive to the closest service center. Driver restraint system is reduced. Increased risk of injury in case of a collision. Continue wearing safety belt. Driver restraint system malfunction. " I went to Cavender BMW and was told the problem is with the Passenger knee airbag rewired to control module. The cost would be $1,400. I have 24,122 miles on the car. My salesman said that there have been quite a few of these problems. It seems there should be a recall if tha…”
NHTSA complaint #11585521, 2023

Structure 8 1 crash

“The accident happened at Noon on [XXX] at the Amazon Fresh/Post office parking lot’s far right exit lane facing [XXX] The address is [XXX] . We were leaving the parking lot and I stopped at the exit lane with 2 cars in front of us. After the first car exited, the second car, a black Ford Explorer, moved forward. I released the brake slightly but my foot was still on the brake pedal. At this moment, my car suddenly accelerated and quickly approached the Explorer. I immediately pressed the brake pedal hard but was unable to stop my car and hit the back of the Explorer. The Explorer was forced…”
NHTSA complaint #11619886, 2024 · crash

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the emergency sensor warning light illuminated, as well as the camera system, the Forward Collision Avoidance warning light, and the key proximity features malfunctioned. The contact stated that the shark fin cover was missing from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the backup battery and wiring harness were damaged due to water intrusion from the missing shark fin cover. The contact was informed that the backup battery, wiring harness, and s…”
NHTSA complaint #11700603, 2025

“So this just happened today - I was driving my 2020 BMW X3 on the freeway, cruising around 80 mph. No cars around me, no rocks, nothing hit the car… and suddenly, BANG! It sounded like a gunshot or small explosion. The sunroof shattered outward - completely blown out. Luckily, I had my interior sunshade closed, so all the glass shards were caught there instead of raining down on me. I pulled over immediately to check - there’s no sign of impact or debris. It just seems like the glass literally exploded on its own. Looks like BMWs have a defective sunroof coz there are thousands of reports on…”
NHTSA complaint #11694426, 2025

Fuel/Propulsion System 6 1 fire

“Component Failed: Engine starter relay and starter motor assembly. The vehicle stalled in traffic and ignited upon a restart attempt. The vehicle is a total loss, currently held by [Insurance Co] at [Location/Lot #], and is available for inspection. Safety Risk: The driver’s life was at immediate risk. The vehicle stalled in active traffic, creating a collision hazard, followed by a rapid, uncontrollable engine fire. The driver suffered smoke inhalation and severe trauma while escaping. A delayed exit would have been fatal. Confirmed by Dealer: The failure mirrors the defect pattern in Recal…”
NHTSA complaint #11724444, 2026 · fire

“I am submitting this complaint regarding ongoing and potentially dangerous mechanical failures involving my vehicle that have repeatedly occurred despite numerous repair attempts by the dealership. Over the past year, I have taken my vehicle to the dealership more than 10 times for serious recurring issues. The problems have included: Drivetrain malfunction warnings Engine warning lights Oil leaks Smoke coming from the vehicle The vehicle unexpectedly shifting into neutral while driving Sudden loss of drivability requiring the vehicle to be towed The dealership has repeatedly stated that the i…”
NHTSA complaint #11738436, 2026

“It has come to my attention that liquid from the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system may leak onto the water pump electrical connector. This condition can lead to an electrical short circuit and, in rare cases, may increase the risk of a vehicle fire. This issue presents a serious safety concern for vehicle owners and others on the road. A failure of this nature, especially one that carries a fire risk, warrants immediate review and corrective action. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this matter and determine whether a safety recall is necessary to address this defect. The…”
NHTSA complaint #11731565, 2026

Exterior Lighting 4

“Vehicle began intermittently turning lights on and off while parked and driving. Upon dealer inspection, sunroof frame failed causing water to leak and corrode the VDP module which controls items like the headlights and suspension. Dealer did confirm, vehicle is being repaired at this moment. There were no warning lights about the headlight malfunction, noticed it while driving and while parked. There was a warning light regarding the suspension however it turned off next start and only came back on once more, again disappearing next start. Upon completion of repair, can provide parts inspecti…”
NHTSA complaint #11624584, 2024

