2021 BMW X3 problems and complaints
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 BMW X3. The most-reported areas: Electrical System (35), Unknown Or Other (27), Engine (24).
Key takeaways
- 116 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 5 involve a crash, 2 a fire, 2 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 35 | 30% |
| Unknown Or Other | 27 | 23% |
| Engine | 24 | 21% |
| Structure | 11 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 5% |
| Steering | 5 | 4% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 5 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 5 | 4% |
| Power Train | 5 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 4% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 4 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2021 BMW X3
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 BMW X3 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 BMW X3 SUV RWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-11-04
My 2021 BMW X3 xDrive30i failed a Georgia emissions inspection on September 24, 2026, at 79,419 miles due to an MIL commanded failure. Codes P05B1 and P05AF were identified. On October 27, 2026, Nalley Collision Center performed BMW ISTA diagnostics and documented faults affecting both radiator active air flap assembli...
Visibility/Wiper - filed 2026-11-03
For the last several months, my vehicle's power-folding mirrors have malfunctioned. The mirrors fold inward automatically when the car is turned off and are supposed to unfold automatically when the car is turned on. The right (passenger-side) mirror fails to unfold automatically most of the time. I often do not notice...
Electrical System,vehicle Speed Control,unknown Or Other - filed 2026-11-03
On start up the entire digital display panel fails to load and is dark including the speedometer and heads up display. This lasts anywhere from ten to twenty minutes and then randomly comes back on. In addition to no speedometer there are alarms going off that you can not see or clear out. Not knowing the speed of ...
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More for the 2021 BMW X3
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.