2018 BMW X1 Owner Complaints

On May 20, 2026 We were in Mt Dora, FL We were approaching a red light. Cars were stopped in front of us and cars were beside me and behind me. As I slowed down the car just stalled out. It completely turned off while I was in drive. I immediately tried to start it. Then I put my foot on the brake and put it in park and turned on my hazard lights. I waited about 3 minutes and started it up. It was so scary because we could have been hit from behind.

NHTSA ID

11747527

Incident

May 20, 2026

• What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I have a 2018 BMW X1 that has about 60,000 miles on it. So far, I have had to have the windshield replaced four times due to pebbles hitting and cracking the windshield when on the highway. This never used to be the case in older BMWs that I have had in the past. Pebbles would never crack windshields. I know many other friends and family members that have had the same issue. Although insurance pays for the windshield/sensor replacements that cost around $1,500 to $2,700 (depending on which dealership I go to and which state I have lived in), this results in higher premiums for us all, because insurance companies are not going to just take a loss on the windshield claims. So really, we are all paying for each other's windshields with our insurance premium increases. Please enforce a recall to replace all the weak windshields with the strong windshields they used to produce. They are not only wasting our money but profiting off the insurance payments for all these broken windshields. My car is available for inspection upon request. • How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Cracked windshields compromise the vehicle's structural integrity, distorts your vision, and can shatter if subjected to sudden temperature changes, road vibrations, or a collision. • Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, every time I go into a BMW dealership to have the windshield replaced and by my insurance company, which pays for the replacements. • Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, by BMW dealerships when they have replaced the windshield each time. • Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

NHTSA ID

11744674

Incident

Mar 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the check engine and engine overheating warning lights became illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The contact had an older BMW that had experienced the same failure, and the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The local dealer was contact and the contact was informed that the current vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11721707

Incident

Feb 14, 2026

Mileage

80,000 mi

While driving my vehicle at normal highway and city speeds, I noticed a serious steering issue where the steering wheel feels excessively loose and unresponsive. The vehicle does not track straight and constantly drifts left and right, requiring continuous steering corrections to keep it within the lane. The steering feels vague and unstable, as if there is excessive play in the steering system. At times, small steering inputs result in delayed or inconsistent vehicle response, making it difficult to maintain a straight path. This issue occurs on smooth, dry roads and is not related to road conditions, wind, or tire pressure. This condition creates a significant safety concern, especially at higher speeds, as it feels like I could lose control of the vehicle or unintentionally drift into another lane or off the road. The problem has been persistent and appears to be worsening over time.

NHTSA ID

11711587

Incident

Jan 15, 2026

In November I noticed a noise when steering. I took my suv to the mechanic shop and they located the following recall from your website: recall 19V601000 the tie rod assembly. I contacted BMW of North America and they cannot locate this recall with my VIN.

NHTSA ID

11705146

Incident

Nov 22, 2025

On the evening of July 10, 2025, while driving a 2018 BMW X1, I experienced a sudden cascade of dashboard alerts, including warnings for the airbag, chassis system, and right signal headlight. The system advised moderate driving and service. Moments later, all dashboard lights activated simultaneously. I pulled over and placed the vehicle in park. Within seconds, smoke began rising from the front-right corner of the engine compartment, followed by visible flames. My daughter was in the car with me. We had to evacuate immediately, and contacted emergency services from the roadside. The fire was extinguished by first responders, and the vehicle was later towed. This event put both of us in immediate danger. It occurred just five days after service on the right front headlight was performed by an authorized dealership. While the issue has not yet been confirmed by the manufacturer or service center, the timing and location raise serious concerns. The vehicle was inspected by the fire department, and an insurance claim is currently under investigation.

NHTSA ID

11672642

Incident

Jul 10, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was loose while turning to the left or the right. The contact stated that the failure was a reoccurring failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V601000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

NHTSA ID

11664325

Incident

Nov 2, 2019

Mileage

5,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated that while approaching an intersection at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled and came to a complete stop in the middle of the intersection, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving. However, shortly afterward, the vehicle stalled again. The contact allowed the vehicle to sit idle for a while before attempting to restart the vehicle for a third time and was successful in driving the vehicle safely to the residence. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) and 18V465000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); as the possible cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000.

NHTSA ID

11646359

Incident

Mar 3, 2025

Mileage

54,000 mi

Airbag. No open recalls. Spinal injury in head-on collision. Unknown Crash Champions at Windsor Mills in Baltimore, MD (auto body shop for Progressive) No warnings

NHTSA ID

11606959

Incident

Jul 31, 2024

There is an issue with the X1 series of BMWs where the system shuts down after a cold start. This car displays alerts on the dashboard, and BMW service has confirmed that there are two firmware updates available to fix the issues. However, instead of providing the updates at no charge, they are asking for almost $1,000 for the firmware update. Forum discussions indicate that this issue causes the engine to stop after a cold start, which is extremely challenging, especially when leaving a garage into oncoming traffic, as the car just shuts off. There should be a recall and free firmware updates for these vehicles. FC 151001 IGNITION TIMING DURING COLD START

NHTSA ID

11604840

Incident

Jun 15, 2024

This was struck in the rear at the stop light.

NHTSA ID

11587165

Incident

Apr 16, 2024

This vehicle was rear ended with rear frame damage. The airbag light stays on and the seat belt was ejected and lock. The seat now will not extend to fit and latch. My wife the owner of the car [XXX] head and body was jerked extremely hard due to the lack of airbag not deploying. My wife completed all required maintenance with the BMW dealer prior to the accident. This is frustrating since we paid a lot of money over the years to maintain the car and we expect nothing less, but a safe vehicle for my wife. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11583839

Incident

Apr 16, 2024

Was driving down the highway at 70 MPH when my sunroof suddenly exploded. There was no damage to the sunroof prior to the explosion and there was no outside object that fell onto the sunroof that could have caused it to explode. Thankfully I had the liner closed on the inside of the vehicle and I did not have the glass shatter on to me physically. However, if the liner had not been closed there could have been physical damage to myself and possibly caused me to have a motor vehicle accident. I took my vehicle to the dealership and the technician informed that he has at least 4 BMW vehicles per month with sunroof explosion. I also contacted BMW USA and notified them of the incident, and they stated there was no open recall on my vehicle. As stated before I feel this is a HUGE safety issue that warrants further investigation.

