repaired · 2020 Q4
Body: roof and pillars
Risk. In the event of a crash, the insufficient impact absorption can increase the risk of injury.
2016 BMW X1Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 159 owner complaints about the 2016 BMW X1, most often about the power train. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-747 the manufacturer reports only 88% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 5, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2016 BMW X1 has problems
159 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
33Power train
18Visibility/wiper
17Structure
13Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
8Engine
8Service brakes
4Air bags
4Steering
4Suspension
139 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 33 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 18 | 0 |
| Structure | 17 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 1 |
| Engine | 8 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 1 |
| Steering | 4 | 1 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 |
| 9 other systems | 13 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2016 BMW X1 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Front: retractor
Risk. In the event of a crash where heavy braking is applied, the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) may activate when the occupant is more forward in the seat,…
repaired · 2017 Q1
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Risk. A gearbox malfunction may cause a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Unknown or other
11 owners mentioned a cost$2,700median
Middle half: $2,500 – $3,309
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2016 vs. every other X1 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the X1 median. How we score
'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2016 BMW X1, and the recalls they led to.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
In owners' words
What X1 owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The car is indicating the I need to press the parking brake to secure the car from rolling after I have placed it in park and pressed the electronic parking brake.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X1. The contact stated that after arriving to the destination and shifting the vehicle into park(P), the message "Secure Vehicle against Rolling Malfunction" was displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a…
The transmission lock sensor is defective in this car design- the spring in the gearshift assembly that contacts the transmission lock sensor has a faulty design and is prone to breaking. This leads to a warning in the car that the transmission lock has not occurred when the car is in park…
Own a 2016 X1?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.