ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
2021 BMW X3
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
NHTSA has issued a “park outside” advisory affecting this model year.
Campaign 25V636000. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is covered using its VIN before acting on this.
Check your VIN on NHTSA.govOverview
Our database contains 104 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 BMW X3, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and driver assistance categories. 11 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 195 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2020 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 2020 | 2 | 3 |
| Jan 2021 | 1 | 4 |
| Feb 2021 | 1 | 5 |
| May 2021 | 4 | 9 |
| Jun 2021 | 1 | 10 |
| Jul 2021 | 3 | 13 |
| Sep 2021 | 1 | 14 |
| Oct 2021 | 2 | 16 |
| Nov 2021 | 1 | 17 |
| Dec 2021 | 1 | 18 |
| Jan 2022 | 1 | 19 |
| Feb 2022 | 1 | 20 |
| Apr 2022 | 1 | 21 |
| Oct 2022 | 1 | 22 |
| Apr 2023 | 3 | 25 |
| May 2023 | 2 | 27 |
| Jul 2023 | 1 | 28 |
| Aug 2023 | 2 | 30 |
| Sep 2023 | 1 | 31 |
| Oct 2023 | 1 | 32 |
| Nov 2023 | 2 | 34 |
| Dec 2023 | 1 | 35 |
| Apr 2024 | 1 | 36 |
| Aug 2024 | 2 | 38 |
| Sep 2024 | 3 | 41 |
| Oct 2024 | 2 | 43 |
| Nov 2024 | 7 | 50 |
| Dec 2024 | 3 | 53 |
| Jan 2025 | 3 | 56 |
| Apr 2025 | 1 | 57 |
| May 2025 | 3 | 60 |
| Jun 2025 | 1 | 61 |
| Jul 2025 | 3 | 64 |
| Aug 2025 | 1 | 65 |
| Nov 2025 | 3 | 68 |
| Dec 2025 | 7 | 75 |
| Jan 2026 | 4 | 79 |
| Feb 2026 | 3 | 82 |
| Mar 2026 | 3 | 85 |
| Apr 2026 | 7 | 92 |
| May 2026 | 3 | 95 |
| Jun 2026 | 4 | 99 |
| Jul 2026 | 4 | 103 |
| Aug 2026 | 1 | 104 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Electrical3025.9%
- Engine2319.8%
- Driver assistance1412.1%
- Body & structure119.5%
- Fuel system65.2%
- Brakes65.2%
- Powertrain (other)54.3%
- Exterior lighting54.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
11 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
The engine mounts on my BMW X3 have failed. It is a known national issue with the car, it can be exacerbated by the star/stop feature. There are no warnings or recalls and the repair is several thousand dollara.
- NHTSA ID
- 11754843
- Incident
- Jul 24, 2026
I am writing to report a known safety-related defect on my 2021 BMW X3, VIN [XXX]. 1 The vehicle was diagnosed at BMW of Manhasset, an authorized BMW dealer, with a coolant leak originating from the heat management module and oil filter housing. This is not ordinary wear and tear. BMW's own service bulletin SIB 11 10 25 identifies this failure mode as a known issue affecting B46/B48/B58-equipped vehicles, which includes my X3. 3 4 5 The same defect is also the subject of an active U.S. class action, XXX. v. BMW of North America, LLC (D.N.J.), covering the same engine families. This defect presents a genuine safety risk, not merely a cost issue. The oil filter housing's internal wall structures, which separate the oil and coolant passages, are prone to failing or warping, and the gaskets sealing those passages are prone to premature failure. When this occurs, coolant can leak into the oil sump or drain externally, which can cause sudden engine overheating and/or engine failure, sometimes within minutes of the leak developing. If oil escapes and contacts the hot exhaust, it can also create a fire risk. A vehicle experiencing this failure is not safe to continue driving, and the risk of sudden, catastrophic engine damage or fire warrants a recall rather than leaving affected owners to discover and pay for this known defect on their own. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11752053
- Incident
- Jul 10, 2026
There is an open safety recall for the engine starter on this vehicle. I contacted the local BMW dealer on 7/10/26 to have the recall fixed they advised me that they cannot address the recall because BMW North America has not sent the parts out for them to do so. I would like this on record in case there is any future damage to my vehicle due to the recall.
