2023 BMW Ix Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
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What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2023 BMW Ix, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags1227.3%
- Driver assistance1227.3%
- Electrical715.9%
- Powertrain (other)36.8%
- Fuel system24.5%
- Steering24.5%
- Brakes12.3%
- Interior & seats12.3%
- Exterior lighting12.3%
- Body & structure12.3%
- Visibility12.3%
- Engine12.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Yesterday on 7/13, my family and I were fully stopped and parked in a parking spot (car was in park, to the best of my knowledge). The front passenger had just exited the vehicle and was opening the back door where my kids were just beginning to get out of their seats. At that moment, something occurred that caused the car to speed over the parking curb, across a pedestrian sidewalk and struck a brick and glass building storefront. What's odd is, assuming the car was in park, which i believe it was, the car accelerated to max speed and the airbags did not deploy and the hazard lights never turned on after the accident. In addition, the car has safety features designed to detect objects and avoid collisions and should switch the car to park when the car is stopped and doors are opened. I am happy and motivated to make the car available for inspection immediately. I really want to understand what happened and why for my own benefit (and peace of mind) but mostly because I don't want this to happen to any one else in the car or pedestrians in the area. Had my car been parked just a little further down the block, families were eating lunch at an outdoor restaurant which could have ended in serious injury or worse. My car is currently in the tow yard that the police department picked. My insurance is asking me where to tow and I want to make sure it ends up somewhere that can fully diagnose what happened based on the car's internal computer (if possible). The car has been seen by my local police department and fire department that came on site. But, no formal inspection has occurred yet. But will likely be done this week. No warning messages were shown on the car prior to the accident and potential malfunction.
I brought a brand new BMW IX fully electric vehicle in May, 2023. A couple of weeks ago in early September, the “Emergency Call System Malfunction” warning light came on, and I can also smell a chemical burn from the vehicle. I dropped it off to Eastbay BMW in Pleasanton, California. 4350 Rosewood Drive, Pleasanton, California 94588. They confirmed that the “Control Module” may be over heating and causing the emergency call system to malfunction. Eastbay BMW contacted BMW HQ and was informed to just reset the warning light. “BMW advised Eastbay BMW that this is a recurring problem and the unit may overheat”. Eastbay BMW also confirmed that their technicians confirmed the warning codes showed the Control Module may be over heating. Instead of replacing this control module and finding a longer term fix, BMW HQ decided to decline replacement request and to simply reset the warning light until the next incident occurs. I have read on different BMW owners forums that this is an ongoing issue, occurring in many new vehicles as my BMW IX has less than 1,500 miles and we live in the Bay Area, California where it does not get too hot. Given that this relates to and impact the emergency call function, I want to file this formal complaint to ensure BMW address this issue properly and that the NHTSA launch a full investigation. Thank you
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am reporting an incident involving unintended vehicle movement/acceleration in my 2023 BMW iX xDrive50. BMW of North America inspected the vehicle and claims no defect was found; however, they refuse to provide the Event Data Recorder (EDR) data or diagnostic logs used to reach that conclusion. The incident occurred around September 1, 2025. The vehicle exhibited behavior inconsistent with normal operation. BMW’s response relies on undisclosed internal data and post-incident testing that does not recreate the event conditions. I am requesting NHTSA review this matter, including BMW’s refusal to disclose vehicle data relevant to potential safety defects involving throttle, braking, Auto-Hold, or software-controlled torque systems.
2023 BMWiX with sudden acceleration issue upon parking. Vehicle has been subject to recall for unintended activation of cruise control upon parking and a software update was supposedly issued by BMW and yet this occurred to me today causing front end collision and lots of damage to my car. Not hurt nor were others but certainly could have been.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Incident Date: [XXX] Problem Area: Electrical System / Charging System The DC fast charging (CCS) system on this 2023 BMW iX xDrive50 failed completely on [XXX] while traveling on a highway in Richmond, Virginia. The vehicle was unable to charge at an Electrify America station despite other vehicles — including an identical 2023 BMW iX xDrive50 — charging successfully at the same station. A second nearby ChargePoint station was also attempted without success. Hard restarts and software updates did not resolve the issue. The vehicle had to be driven home on remaining range with no ability to fast charge, creating a safety risk of range loss on a highway. The vehicle was subsequently dropped off at BMW of Rockville (MD) on February 24, 2026 for warranty repair. As of April 10, 2026 — 45+ days later — BMW has been unable to diagnose or repair the defect. The vehicle remains at the dealership. This defect renders the vehicle unable to fast charge, substantially limiting its safe range on any trip beyond local driving. BMW of North America has been formally notified. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am reporting an incident involving unintended vehicle movement/acceleration in my 2023 BMW iX xDrive50. BMW of North America inspected the vehicle and claims no defect was found; however, they refuse to provide the Event Data Recorder (EDR) data or diagnostic logs used to reach that conclusion. The incident occurred around September 1, 2025. The vehicle exhibited behavior inconsistent with normal operation. BMW’s response relies on undisclosed internal data and post-incident testing that does not recreate the event conditions. I am requesting NHTSA review this matter, including BMW’s refusal to disclose vehicle data relevant to potential safety defects involving throttle, braking, Auto-Hold, or software-controlled torque systems.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS VEHICLE HAD A BRIEF WARNING TO STOP DRIVING AND QUICKLY LOST ANY POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DISABLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. THERE WERE DEFINITE SAFTEY CONCERNS TO MYSELF AND OTHERS REGARDING COLLISION POTENTIAL. THE PROBLEM IS CONFIRMED IN MULTIPLE ELECTRIC BMW IX MODELS BY DEALERS AND OTHER OWNERS. BMW HAS CONFIRMED DRIVE CHAIN FAILURE RELATED TO MANUFACTURING DUST IN THE MOTOR OR COOLING PUMP FAILURE. THIS SAFETY PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PRESENT IN IX VEHICLES.