NHTSA ID

11583632

Incident

Apr 12, 2024

Car does not idle when first starts. Shifting into reverse causes car to nearly stall. To avoid this, I have to touch the accelerator with extra pressure which causes the car to jerk uncontrollably backwards. This is a known fault on X1 BMW’s. BMW requires $300-500 to complete a software update with no guarantee this will correct the problem. The software update was completed once before in 2019 and the problem persists. They are asking for another payment for another update with no guarantee.

NHTSA ID

11575026

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

Car began to make a loud humming noise from the engine compartment and the car went stiff. The check engine light came on and when taken to have the light looked at, it showed a faulty thermostat.

NHTSA ID

11572818

Incident

Feb 19, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle shuddered significantly upon depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the evaporative emission control circuit had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

NHTSA ID

11540519

Incident

Jun 12, 2023

Mileage

63,000 mi

When first turning on the car in the morning and trying to reverse the vehicle, it begins jerking and the acceleration revs up rpm almost as if it's trying not to shut off. We have friends with the same model and they have had the same issue and were told it has to do with the crankshaft.

NHTSA ID

11508153

Incident

Feb 20, 2023

My vehicle stalled on a busy street and could not be restarted. Other drivers stopped and assisted me pushing the vehicle to a nearby intersecting street, which placed everyone in imminent danger of being hit by another car. Vehicle was towed to the dealer who has performed all the service work on my car. The dealer diagnosed the issue as failure of the high-pressure fuel pump. Warning messages appeared after my vehicle was already in distress. The car is currently at the dealership awaiting repair. There has been a litany of complaints and issues relating to high-pressure fuel pumps failing on vehicles like mine.

NHTSA ID

11499215

Incident

Dec 25, 2022

At-fault vehicle (charged with improper lane usage) in Toyota Corolla attempted to abruptly merge left from "local lanes" going north of IL 53 to the "express" lanes hitting a Toyota Camry which veered into my front right tossing me across 3 lanes taking out 70' of guardrail and totaling my 2018 BMW X1. My airbags did not deploy. My engine came away from the chassis and left front wheel came away from the vehicle as well. It is my opinion at least one airbag/safety restraint should have been deployed. I submitted a report to this department February 1, 2022. I heard back in June and nothing else ever happened even after I submitted the requested information. See the email stream last week from [XXX], HR, NHTSA-----> Good morning [XXX], I reviewed the documents you sent me and it appears you submitted everything [XXX] requested. The information my contact gave me is as follows: “The customer can go to the NHTSA Report a Safety Problem web page on NHTSA’s public webpage (link below) and complete the required information. They can also call the toll free number at 888-327-4236, Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET to report as well. Report a Vehicle Safety Problem, Equipment Issue | NHTSA” Let them know you submitted your complaint back on February 1, 2022, and [XXX] contacted you and requested additional information to include the location of the incident, the Police Accident Report (you submitted), nature of injuries (you submitted), the event recorder report (which you notified him that you did not have), and manufacturer complaint number (which you provided to him). The last time you heard from him was June 10, 2022 when he requested the additional information and you provided the information later that day. Let them know you are trying to bring closure to this matter. I hope this helps! [XXX], HR, NHTSA INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11497909

Incident

Jan 12, 2022

Serious highway accident in Chicago suburbs whereby car was totaled. Engine came away from chassis after ramming into and taking out 50 feet of guardrail and coming to a screeching halt. Left front wheel came away from vehicle in its entirety. No front, side or overhead airbags deployed whatsoever. Traveling at 50MPH at time of accident. I have pictures if required.

NHTSA ID

11495584

Incident

Jan 12, 2022

2018 BMW X1. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE REPAIR OF A SAFETY RECALL PERFORMED ON VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11490924

Incident

Oct 26, 2022

I came outside this afternoon to my Panaromic sunroof shattered. I researched if this has happened to any other BMW users and it did. As a matter of fact, BMW was hit with severe lawsuits. How do I make them accountable for the repairs?

NHTSA ID

11477940

Incident

Aug 6, 2022

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear liftgate door would erroneously open. During the failure, the lift gate door would open approximately halfway. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the key fob needed to be reprogrammed to press twice to open the liftgate. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 16,000.

NHTSA ID

11459245

Incident

Mar 21, 2022

Mileage

16,000 mi

I was in a 3-car accident through the fault of another driver. This was on a highway in northwest suburbs of Chicago. Very serious crash ending in a totaled vehicle. Severe (left) front end damage with engine disengaging from the chassis and left front wheel coming off vehicle. I believe I was put at high risk of losing my life because none of the airbags deployed inside the vehicle. The car was viewed by state police (police report available) and insurance representatives officially deeming the vehicle "totaled". Based on my VIN, there were no pending airbag recalls on file. See uploaded pictures

NHTSA ID

11449738

Incident

Jan 12, 2022

While driving (car moving and in Drive) the rear hatch opened on the vehicle to about a mid-way position completely obscuring vision from rear view mirror. Fortunately I was able to pull to the side of the road and nothing fell out of the cargo area. Key fob was in my pocket - no buttons were pushed (on purpose or accidentally).

NHTSA ID

11421285

Incident

Jun 8, 2021