- NHTSA ID
- 11749613
- Incident
- Jul 10, 2026
2021 BMW X3 M40i VIN# [XXX] Starter failed with the following BMW codes: [XXX] Starter Malfunction was displayed on the Dash and car took multiple attempts or waiting 10 seconds to start. I had the starter replaced by the Dealer, who confirmed the starter required replacing. I was told it was not part of the recall based upon VIN of car? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11749372
- Incident
- Jun 17, 2026
Lane keep assist performance has been degrading to the point that it very quickly disables itself when overcorrecting or an oscillation of the steering wheel is developed while system is trying to keep the car inside the lane (which eventually also disables the system). System always had a bit of “bounce” between the two sides of the lane and struggled to keep the vehicle exactly in the middle of the lane. But it is much worse now and I am now more often than not disabling it. System feels unsafe now. The KAFAS (camera) module is having random faults now that disable the system but go away and Lane Assist can be re-engaged without any change in the performance I described above. As an engineer I would simply call the Lane Assist control algorithm unstable with an oscillation that gets amplified. I’ve done simple tests where I center the vehicle inside the lane, engage the feature, and take my hands off the steering wheel (vehicle has some limited hands free capability—goal is to eliminate any disturbance from my hands to be the potential trigger for the oscillation). I used to be able to do this and now it rarely works and forces me to quickly take over. Another observation has been that the camera is also used to follow a vehicle ahead of me (in lieu of centering in the lane) and this rarely works now to the point of trusting it. Nothing recent has changed on the vehicle. At first I thought it may be a wheel alignment problem but when the camera module started to have sporadic errors I eliminated that root cause (recall that Lane Assist system always oscillated when engaged, but was definitely usable before). Seems like both problems originate at the camera module. Vehicle did have a windshield replacement and camera was recalibrated many months before this problem developed. Performance was the same immediately before and after replacement.
- NHTSA ID
- 11748083
- Incident
- Apr 1, 2026
The contact’s wife owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle on several occasions, the vehicle failed to start. The message "Vehicle Failed to Start - Contact Dealer" was displayed. The contact stated that for the vehicle to start, the contact had to turn the power off in the vehicle power, lock and unlock the doors using the key fob, and then, after several attempts, the vehicle eventually started. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V056000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11747188
- Incident
- Jun 1, 2026
- Mileage
- 50,000 mi
Car suffered a complete electrical failure when stopped at a traffic light. No warnings on dash, wipers made one swipe then vehicle completely shut down. Hazards did not work. Car was towed to dealership
- NHTSA ID
- 11742602
- Incident
- Jun 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000(ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced the failure.
- NHTSA ID
- 11741742
- Incident
- Jun 3, 2026
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE
The manual starting of electronic engine oil level measurement from inside the vehicle, usually afterperforming an engine oil service task, is inoperative or it may lock up at between a 15% to 30% completionrate.
ENGINE
The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
ENGINE
The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.
SERVICE BRAKES
The vehicle applies the brakes on its own when reversing onto an inclined roadway or driveway. This appliesonly to the situation where the Active PDC option is activated via the iDrive.
AIR BAGS
The limited warranty for the Knee Air Bag wire harness repair cable procedure for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
DELIVERY STOP: REAR CARGO RAILS
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 54.5 |
| 2025 | 35 | 8 | 0 | 62.7 |
| 2024 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 60.5 |
| 2023 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 57.3 |
| 2022 | 68 | 8 | 0 | 61.9 |
| 2021Viewing | 104 | 11 | 0 | 60.5 |
| 2020 | 109 | 16 | 0 | 66.0 |
| 2019 | 166 | 10 | 0 | 59.8 |
| 2018 | 72 | 11 | 0 | 61.1 |
| 2017 | 92 | 6 | 2 | 64.3 |
| 2016 | 82 | 5 | 2 | 68.4 |
| 2015 | 105 | 7 | 2 | 68.9 |
| 2014 | 85 | 6 | 2 | 61.7 |
| 2013 | 226 | 7 | 2 | 62.2 |
| 2012 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 56.5 |
| 2011 | 112 | 4 | 1 | 55.2 |
| 2010 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 50.7 |
| 2009 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 58.6 |
| 2008 | 66 | 3 | 0 | 52.7 |
| 2007 | 98 | 3 | 0 | 52.2 |
| 2006 | 143 | 2 | 2 | 61.9 |
| 2005 | 103 | 2 | 2 | 62.8 |
| 2004 | 138 | 1 | 1 | 52.7 |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.