“I have records of over 900 other consumers including myself that have been asking BMW to fix a potential deadly lighting malfunction that leaves you with no dash lighting or a whiteout. This problem effects all the dash and HVAC controls where you can't see any the dash and safety components. I've reached out to BMW and they refuse to acknowledge the problem and have asked me to stop.”
NHTSA complaint #11577050, 2024

“This issue affects nearly ALL modern vehicles that support ONLY dark mode for backlit/light-imitting dashboard/infotainment screens. Back-lit, white text on a black background is very difficult to read for some people with certain medical conditions. For example, my wife has an intraocular lens implant. She can read road signs and physical 'white on black' text fine, but the LED backlit screen white text on a black screen causes the white lettering to glare and be blurry, making it difficult to read. I see this as a safety issue as she has to spend more time trying to read the dashboard and A…”
NHTSA complaint #11564380, 2024

Back Over Prevention 3

“Due to a TSB (SIB 65 12 22) wherein the roof antennae leaks water and causes a short in the telemetry module, the car does not have pedestrian warning, navigation or backup camera / cross traffic warning. The car is drivable, but compromised from a safety perspective.”
NHTSA complaint #11729946, 2026

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera displayed a black screen. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V096000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approxi…”
NHTSA complaint #11663735, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that at night or during inclement weather while shifted in reverse, the rear-view camera displayed a distorted screen. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V684000 (Back Over Prevention) as a possible fix for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11505889, 2023

Forward Collision Avoidance 3

“Due to a TSB (SIB 65 12 22) wherein the roof antennae leaks water and causes a short in the telemetry module, the car does not have pedestrian warning, navigation or backup camera / cross traffic warning. The car is drivable, but compromised from a safety perspective.”
NHTSA complaint #11729946, 2026

“The car suddenly braked without warning, and the road was clear and no interference.”
NHTSA complaint #11669865, 2025

“AEB TRIGGERS WITH NO CAR IN FRONT OF ME. DEALER SERVICE REP TELLS ME HER X5 DOES IT TOO, THAT THE SENSOR IS MOUNTED TOO LOW AND A POTHOLE CAN SET IT OFF. ADVISED TO SET TO "LATE." DID IT AGAIN. WAS RAINING LAST TIME AND CAR WENT INTO MINOR SKID. (DRIVER BEHIND ME WASN'T AMUSED). HAS HAPPENED TWICE.”
NHTSA complaint #11403959, 2021

Vehicle Speed Control 3 1 crash

“The accident happened at Noon on [XXX] at the Amazon Fresh/Post office parking lot’s far right exit lane facing [XXX] The address is [XXX] . We were leaving the parking lot and I stopped at the exit lane with 2 cars in front of us. After the first car exited, the second car, a black Ford Explorer, moved forward. I released the brake slightly but my foot was still on the brake pedal. At this moment, my car suddenly accelerated and quickly approached the Explorer. I immediately pressed the brake pedal hard but was unable to stop my car and hit the back of the Explorer. The Explorer was forced…”
NHTSA complaint #11619886, 2024 · crash

“Heat Management Module HMM is bad. BMW used a plastic part that is right up against the engine block. This HMM Heat Management Module resulted in STOPPING the vehicle completely in the middle of the freeway. I had no control. Then the car drove, then stopped again. I had NO CONTROL over the vehicle. Weeks later the Drivetrain Malfunction warning light appeared as i was driving home late at night from the ER. I took it to my BMW dealer. The diagnostic test was performed and was told the Heat Management Module HMM needed to be replaced at a cost to me of $3000. I contacted BMW USA, explained wha…”
NHTSA complaint #11749367, 2026

“This car does not have an accurate speedometer. The analog dial only marks the MPH number every 20 miles (eg numbers shown for 20 / 40 / 60. But not for 10 / 30 / 50). So impossible to easily or safely see the speed you are going. There is no digital speedometer showing the MPH number.”
NHTSA complaint #11512787, 2023

Seat Belts 2

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while her son was using the rear passenger's side seat belt, the contact became aware that the seat belt was fraying. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was provided an estimate for the seat belt replacement. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11726503, 2026

“Active protection reduced message Pretensioning of seatbelts not possible. I barely use the car and was not in any kind of accident.”
NHTSA complaint #11706471, 2025

Service Brakes 2

“The car suddenly braked without warning, and the road was clear and no interference.”
NHTSA complaint #11669865, 2025

