I am reporting a serious safety-related failure involving my 2018 BMW X3. While I was driving on Highway [XXX] in [XXX] on XXX, the vehicle suddenly lost electrical power and became disabled while I was traveling in active highway traffic. The instrument cluster went completely black and the vehicle would not restart. Because the vehicle became disabled unexpectedly while I was on the freeway, I was placed in an extremely dangerous situation with a significant risk of being struck by other vehicles traveling at highway speed. The vehicle also could not properly operate the hazard warning lights after the failure, which significantly increased the danger to me and other motorists because a disabled vehicle on a busy freeway could not adequately warn approaching traffic. Law enforcement responded to the incident and attempted to jump-start the vehicle, but the vehicle still would not start. The vehicle was subsequently taken to a repair facility. The battery was replaced, after which the vehicle was able to start and operate again. I am concerned that a failure of the vehicle's electrical power/battery/charging system can cause a sudden loss of propulsion and electrical functions while the vehicle is being driven at highway speed. This creates a serious safety hazard and could result in a high-speed collision, serious injury, or death. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review this incident as a potential safety defect and determine whether similar incidents have been reported involving 2018 BMW X3 vehicles or related electrical, battery, charging-system, or power-loss failures. This was not simply an inconvenience or a normal maintenance issue. The failure occurred while the vehicle was being driven on a highway and created an immediate and substantial risk of a collision and serious injury. I can provide repair records, towing records, photographs, vehicle information, and other documentation related to the incident if requested. Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FO
The worst 2018 BMW X3 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical22
- Engine20
- Body9
- Steering7
- Lights6
- Airbags5
- Brakes5
- Driver assistance5
- Suspension5
- Seat belts2
- Seats2
- Transmission2
- Visibility2
- Acceleration1
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 BMW X3
Recalls 11
Structure
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2022 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the rear cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.
- Risk
- Interior rear cargo rail detachment during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417. Vehicles in this recall were previously remedied for this issue under recall number 24V‑534 and will need to have the new repair completed.
Recall number 24V764000 · Recall details
Structure
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2023 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the interior cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.
- Risk
- Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 24V534000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.
- Risk
- A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat foam, which includes the occupant classification system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 21V521000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag could damage the instrument panel and cause small pieces of the panel to strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 20V152000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
- Risk
- The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1‑877‑877‑3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑888‑270‑9371.
Recall number 19V684000 · Recall details
Seats
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, xDrive30i and M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i and M40i vehicles. The front seatback frames may have been improperly welded, allowing the seatback to unexpectedly fold forward or rearward.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seats, free of charge. The recall began September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 19V563000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and certain 2019 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
- Risk
- A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the rear brake circuit, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 18V453000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: turn signal
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i and X3 M40i vehicles. The rear turn signals on the outboard side panel will illuminate red, while the inboard turn signals simultaneously illuminate amber. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Turn signals that flash multiple colors may confuse other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear turn signal lights, and replace if necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 18V431000 · Recall details
Lane departure: lane keep: steering assist
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i, X3 sDrive30i, and X3 M40i vehicles equipped with the "Active Lane Keeping Assistant" option. The steering wheel may be incompatible with the lane keeping assistant function and may not detect if the driver's hands are off the wheel.
- Risk
- If the sensors do not properly detect the driver's hands are off the wheel, the driver may not be alerted by one or more warning signals, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 19, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 18V374000 · Recall details
Structure: body
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i and X3 M40i vehicles. The rear spoiler may not have been properly attached during assembly, or may be missing screws, possibly causing the spoiler to detach while driving.
- Risk
- If the spoiler detaches while driving, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spoiler, correcting its attachment as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 1, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 18V154000 · Recall details
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2, and X3 xDrive 30i SAV vehicles. These vehicles may have an error in the software for the instrument panel, causing the display to not properly illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."
- Risk
- If the display does not illuminate during start up or does not illuminate various control and warning symbols while driving, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster display software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 17V719000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2018 BMW X3 388
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The NVLD limited emissionrelated warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15...
- The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been...
- The Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Front Passenger’s Seat Occupancy Capacitive Interior Sensor (CIS)...
- A situation may occur where the front passenger seat is not occupied
- The limited warranty for the Knee Air Bag wire harness repair cable procedure for defects in materials and...
- The NVLD limited emission related warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15...
