RoadVitals

2007 BMW X3 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Aug 8, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 98 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 BMW X3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Aug 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2007 BMW X3. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer to be repaired under an undisclosed Takata recall repair; however, after the recall repair was performed, the horn became inoperable. Additionally, several buttons on the steering wheel also became inoperable. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that the ignition switch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ID
11679326
Incident
Jun 13, 2025
Mileage
14,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 5, 2024

Had it in bmw dealership for recall to be fixed, that caused my engine light to come on. My engine light was still in when I went back to get it. They said au had to pay $100.00 to have the engine light off. I said I'm not paying if it's a recall. They refused to do anything else. I took it home and put my code reader on it and it was showing code for the part that Was not changed under recall. I have been calling them since and they have not called me back.

NHTSA ID
11563800
Incident
Jan 3, 2024
Electrical
Filed Feb 1, 2023

The bmw dealer is not helping to perform the recall on my bmw x3 recall. the dealer in Murrieta, ca has been ignoring me and does not call me back. My vin# wbxpc93497wf04472

NHTSA ID
11504993
Incident
Feb 1, 2023
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Jun 13, 2020
1 injury reported

THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATING ELEMENT BURNED AND DAMAGED THE SKIN OF THE SEAT AND BURNED MY BACK WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY. I WAS SO SURPRISED WHEN THIS HAPPENED THAT I JUMPED IN THE SEAT AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
11328626
Incident
Jan 16, 2020
Mileage
112,520 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 2, 2020

WHITE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND STOPPED. AFTER TO THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND STARTED AGAIN THE HEATER WAS NO LONGER WORKING. TOOK IN FOR THE REPAIR, WAS TOLD IT WAS A WATER PUMP. $1600 REPAIR 6 WEEKS AGO. LAST NIGHT 1/1/2020 WHILE DRIVING ON THE SAME HIGHWAY ALL THE LIGHTS BEGAN BLINKING AND THE ENGINE CEASED AGAIN WITH THE INDICATOR LIGHTS SHOWING A TRANSMISSION ERROR.

NHTSA ID
11296721
Incident
Jan 1, 2020
Mileage
160,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 1, 2019

BMW HAS KNOWLEDGE OF VARIOUS SOFTWARE ISSUES ,AND IF YOU THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,MIGHT URGE THEM TO MAKE SOFTWARE UPDATES READILY ACCESSIBLE FOR ,TRANSMISSION,DME,EGS,ALL THERE MODULES IT WOULD PROBABLY ELIMINATE 80%OF THERE COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ID
11283076
Incident
Oct 8, 2019
Mileage
126,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 9, 2019

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 BMW X3 THE VEHICLE IN SAN ANTONIO ON BANDERA RD IT LOST POWER ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE VECHILE STARTED TO SPUTTER TILL IT'S JUST DIED AND NOW WON'T TURN OVER EVERYTHING WORKS HAS POWER BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT CRANK OVER.

NHTSA ID
11185565
Incident
Mar 8, 2019
Mileage
2 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 9, 2018
Fire reported

TURNED ON DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER AND IT BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT AT THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE OF THE SEAT UPRIGHT PORTION. IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF WHEN SMELLED BURNING AND FELT EXTREMELY HOT AT LOWER BACK. DRIVER COULD HAVE BEEN BURNED. SAW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATION. THIS COULD SERIOUSLY INJURE SOMEONE ESPECIALLY IF IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ID
11157132
Incident
Dec 9, 2018
Mileage
660,060 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 5, 2018
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A BURNING ODOR EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONTACT WAITED FOR A MOMENT, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKCASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID
11060666
Incident
Aug 15, 2017
Mileage
100,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Oct 2, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID AND WHEELS SEIZED. VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. GERMAIN BMW OF NAPLES (11286 TAMIAMI TRAIL N, NAPLES, FL) DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVETRAIN WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PAN WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000. *LN

NHTSA ID
11031403
Incident
Jun 16, 2017
Mileage
69,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .