AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
2011 BMW X6
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
NHTSA has issued a “do not drive” advisory affecting this model year.
Campaign 20V016000. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is covered using its VIN before acting on this.
Check your VIN on NHTSA.govOverview
Our database contains 31 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 BMW X6, most frequently naming the engine, powertrain (other) and fuel system categories. 11 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 256 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2011 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 2013 | 1 | 2 |
| Jul 2014 | 2 | 4 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 5 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 6 |
| Dec 2014 | 1 | 7 |
| Jan 2015 | 1 | 8 |
| Oct 2015 | 1 | 9 |
| Dec 2015 | 1 | 10 |
| Jun 2016 | 1 | 11 |
| Aug 2016 | 1 | 12 |
| Sep 2016 | 1 | 13 |
| Oct 2016 | 1 | 14 |
| Aug 2017 | 1 | 15 |
| Sep 2017 | 1 | 16 |
| Jan 2018 | 1 | 17 |
| Jun 2018 | 1 | 18 |
| Jul 2018 | 1 | 19 |
| Aug 2018 | 1 | 20 |
| Feb 2019 | 1 | 21 |
| May 2019 | 1 | 22 |
| Nov 2019 | 1 | 23 |
| Jun 2020 | 1 | 24 |
| May 2021 | 1 | 25 |
| Jul 2021 | 1 | 26 |
| Dec 2021 | 1 | 27 |
| Jan 2023 | 1 | 28 |
| Aug 2023 | 1 | 29 |
| Mar 2024 | 1 | 30 |
| Jun 2026 | 1 | 31 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Engine1734.7%
- Powertrain (other)1020.4%
- Fuel system510.2%
- Electrical36.1%
- Suspension36.1%
- Driver assistance36.1%
- Airbags24.1%
- Steering24.1%
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.govAIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
I returned home from shopping at local store 15 miles away. Arrived home around 11:30pm on June 3. Unloaded groceries and sat down. Around 11:45pm-11:50pm heard yelling from outside that our car was on fire. My husband ran out and and seen flames coming from under hood of car. I called 911 and within a couple mins middle of hood was completely starting to melt and components were spraying fluid and popping pieces of metal and plastic were thrown everywhere. A neighbor proceeded to use 2 fire extinguishers to try to control blaze which did not seem to calm flames. Fire department arrived and sprayed down side of house and back of our other car which was parked In front of our BMW. Do to the extreme heat we could not get into other car to move it as it was parked by closed garage doors. Myself, our 2 daughter's and visiting friend were forced from the house due to concerns that the house might catch fire. We watched as the cars whole front engine area burned completely.During the trip to the store there were no warning signs on vehicle stating anything wrong. The fire marshal did a report on the fire and it was towed to local tow yard. At this time it is available for inspection. Preceding fire since it was unexplained to us we looked into recalls of the BMW and found multiple claims and reports for recall. Looking up VIN on NHSTA' s website VIN came back as "0" unrepaired recalls. We purchased the vehicle from a private dealer who never mentioned if vehicle ever had any recalls or had been fixed. And our search before purchase said there were no recalls on the vehicle. Due to the extreme heat our driveway was burned and our vehicle in front received heat damage to whole back of car. The fire was so intense that the engine area all the way to the back seat is burned. Thank goodness me and my daughter were not driving the vehicle at the time this happened as the engine fire burned quickly. This fire was not caused by arson or any factors under our control.
- NHTSA ID
- 11742337
- Incident
- Jun 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the mechanic stated that the timing chain gears failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to the part not being available. The contact stated that the dealer had the part but would not sell it to the contact due to the part being under a recall. The contact referenced BMW recall B110923 as a possible solution however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11579229
- Incident
- Feb 12, 2024
- Mileage
- 94,000 mi
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle inadvertently shut off. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion while leaving a parking lot, the vehicle jerked with a delay while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the front suspension needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. On another occasion while starting the vehicle, the vehicle started overheating. The contact shut off the vehicle and waited for the vehicle to cool down before restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 94,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11541410
- Incident
- Aug 29, 2020
- Mileage
- 94,000 mi
While driving the check engine light came on moments later the steering wheel stiffened up then released mid turn when I turn the steering wheel the tires didn’t respond I hit a curb
- NHTSA ID
- 11501177
- Incident
- Jan 2, 2023
2011 BMW x6m 115k miles the car system was burning smell coming. Smell like electrical problem the system of the car shuts down no power just enough power to pull over off the road. Turned it off and back on it went away. Check engine light and reduced of power keeps coming on. We look into the truck water is leaking into the electrical. Trunk electrical broken. Comfort access not working. This car is really unsafe and its not fix.
