BMW X4 Complaints

21 consumer complaints on file.

#11759605August 26, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2025 BMW X4 xDrive30i is subject to NHTSA recall 26V438, reported 07/08/2026, covering an engine starter that can wear prematurely and, in an extreme case, overheat and cause a fire. My BMW account shows the status as Remedy Not Available. NHTSA's VIN lookup confirms the recall is incomplete with no remedy available. I am filing because there is no remedy for me to obtain. BMW has not released parts or a repair procedure. Owner letters were not scheduled to mail until 08/28/2026. I emailed my BMW service center requesting a parts availability estimate and received no response. I have not had a starter failure or thermal event. The safety concern is that I must keep driving and parking a vehicle with an acknowledged fire risk, indefinitely, with no repair available and no timeline for one. I also cannot get confirmation from BMW whether any park outside or do not drive advisory applies to my vehicle. Coverage of this campaign has been inconsistent, with some outlets describing a plug-in hybrid population affected by corrosion that carried park outside guidance. My vehicle is not a plug-in hybrid. I am concerned about the scale and repetition of this defect. This is the third BMW starter campaign in roughly twelve months, following an autumn 2025 action and a February 2026 campaign, with the affected population expanding each time. Recall 26V438 alone covers 318,495 US vehicles. Given that volume I expect parts to be rationed and my repair delayed well beyond a reasonable time. Separately, BMW Financial Services has declined to process a lease payoff quote, citing the open recall. The effect is that BMW is restricting my contractual rights over a defect only BMW can cure and cannot currently cure. The vehicle is available for inspection on request. No warning lamps or symptoms to date.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756165August 11, 2026
ENGINE
On July 12, 2026, I received notice that my 2025 BMW X4 xDrive30i is subject to NHTSA Recall 26V-438 involving the engine starter. I contacted BMW of Austin on July 13 and again on July 27 to schedule the recall repair. On both occasions, I was informed that the remedy was unavailable. No estimated repair date was provided. I then contacted BMW Recall Support Services. BMW confirmed in writing that the remedy remains unavailable and that there is no established timeframe for when it will become available. BMW also instructed me to park my vehicle away from structures until the recall repair is completed and not to use the Remote Engine Start feature through the My BMW App or remote key. BMW further instructed me to discontinue driving if I experience a delayed start, require multiple attempts to start the vehicle, or notice other starting-related concerns. However, BMW simultaneously stated that I may continue driving the vehicle and that it will not provide a loaner vehicle, rental vehicle, alternative transportation, or other accommodation while the safety defect remains unrepaired. I have not yet experienced a fire or starting-related symptoms. My complaint concerns the ongoing safety risk and the lack of an available remedy or estimated repair date. BMW has advised me to park away from structures because of the recall, but it has not explained whether the risk can occur while the vehicle is parked and turned off, what distance qualifies as “away from structures,” or how owners without access to remote outdoor parking can safely comply. I am concerned that BMW is permitting continued operation of affected vehicles while acknowledging a potential fire risk, imposing significant safety precautions, and providing neither a repair timeframe nor a practical interim solution. I request NHTSA review BMW’s current owner guidance, the ongoing unavailability of the remedy, absence of a repair timeline, and whether affected owners should receive clearer instructions
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753842July 30, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Vehicle has intermittent raw fuel odor and shaking at idle. BMW dealership test‑drove and scanned but refused further diagnostics under warranty because the issue could not be duplicated. BMW NA case opened. Fuel odor is a fire hazard and shaking at idle is a stall risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750092July 13, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2023 BMW X4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while idling at a stoplight, the vehicle caught on fire. The driver was able to exit the vehicle safely. There were no reported injuries. A Police and Fire Department report was filed. The Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The insurance company was contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741905June 3, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have a [XXX] child who is in a car seat, fully locked in. He is able to open the door handle from the inside. The door handle is in arms reach. Totally unsafe, the child can open the door with the car in motion. It has happened numerous times. My sister has the same car with a [XXX] old, being able to do the same thing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11733114April 22, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield crack around heating elements and rearview mirror mount. There 3 cracks that extend to top of windshield to a horizontal crack. These look like one hook, J and a staightline that forms right angle to the one about a foot long behind readview mirror mount. There are no rocks chips evident. This occurred in a time span of 80 minutes. I actually heard the popping or cracking like when a plastic bottle air is restricted during elevation climb or desent but did not know what it was. Elevant was about 12,000 feet.