BMW X3 Complaints (2022)

86 consumer complaints on file.

#11773613October 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
I am the original owner of a 2022 BMW X3 sDrive30i, VIN [XXX], with 61,700 miles. I am reporting a progressively worsening malfunction involving the windshield wiper system and right turn signal. The exact defective component is UNKNOWN. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. While driving, the windshield wipers unexpectedly activate at 15mphspeed despite the wiper control being completely OFF. The wiper stalk becomes unresponsive. When the vehicle stops, the wipers stop immediately, sometimes halfway across the windshield. Once the vehicle reaches approximately 15 mph, the wipers resume operating at high speed without driver input. During these episodes, the right turn signal simultaneously becomes completely inoperative, including no flashing dashboard indicator. The left turn signal continues to function normally. Repeatedly operating the right turn signal stalk sometimes stops the wipers and restores normal operation. When the wipers are functioning normally, the right turn signal operates properly. This malfunction creates a safety hazard because the unexpected high-speed wiper operation can interfere with visibility and distract the driver. The simultaneous failure of the right turn signal prevents me from safely signaling right turns or lane changes, placing myself, passengers, and other motorists at risk. I contacted BMW of [XXX] and German Car Specialists seeking diagnosis and repair. Both facilities advised that the malfunction would need to occur during inspection before they could diagnose it. Neither facility reproduced or confirmed the malfunction, and to my knowledge, neither performed a comprehensive electrical diagnostic scan. The manufacturer has not inspected the vehicle for this concern. There have been no check engine lights, dashboard warning lamps, or warning messages associated with this malfunction. The problem initially occurred intermittently and has progressively worsened. 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
#11773623October 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Recall states engine starter in severe cases can cause a fire while engine is running , the recall was I received notification back in July , it is now October going into November 4 months later which is a safety concern while driving the vehicle the car could catch on fire while driving on the highway with out notice based on the manufacturers description of the recall .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773055October 22, 2026
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the message "Driver's Restraint System Malfunction" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the driver's and passenger's side knee air bags and wiring harness under the center console needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 55,400.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770819October 13, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have a 2022 X3 M40i and the negative battery terminal on the 48v battery was not connected properly to the battery and had welded itself to the terminal causing drivetrain errors, start stop issues and low voltage errors. The cable could of caught fire and burned my house and car down.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770159October 9, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2022 BMW X3 xDrive30i, VIN [XXX], is subject to NHTSA recall 26V-438 involving a starter that may overheat and cause a fire. I have contacted BMW of San Rafael a few times over the past three months to arrange the recall repair. This week, the dealer advised me in writing that BMW has not yet released my VIN for repair, so they are not permitted to order the replacement part. They have no visibility into when BMW will make the repair available. I then emailed BMW Recall Support Services directly. BMW confirmed that my vehicle is affected by recall 26V-438, but stated that there is no estimated timeframe for when the remedy will become available for my VIN and that they are unable to expedite or further escalate the matter. BMW advised me that the vehicle may continue to be driven normally as long as there are no symptoms. However, the vehicle is primarily driven by my [XXX] son, which adds to my concern about continuing to operate it indefinitely with an acknowledged fire-related defect and no repair timeframe. I am submitting this complaint to document that BMW has confirmed the safety defect but, as of XXX, cannot provide either the recall remedy or any estimate for when my vehicle will become eligible for repair. 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