Yesterday on 7/13, my family and I were fully stopped and parked in a parking spot (car was in park, to the best of my knowledge). The front passenger had just exited the vehicle and was opening the back door where my kids were just beginning to get out of their seats. At that moment, something occurred that caused the car to speed over the parking curb, across a pedestrian sidewalk and struck a brick and glass building storefront. What's odd is, assuming the car was in park, which i believe it was, the car accelerated to max speed and the airbags did not deploy and the hazard lights never turned on after the accident. In addition, the car has safety features designed to detect objects and avoid collisions and should switch the car to park when the car is stopped and doors are opened. I am happy and motivated to make the car available for inspection immediately. I really want to understand what happened and why for my own benefit (and peace of mind) but mostly because I don't want this to happen to any one else in the car or pedestrians in the area. Had my car been parked just a little further down the block, families were eating lunch at an outdoor restaurant which could have ended in serious injury or worse. My car is currently in the tow yard that the police department picked. My insurance is asking me where to tow and I want to make sure it ends up somewhere that can fully diagnose what happened based on the car's internal computer (if possible). The car has been seen by my local police department and fire department that came on site. But, no formal inspection has occurred yet. But will likely be done this week. No warning messages were shown on the car prior to the accident and potential malfunction.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
On November 16, 2023, I was driving the vehicle in the far left lane of the freeway when, without any warning, the vehicle lost propulsion and would not accelerate. It also lost power assisted steering AND power assisted braking. I had to decelerate with no power brakes while attempting to safely cross 3-4 lanes to the nearest freeway exit with no power steering, while maintaining enough momentum to not get stuck in the middle of the freeway. After it lost propulsion, the several warnings flashed on the screen noting that the vehicle stabilization system was disabled, "vehicle may roll", the tire pressure monitoring was disabled, and the restraint system monitoring was disabled. I managed to steer the vehicle safely to the bottom off the offramp but had to bring the vehicle to a full stop. As a result, I was stuck blocking traffic at the bottom of the offramp. I attached a few photos showing what was happening but have additional video documenting the loss of power steering and power brakes but they are too large to attach here. The screen stated the roadside assistance feature was unavailable so I used the emergency button on the interior roof, which connected me to BMW's call center. The representative requested that the fire department assist with moving my vehicle out of traffic. We had to towed to the dealership (see attached invoice). We were told it only needed a software update which was then done. We still kept getting the same high voltage warnings, leading to 3-4 additional repair invoices. Finally BMW offered another software update in May 2025. We still receive high voltage warnings, drivetrain warnings, and chassis warnings and are afraid it will shut down again on the freeway. Software updates seem to be a bandaid.The loss of power braking and steering while doing 70 mph was a terrifying experience that could easily lead to serious injury and death.