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729655April 7, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I am reporting a safety concern regarding BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, commonly found on models from 2019 to 2021. The oil pump in these vehicles is failing prematurely. I was told this by service technicians at BMW and confirmed it through my own research. The oil pump failure is due to a plastic adjusting ring breaking. The result is severe oil pressure loss and engine failure. This is uncommon for a vehicle that has 65k miles. The engine failure comes without warning; there are no check engine light warnings. The vehicle's engine just fails I discovered the oil pump failure when I found it unusual that I had to add oil twice over a 6-month period. I took it to the dealer, where they informed me of the issue. This is extremely dangerous, especially when an engine locks up at high speeds on a highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717328February 11, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System). While the vehicle was in park(P), there were abnormal sounds coming from the engine. The contact stated that when the vehicle was shifted into drive(D) and the brake pedal was depressed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on several occasions, but the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic and was currently being diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715323February 3, 2026
SEAT BELTS
Went to sit in driver rear seat and put on my seat belt and found it frayed apart. Thought this was od and tried the rear passenger side only to find the exact same thing. Took it to the dealer in Visalia, CA. They said that they have never seen anything like that before. After discovering that both belts were broken in the same spot, they concluded it must be caused by wear in the retracting mechanism, but because the car was out of manufacturer's warranty they could only sell me new ones. I believe this is a very serious safety issue because as they were starting to fray apart the belts may have not had enough strength to restrain someone during an accident. Glad this was discovered before that happened!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713399January 26, 2026
SEAT BELTS
BOTH rear seat belts have broken off in the same spot. Went to use the driver's side rear seat belt and found it had been broken (frayed off). Moved to the passenger side and found the exact same thing. This could have been a bad situation if in an accident had occurred where they had not completely frayed but would have failed. Took it to my local dealer and they had no answers as to how this could have happened but suggesting that it most likely happened inside the recoil mechanism. They offered no other remedy other than to have me pay for replacement since the car was out of manufactory warranty,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709969January 9, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
transfer case AWD/xDrive system drivetrain components The dealer diagnosed a transfer case failure on the BMW X4 xDrive. Vehicle displayed drivetrain malfunction warning. Repair estimate exceeds $20,000. The vehicle has under 50,000 miles. The issue appears consistent with known xDrive transfer case complaints. The warning light came on on January 7, 2026, at approximately 6 pm.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702376December 1, 2025
POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
We had snow this afternoon and my wife drove the car home from work. We live on a private road and have a steep driveway. I had her park the car in the road while I plowed the driveway. There was only 1-2” of snow on the ground. My wife existed the car. It appeared to be off and in park meaning the engine was not running and the car sat still on a grade. In hindsight, I should have had her set the park brake. My wife went down to her house taking her key with her. I was plowing the driveway. The car had been sitting still on the road for at least 15 minutes. When I was plowing, I had the other key in my pocket. When I got next to the car while still operating my plow, I noticed the taillights came on. Next, the car began rolling down the hill on its own. Nobody was in the car. I was chasing the car. I noted the rear tires were rolling. They were not sliding. The car contained to roll forward then veered towards the side of the road that has a steep ditch. The car then slide sideways down the embankment and stopped at the bottom of the hill. Fortunately, the car did not rollover. Had it been dry and now snow, I think it would have rolled over sideways due to the steep pitch but instead it slid in the snow. I think I was lucky and there is no significant damage but I have not fully retrieved the car out of the ditch yet. I suspect the car was in the start stop mode and possibly my wife did not put into park before exiting the car but this could be easily done since it has the push buttons shifter and the engine was off. Not sure if this is what happened, it’s just speculation. This could have been much more serious if this happened with other people or cars around.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677731August 1, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2023 BMW X4. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 52,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 90,000. The State of Mississippi advised the contact to reach out to the State of Tennessee for assistance.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660886May 14, 2025
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact called on behalf of her daughter, who owns a 2024 BMW X4. The contact stated that while attempting to leave a parking lot driving 5 MPH, there was a loud glass shattering sound coming from the sunroof of the vehicle. The contact immediately pulled over and inspected the vehicle and became aware that the sunroof glass had shattered. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the sunroof glass needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 22,755.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640324February 3, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