#11768449October 2, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking spot, the vehicle experienced hard braking and then stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the battery was replaced. While driving 25 MPH in heavy traffic after retrieving the vehicle, the vehicle vibrated abnormally and abruptly stopped in the middle of the road. During the failure, the transmission independently shifted to neutral(N). The gear shifter was shifted back to park(P) and the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was later towed back to the dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768403October 1, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Subject: Formal Safety Complaint – Unresolved Starter Recall on 2022 BMW X3 xDrive30i I am submitting this complaint regarding the active starter-related safety recall affecting my 2022 BMW X3 xDrive30i. I have contacted BMW Honolulu dealership multiple times seeking assistance and requesting an update regarding the recall. However, I have been informed that BMW has not yet developed or released a repair remedy for the affected vehicles. I am concerned that my vehicle remains subject to an unresolved safety recall with no available repair or confirmed timeline for a resolution. I regularly travel with my family, including my young granddaughter, and I am concerned about the possibility of experiencing a vehicle failure and being stranded on the road. I have made repeated attempts to obtain assistance from BMW and have requested that the matter be escalated. Unfortunately, I still do not have a solution or a clear timeline for when BMW will address this safety issue. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this matter and seek clarification from BMW regarding: Why a repair remedy has not yet been developed or released. What steps BMW is taking to address the safety concerns affecting recalled vehicles. When affected owners can reasonably expect a repair remedy. What interim safety guidance BMW can provide to owners while the recall remains unresolved. I understand that developing a safety remedy can take time, but affected vehicle owners deserve clear communication and timely action regarding an outstanding safety recall. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768157September 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue by phone and confirmed that the part was not yet available, even though the manufacturer's website indicated that parts were available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11766981September 25, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted after several attempts. Additionally, the vehicle occasionally failed to start. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764787September 16, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Purchased BMW X3 Feb 2025. On test drive left wheel shimmy on left turn noted. Salesman stated it "was a safety feature he could not turn off". Vehicle continues to have shimmy/vibration on left front wheel with left turns. I have had the tires balanced/rotated and aligned multiple times with no change to left vibration on left turn. I have informed BMW of issue every time the vehicle is in for service. They finally did a "check" on the vehicle and found no issues. The dealer kept my vehicle for a week for the service tech to test drive, he was unable to reproduce the issue. In doing research, BMW Service information Bulletin (Revision 3) replaces SI B27 2 20 May 2024 was located. I presented it to the Service Tech and Service Director. The Service Director stated they have seen a lot of this issue coming in lately, and in the future expected there would be a recall. He stated it was covered under warranty, CPO and 50, 000 miles. The dealership changed out the transfer case fluid as per SI B27 02 20 states. I was informed to drive it for 125 miles and record any wheel issues. I did. The issued continued with turns and now would pull to the right at times. I made an appt to have the transfer case replaced. After having my vehicle for 8 days, I received a call stating that they cannot reproduce the issue and therefore, will not replace the transfer case. I have stated to them that it is not consistent. Their service tech may drive very differently than I. Any change in brake pressure, gas pedal pressure, turning ratio and temperature may have an affect on it, and they should be aware of this. I did not see any reference in the safety bulletin stating that the issue must be reproducible by a BMW service technician.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764806September 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764282September 15, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Safety Campaign: 26V-056:532 (Tech Code 0012650600 / Bulletin B120126)Incident Chronology & Causal Link:Prior to recall servicing, the vehicle began stalling during start attempts. I contacted BMW and was instructed to bring the vehicle to the franchise dealership due to an active federal safety recall regarding internal starter short-circuiting and overload risks. On August 3, 2026, the dealership (BMW of Winter Park) replaced the starter assembly under the campaign.However, prior to replacement, the starter’s factory defect had already severely overloaded the electrical grid, inducing heavy parasitic drain and cell degradation on my healthy, original 2021 factory BMW AGM battery (which features an engineered 6-to-8-year life expectancy). Exactly five weeks later, on September 7, 2026, the degraded battery suffered a permanent, catastrophic voltage collapse and died. A routine battery replacement and a safe, standard jump-start were required solely due to this recall-induced no-start state.Following the battery install, the vehicle’s local data network experienced an undervoltage desynchronization, causing the anti-theft system to malfunction. The alarm now triggers continuously shortly after locking, rendering the vehicle insecure.Franchise Evasion & Severe Hardship:The vehicle is currently