The vehicle automatically lost power, shut down, and came to a complete stop in the middle of the road. During the shut down, I was unable to accelerate, brake, or steer the vehicle to the side of the road to a safe stopping location. The vehicle computer appeared to take over and shut down the vehicle and I was unable to stop it from happening. I was informed by the dealer that the issue was with the Combined Charging Unit. The vehicle has been back at the dealer since July 17, 2023 and I do not know if the Combined Charging Unit is still on the vehicle and available for inspection. There was a recall for a software update that was supposed to address a known issue with loss of power. Prior to this incident, that software update had been completed for this vehicle. Our safety and the safety of others was put at risk because our vehicle lost power and came to a complete stop in the middle of the road. I was unable to control the vehicle or get to a safe stopping place after the issue started. This could have caused a serious and potentially fatal accident had our vehicle been hit. I do not know if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle and vehicle component have been inspected by the Service Department at the dealer where we purchased the vehicle. I do not know of inspection by any other party. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. Once the vehicle began to shut down, a message came up stating that the vehicle was shutting down. The vehicle also automatically called BMW Emergency Services and a representative came on asking if we had been in a crash or needed assistance.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Not sure what happened, there is a warning saying the steering effort has changed, I have found there are many ix users received this warning and get their steering rack replaced by the dealer
The vehicle automatically lost power, shut down, and came to a complete stop in the middle of the road. During the shut down, I was unable to accelerate, brake, or steer the vehicle to the side of the road to a safe stopping location. The vehicle computer appeared to take over and shut down the vehicle and I was unable to stop it from happening. I was informed by the dealer that the issue was with the Combined Charging Unit. The vehicle has been back at the dealer since July 17, 2023 and I do not know if the Combined Charging Unit is still on the vehicle and available for inspection. There was a recall for a software update that was supposed to address a known issue with loss of power. Prior to this incident, that software update had been completed for this vehicle. Our safety and the safety of others was put at risk because our vehicle lost power and came to a complete stop in the middle of the road. I was unable to control the vehicle or get to a safe stopping place after the issue started. This could have caused a serious and potentially fatal accident had our vehicle been hit. I do not know if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle and vehicle component have been inspected by the Service Department at the dealer where we purchased the vehicle. I do not know of inspection by any other party. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. Once the vehicle began to shut down, a message came up stating that the vehicle was shutting down. The vehicle also automatically called BMW Emergency Services and a representative came on asking if we had been in a crash or needed assistance.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I brought a brand new BMW IX fully electric vehicle in May, 2023. A couple of weeks ago in early September, the “Emergency Call System Malfunction” warning light came on, and I can also smell a chemical burn from the vehicle. I dropped it off to Eastbay BMW in Pleasanton, California. 4350 Rosewood Drive, Pleasanton, California 94588. They confirmed that the “Control Module” may be over heating and causing the emergency call system to malfunction. Eastbay BMW contacted BMW HQ and was informed to just reset the warning light. “BMW advised Eastbay BMW that this is a recurring problem and the unit may overheat”. Eastbay BMW also confirmed that their technicians confirmed the warning codes showed the Control Module may be over heating. Instead of replacing this control module and finding a longer term fix, BMW HQ decided to decline replacement request and to simply reset the warning light until the next incident occurs. I have read on different BMW owners forums that this is an ongoing issue, occurring in many new vehicles as my BMW IX has less than 1,500 miles and we live in the Bay Area, California where it does not get too hot. Given that this relates to and impact the emergency call function, I want to file this formal complaint to ensure BMW address this issue properly and that the NHTSA launch a full investigation. Thank you
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
The plastic seat insert that borders the square hole just below the headrest is painful to shorter passengers. Their head feels it even with minor braking. The BMW “fix” (a foam plug) does not provide enough padding or ergonomic benefit to remedy the problem and is issued for a steep fee at the dealership. The major safety issue is if there is a collision. No person’s head should be thrown against a hard plastic object in an accident! Shouldn’t the materials of a headrest be regulated? Shouldn’t there be firm padding made of a soft and relatively flat material?
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The Icon Adaptive Led headlights w/Laserlight are designed so that the high beam tracks (aims) to steering wheel inputs, and possibly camera inputs, in order to illuminate the road ahead. The center of the beam is focused more tightly than is generally done with headlights which have illumination fixed to the centerline of the car. This feature is described on page 160 of the operating manual, and is the same as the exactly comparable headlights on my 2020 BMW M340i, which I also own. The car has been at the dealership for the past 11 days due to a separate safety recall, and the car has received all current software updates. Despite this, the "adaptive" headlights illumination is still fixed to the centerline of the car. I am informed by the dealership that other iX models with the same lighting option behave similarly, this is not a defect affecting only my particular vehicle. The vehicle's diagnostics have not indicated any headlight fault. This is a significant safety matter, because the brighter focused portion high beam light output is only quite rarely actually aimed at the road surface. A broader beam pattern would be appropriate, were these intended to be fixed rather than adaptive headlights. And this is completely at odds with all other recent BMW models with the Icon Adaptive LED headlights w/Laserlight.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
2023 BMWiX with sudden acceleration issue upon parking. Vehicle has been subject to recall for unintended activation of cruise control upon parking and a software update was supposedly issued by BMW and yet this occurred to me today causing front end collision and lots of damage to my car. Not hurt nor were others but certainly could have been.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving my leased BMW iX on the highway during heavy rain, the windshield wipers suddenly malfunctioned. The wipers began striking each other violently and then completely stopped working. This caused an immediate loss of visibility at highway speed. My pregnant wife was in the vehicle at the time, creating a serious safety risk. This appears to be a safety-related defect involving the windshield wiper system. I am requesting that NHTSA document and review this complaint for possible defect investigation.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The BMW DOES NOT OFFER THIS RECALL RECOMMENDED BY NHTSA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .