2024 BMW X3 recalls & complaints
Source: NHTSA, updated daily. Last checked 2026-10-18. Recalls apply to specific VINs — run your VIN to confirm.
3 safety recalls, most serious first
1. Steering
What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. The steering gear may not have been tightened properly, which can allow it to loosen.
What could happen: A loose steering gear can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 11, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2024 X3.
- Book a repair at any authorized BMW dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 23V770000.
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-525-7417.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: STEERING
Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2024 2 Series Coupe (230i), 330i, X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i vehicles. The steering gear may not have been tightened properly, which can allow it to loosen.
Consequence: A loose steering gear can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 11, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
2. Steering
What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. The steering spindle may have been incorrectly attached to the steering column.
What could happen: An incorrectly attached steering spindle can lead to a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the steering connection and replace hardware or replace the spindle and column, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 2, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this rec…
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2024 X3.
- Book a repair at any authorized BMW dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V524000.
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-525-7417.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2024-2026 X3 sDrive30i, X3 30 xDrive, and X3 M50 xDrive vehicles. The steering spindle may have been incorrectly attached to the steering column.
Consequence: An incorrectly attached steering spindle can lead to a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering connection and replace hardware or replace the spindle and column, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 2, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 2, 2026.
Notes:
3. Latches / locks
What's wrong, in plain English: Doors, hood or trunk may open unexpectedly. The second-row seat side door locking modules may not function properly and allow the doors to be unlocked with a single motion. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
What could happen: Doors that can be inadvertently unlocked and unlatched may open unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupants.
The fix: Dealers will replace the second-row seat side door locking modules, free of charge. A letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on April 21, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 800-525-7417.
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2024 X3.
- Book a repair at any authorized BMW dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 25V106000.
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK
Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2024 X3 sDrive30i and X3 xDrive30i vehicles. The second-row seat side door locking modules may not function properly and allow the doors to be unlocked with a single motion. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
Consequence: Doors that can be inadvertently unlocked and unlatched may open unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupants.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the second-row seat side door locking modules, free of charge. A letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on April 21, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 800-525-7417.
Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or go to nhtsa.gov.
Useful for owners
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Most complained-about parts: Electrical system (13), Engine (6), Unknown Or Other (6), Backup camera (6), Transmission / drivetrain (4).
Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.
Read recent complaints (8)
10/09/2026 · Engine
There is a fire risk and an associated recall 26V438 for my BMW X3. I took it in for repair on 8/31/2026. They did not have the part to fix the recall. Due to the fire risk, I need them to remedy this ASAP. They continue to say I have to wait for the part availability.
10/07/2026 · Engine
My vehicle is part of recall # 26V438 (starter motor issue.) My concern is that the delay in resolving this is causing me to take the precaution of NOT parking my vehicle in my (attached) garage due to potential for fire. The concern here is that as we move into the colder months here in the northeast, a far-too-common problem people have is rodents (mice,…
10/05/2026 · Electrical system
The vehicle is under an open fire‑risk recall involving the starter system. The manufacturer has not provided a remedy. The dealership confirmed that parts for the few vehicles BMW claims are repairable are backordered until 2027. This means there is effectively no fix available. The vehicle is equipped with Remote Start, which activates the starter while…
10/02/2026 · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of…
09/20/2026 · Electrical system · crash
I was driving through a green light through an intersection and a car on the opposite side of me had a yield green which they were suppose to wait for me to go and then continue with their left turn, but instead the driver decide to just go and our vehicles collided. The other car, which was a toyota corolla, had damage to their passenger side in which the…
09/14/2026 · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of…
08/31/2026 · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2024 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of t…
08/07/2026 · Transmission / drivetrain
I was pulling out of a parking spot and my X3 completely stalled and lost power. I got infomation on my screen to take my car to my dealer as soon as possible. I was able to start and drive it home. The following week I took it to the dealer for the problem. My local BMW dealer has had my X3 since July 27th over 2 weeks. They said they waiting for a code or…