- NHTSA ID
- 11443848
- Incident
- Dec 13, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would independently shift into neutral upon the depression of the brake pedal without warning. The contact would restart the vehicle soon after the failure to resume normal driving. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the Vin. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the Vin was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11426519
- Incident
- Feb 1, 2021
- Mileage
- 98,000 mi
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X6. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor prior to the vehicle losing motive power. The vehicle was pulled over and restarted approximately an hour later. The contact stated that the fuel pump message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11418909
- Incident
- May 24, 2021
- Mileage
- 105,000 mi
MY VEHICLE CUT OF ON ME ON THE FREEWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND TRAFFIC. MY ENGINE STARTED SMOKE. I WAS AFRAID FOR MYSELF AND CHILDREN. I HAVE ALWAYS TOOK MY CAR INTO THE BMW OF BLOOMFIELD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICES AND MAINTENANCE I HAVE NEVER MISS NOT ONE APPOINTMENT. FOR THE LAST 5 TO 6 MONTHS. MY VEHICLE STAYED IN THEIR DEALERSHIP. THE LONGEST WAS APPROXIMATELY 42 DAYS AND ONCE I RECEIVED MY CAR MY ENGINE STARTED SMOKING SO I GIVE THEM BACK MY VEHICLE. I ASKED THEM IF THEY FOUND OUT WHAT CAUSED MY ENGINE TO SMOKE LIKE THIS? THERE COULDN'T GIVE ME A STRAIGHT FORWARD ANSWER. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE PICKING UP MY VEHICLE THEY ALWAYS LEFT SOMETHING UNPLUGGED CAUSING MY INTERIOR LIGHTS TO GO CRAZY BECAUSE OF THE WIRES BEING NOT PROPERLY FIXED. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN SIX MONTHS. I'VE PROBABLY SPENT NO LESS THAN 3,500. ON TOP OF THEM TELLING ME I NEED SOME RUN FLAT TIRES AND ALL THE LIGHTS WILL STOP BECAUSE OF THOSE TIRES. ONLY 5 DAYS LATER MY CAR STALLED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY TOOK THE CAR OVER TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP THE CALLED ME TO INFORM ME OF MY ENGINE BEING DOESN'T WORK I ASKED HOW THEY SAID THEY DON'T KNOW, AND IN THE SAME BREATH THEY SAID THAT IF I WANTED A NEW ENGINE IT WILL COST ME 15,000 NOT INCLUDING TIME AND LABOR. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 11329168
- Incident
- May 31, 2020
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 186,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
ENGINE
This bulletin outlines the Customer Care Package program that has been designed exclusively for BMWvehicles with the N63 engine. Vehicles with the N63 high performance engine are engineered with EfficientDynamics that provides fueleconomy without compromising on its “class leading” power and performance. To ensure these engines keep delivering the ultimate performance, we have designed this Care Package thatincludes a 6 point check, and if necessary, the replacement of one or more of the following powertraincomponents: Hot-Film Air Mass Sensors PIEZO High Pressure Fuel Injectors Engine Vacuum Pump Fuel System Low Pressure Sensor/Feed Line Fresh Air Intake Turbo Seals Crankcase Ventilation Lines (Hoses)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 186,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 240,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle âÂÂdischarged batteryâ complaints.
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 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2021 | 7 | 7 | 1 | — |
| 2020 | 9 | 10 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 5 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 2017 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2016 | 9 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2015 | 9 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2014 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 48.2 |
| 2013 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 45.7 |
| 2012 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 48.2 |
| 2011Viewing | 31 | 11 | 0 | 57.7 |
| 2010 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 57.9 |
| 2009 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 47.7 |
| 2008 | 4 | 8 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.