held at BMW of Winter Park. The service manager and shop lead have verbally dismissed the safety recall timeline and are making unverified claims of an "incorrect customer jump-start" to evade liability for the repair. However, factory ISTA diagnostic data pulled by their own technicians completely disproves their claim: Check Control Code 00229 explicitly logs an extreme, prolonged undervoltage event (power starvation), and the ISTA system reads full live communication with the BDC module at PAD U = 14.0 V, proving the hardware is not physically fried. The alarm memory read-out explicitly confirms this is a result of the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763828September 12, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Screen keeps glitching as if it had a false contact Dealer want to charge 1000 just to to the troubleshoot, if the problem is the screen they can replace 2000 if the problem is the computer it will be 10000. The car guarantee expired 2 months ago yet it only has 33k miles. I have taking the car for tt 2 months and the first time that sad it was a software but it still doing it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763694September 11, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
BMW issued safety recall 26V438 (starter fire risk) for my 2022 BMW X3. On September 11, 2026, BMW Arrowhead confirmed my vehicle is affected but has no parts available and no repair timeframe. I was instructed to park outside due to fire risk and to avoid driving the vehicle. When I asked the dealership for a loaner vehicle given the safety instruction, I was told: "no parts, and because of that we can't give you a loaner because there is no timeframe." I called BMW Customer Relations on September 11, 2026 and was told they would follow up. I am a parent of two minor children and have an 80-mile daily commute, and currently have no safe alternative transportation. Current odometer reading: 74,668 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763298September 10, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763098September 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated while starting. After several attempts, the vehicle started. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, and the vehicle was eventually parked out of fear that the vehicle would no longer start. The contact retrieved a fault code associated with the starter. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 46,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761070August 31, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758544August 21, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
2022 BMW X3 M40i. The Driver Assistance system appears to activate normally after startup with no warning or indication that a fault is present. However, within approximately 3–5 minutes of driving, a Check Control message appears stating “Driver Assistance limited. Camera vision.” The vehicle then identifies affected systems including Pedestrian Warning, Frontal Collision Warning, Side Collision Warning, Automatic Lane Change, Active Blind Spot Detection, and Steering Assistant. A separate message states that Active Cruise Control is reduced and there may be no brake intervention for stationary vehicles. The safety concern is that the system can appear active and available before the warning appears, even though at least some driver-assistance functions may already not be operating. Before the warning was displayed, I observed that Steering Assistant/lane-keeping did not intervene and I crossed out of my lane without steering correction or a lane-departure warning. There was no prior warning that the camera-based system was malfunctioning. I cannot confirm whether the other affected safety functions were operational during this interval. A BMW dealer inspected the vehicle and physically found the KAFAS camera hood/trim warped from heat. The warped component was removed and shown to me, and the dealer ordered a replacement. BMW has issued SIB 66 13 23 addressing KAFAS camera hood deformation on affected vehicles. Fault memory also contained KAFAS codes 800ABF, 800ABE, and 800AC4 for camera field-of-view disturbance and calibration failure. This creates a potential safety defect because the driver may reasonably believe lane-keeping and other camera-based safety systems are functioning until the vehicle detects the failure several minutes later. The vehicle/component can be made available for inspection
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750496July 15, 2026
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REFRIGERANT HOSES AND FITTINGS
- Customer Reports: ac not cooling, stopped cooling yesterday while on the highway, approved evac and recharge if needed Caused by Leaking a/c hose from compressor to condenser Tech: CHRISTOPHER ARCHER (F88) Installed 64 53 9 868 421 : B1-Pressure hose assy c Installed 64 53 9 284 018 : B1BIMIRRZN-Gasket ring Confirmed concern. Performed vehicle
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749484July 10, 2026
POWER TRAIN
belt tensioner failed while on highway without warning, leading to complete shutdown of the engine. Car had to be towed for repair. Complete disintegration of the timing belt, the car only had 51,000 miles. Expensive repair
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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