- The NVLD limited emissionrelated warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15...
- For this vehicle, the EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or...
- Evap system purge (vent) valve ext ltd wty (elw) 15/150
- The vehicle applies the brakes on its own when reversing onto an inclined roadway or driveway
2018 BMW X3 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | AWD | 22 | 29 | 25 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | AWD | 20 | 27 | 23 |
What 2018 BMW X3 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
A rock hit the front of the moonroof glass and a minutes later the moonroof tempered glass exploded while driving.
My car suddenly lost all power when at a red light in a turn lane on an active roadway. Fortunately, it was daytime because I could not turn on hazards or lights. I couldn't open the trunk and more importantly I couldn't shift into neutral because of the power failure. A tow truck was sent but he didn't have rollers and couldn't jump start the car, so a second tow was called. We ended up there with the car in the road blocking traffic for 3 hours. If it was night, someone could have hit my car. The car was towed to BMW and diagnosed with a faulty alternator, internal failure of the main battery and failure of the second battery. The technician said the battery failures were due to the alternator. I just had the car in for maintenance (at BMW) 3 weeks prior and no indicator lights ever came on. There are clear safety issues being stuck on an active roadway with no hazard lights for 3 hours because the car couldn't be shifted out of neutral to move to safety or for routine tow. The police came to try to help me and to stay with the car because it was a highway danger, but no police report was filed.
There were several radiatior hose leaks that happened in the winter due to the outdated plastic housing and lines that seized and cracked with colder temperatures. It has become extremely common historically and not considered affordable part or labor to replace.
The sunroof drains of the vehicle become easily clogged. When this happens, water drains into the battery compartment and interior of the vehicle. Although BMW is aware of this, and the attendant danger of having water pooling in the battery compartment, they have not addressed the issue. There are no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the problem.
While driving on the interstate lost coolant through the oil cooler housing. I had to quickly get to the shoulder of the road having to cross several lanes of traffic. The car had to be towed. I had it towed to the dealership where I purchased it as I paid for an extended warranty. Warranty company denied the claim. Through research I am finding this is an issue with BMWs as they part is plastic and does not stand up well with the temperature changes it is subjected to. This needs to be a recall. The car is still in the shop, 45 days later. Approximate cost to repair $2,840.00 plus tax.
BMW installed a part that is failing quite a number of vehicles including this vehicle. The oil filter housing was not properly constructed at the factory. Fails.
Oil pump failure due to plastic brittle materials failing prematurely. It is a common problem that is well documented across the owners that have this vehicle.
Vehicle lost coolant and warned me to pull over because of the engine overheating. Later was diagnosed with a leaking oil filter housing. Simply too early for such a component to fail. Left my wife stranded miles away from home in the snow.
This problem has occurred to me now twice. Both occurrences were on very cold days where the temperature was below 20 degrees F. The car starts promptly and runs, but the entire dashboard electronic instrument cluster is non-functioning and dark . In this condition, you cannot tell your speed, engine rpm, fuel level, engine temperature, or any mileage numbers. The turn signals also do not work. The headlights and the iDrive screen and the climate control were all lit properly and functioned. I did not think to check the brake or tailights, unfortunately. Multiple restarts of the car had no effect, and so I drove home without the dash functions. After the car sat overnight in my garage (which is somewhat warmer) the dash lights returned to their proper function.
Compare the 2018 BMW X3
X3 vs Acura RDXX3 vs Audi Q5X3 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC 300X3 vs Volvo XC60
Other model years
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Questions about the 2018 BMW X3
Is the 2018 BMW X3 reliable?
Owners have filed 76 complaints about the 2018 BMW X3, fewer than a typical X3 model year.
What is the 2018 BMW X3 year score?
The 2018 BMW X3 scores 74 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the BMW X3: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 BMW X3?
Electrical system, with 22 complaints, typically around 20,600 miles. Next is engine (20).
How many recalls does the 2018 BMW X3 have?
11 recalls, covering structure, air bags and back over prevention.
Was there a recall on the 2018 BMW X3 electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 17V719000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the BMW X3 have the most electrical problems?
The BMW X3 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2019 (47 complaints), 2020 (35 complaints) and 2021 (35 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2018 BMW X3 get?
Official estimates for the 2018 BMW X3 range from 23 to 25 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, AWD) gets 22 city and 29 highway.
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