“Trying to come to a redlight stop at about 35mph. Brakes stopped working and engine started revving really high by itself while trying to stop. Almost slammed into the car in front. Could not reproduce the problem and have no idea what is going on. The car also has all the safety features to prevent hitting something but did not work. Luckily the car in front moved forward to avoid the collision. Turned car off and back on to try to reset the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11550690, 2023

Steering 2

“After car warms up and while driving in warmer temperatures, steering becomes loose, vehicle drifts in lane and becomes difficult to control. Even with steering assist enabled, vehicle cannot maintain a straight line. Knocking sound from underneath vehicle when steering to center at low speeds.”
NHTSA complaint #11488168, 2022

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, WHEN HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED HE CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF RAMSEY LOCATED AT 985 NJ-17, RAMSEY, NJ 07446, (844) 743-8279, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 20V355000 (STEERING) AND 19V738000 (STEERING), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. TH…”
NHTSA complaint #11341720, 2020

Visibility/Wiper 2

“When we closed the front driver seat of the car while the car was parked, the back moonroof glass exploded, meaning the glass shattered into a ton of little pieces. Those glass pieces fell all over the back seat. There was no external cause such as something falling on the glass, etc. This happened at the same time as when we closed the front driver door. There were no seen issues with the glass prior to it breaking such as cracks or otherwise, and we had just bought the car BMW certified 2 months prior. BMW has indicated they are not taking responsibility, as they "can't rule out external for…”
NHTSA complaint #11529892, 2023

“This car does not have an accurate speedometer. The analog dial only marks the MPH number every 20 miles (eg numbers shown for 20 / 40 / 60. But not for 10 / 30 / 50). So impossible to easily or safely see the speed you are going. There is no digital speedometer showing the MPH number.”
NHTSA complaint #11512787, 2023

Engine And Engine Cooling 1

“The contact owns a 2020 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle began to shake with the message, "Pull Over Engine Oil Pressure Low Pull Over Stop Driving to Avoid Engine Failure". The contact immediately pulled over to the side of the road, inspected the vehicle, and became aware there was no issue with the oil. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the oil pump was defective due to the oil pump being manufactured with plastic. The mechanic confirmed it was a known issue, and the oil pumps were chan…”
NHTSA complaint #11720172, 2026

Lane Departure 1

“Due to a TSB (SIB 65 12 22) wherein the roof antennae leaks water and causes a short in the telemetry module, the car does not have pedestrian warning, navigation or backup camera / cross traffic warning. The car is drivable, but compromised from a safety perspective.”
NHTSA complaint #11729946, 2026

Seats 1 1 fire

“The heated seat element had a runway incident that caused the seat to smoke and burn a hole through multiple layers and ultimately damaging the airbag sensor mat disabling the passenger airbag system”
NHTSA complaint #11732108, 2026 · fire

Suspension 1

“Vehicle began intermittently turning lights on and off while parked and driving. Upon dealer inspection, sunroof frame failed causing water to leak and corrode the VDP module which controls items like the headlights and suspension. Dealer did confirm, vehicle is being repaired at this moment. There were no warning lights about the headlight malfunction, noticed it while driving and while parked. There was a warning light regarding the suspension however it turned off next start and only came back on once more, again disappearing next start. Upon completion of repair, can provide parts inspecti…”
NHTSA complaint #11624584, 2024

Wheels 1

“MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY INFANT SON AND I AS WE WERE MERGING ONTO THE PA TURNPIKE. WE HIT SOME SMALL ROAD DEBRIS AT ABOUT 50-60 MPH. THE DEBRIS WAS SO SMALL THAT WE DIDN'T FEEL A BUMP OR ANYTHING, JUST HEARD A LOUD BANG AND FIGURED WE HAD A TYPICAL BLOW OUT. THE CAR DID JERK TO THE LEFT MODERATELY BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. UPON INSPECTION, THE WHEEL SPLIT IN HALF ACROSS THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE IN THE DIRECTION OF ROLL. THERE WAS A SMALL BEND ON THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE WHEEL AT THE POINT OF IMPACT BUT THE SPLIT WAS SEVERAL INCHES AWAY FROM THIS DAMAGE. THERE WAS ALSO NO CRACK…”
NHTSA complaint #11378340, 2020