On several occasions, the brake pedal has gone soft. Giving you the feeling that you have no breaks. on the highway when this happens, the brake pedal goes soft and then about halfway into the pedal the brakes lock up and the car veerers sharply in one direction or another. On residential street my wife was using this car this morning to take our son to daycare when she applied the brakes and ended up going through a stop sign as the brakes did not grab until she came to an extreme halt in the middle of the intersection, she then said the brakes were functioning but soft for the next 4 to 5 stops after that they went to completely normal. We had the car in a dealer last week before this incident happen where they verified that the brakes were in good working order Please note that the dealer put new brakes on three weeks ago. I’ve done some reading online and found that there’s recalls in other countries for the same problem but for some reason, my vehicle doesn’t have a recall for this. It is extremely scary when it happens.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11628189December 1, 2024
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
A week ago, the steering wheel locked and the braking system and airbags and cameras malfunctioned. We took it for service at BMW. They said the battery caused the malfunction. On thanksgiving day, we were going around 25-30miles per hour when we slammed on the breaks and the breaks didnot function and we could not stop the car. The automatic emergency breaks never activated. We lost power of braking and brakes locked and we impacted a car in front of us with damages to our car and the other vehicle.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11608127August 12, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am writing to report a significant safety concern involving my 2022 BMW X4 M40i. The issue pertains to an anti-corroding substance inside the tailgate panel that has been leaking, causing damage to my vehicle's bumper and obstructing the view on my rear camera. This issue not only compromises the structural integrity of the vehicle but also poses a serious safety risk by obstructing the view from the rear camera, which is essential for safe reversing and parking. Despite taking my vehicle to Gainesville BMW for inspection, the problem remains unresolved. The Service Manager, Jose, initially acknowledged the issue but has since avoided taking appropriate action to rectify the situation. In addition, I have been in contact with Jerry from BMW Customer Relations, who has been unwilling to communicate via email as per my request. Instead, he insists on discussing the matter over the phone, which I find concerning given the importance of maintaining a documented communication trail for this serious issue. The ongoing leakage and damage to my vehicle not only compromise its functionality but also raise concerns about potential long-term safety risks. As such, I am seeking your assistance in addressing this matter to ensure that BMW takes the necessary steps to resolve this defect and prevent further safety hazards. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your guidance on the next steps. Thank you for your time and assistance.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11585620April 27, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
False acceleration
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11573760February 24, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
PURCHASED A CUSTOMIZED BMW X4 NOV.2022 FROM BMW DEALERSHIP. DEC. 2022 BRAKES HAVE A LOUD SCREAMING NOISE WHEN REVERSE. SPOKE WITH DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES AND VEHICLE WAS SEEN APPROX. 6 TIMES BY SERVICE DEPT ABOUT THE BRAKES. CORPORATE COMPLAINT FILED ABOUT LOUD NOISE OF BRAKES, CORPORATE SENT OUT AN ENGINEER OUT TO TEST DRIVE THE X4 TO UNDERSTAND AND DESCRIBE THE BRAKE NOISE. I WAS TOLD THE NOISE WAS FROM DUST OF THE VEHICLE BEING NEW AND ITS NORMAL. THE TRUCK STILL HAS LOUD SCREAMING NOISE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED BY BMW DEALERSHIP WITH CORPORATE CLOSING OUT THE CLAIM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11507631February 16, 2023
SUSPENSION
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Suspension How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Its giving head ache and body pain, driver & passengers are jumping / shaking / feeling very uncomfortable Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - Dealer mentioned all good, it designed this way Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - yes by BMW Service center Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - No The car's performance and handling is good, but the biggest concern is with suspension. Bad experience in the driver's seat and more bad in the passenger seat. I understand if the suspension is not performing in sport mode, but even in comfort mode the suspension is not even working 10%. Really frustrated and getting depressed. Why is it mentioned as comfort mode and not doing the intended job ? Why is the car being advertised and sold as it has Adaptive suspension ? really the car has suspension ? The car is wobbling / shaking and very rough even for very small bumps / uneven surfaces (the car is just falling into it). It gives a headache when driving on a speed breaker even at 5 MPH. I really feel like the car has no suspension. Mentioning and selling with comfort mode where it is not doing the intended job is definitely a defective and design flaw. I would not have purchased it if it does not has comfort mode. Its happening all the time and from 5 to 70 mile speed. Please help me on this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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