repaired · 2026 Q3
Structure
Risk. Interior rear cargo rail detachment during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
2019 BMW X3Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 171 owner complaints about the 2019 BMW X3, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 10 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-291 the manufacturer reports only 82% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 15, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: LuvsMG481, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2019 BMW X3 has problems
171 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
47Electrical system5 crash/fire/injury
35Engine2 crash/fire/injury
31Structure
13Forward collision avoidance1 crash/fire/injury
12Service brakes2 crash/fire/injury
7Engine and engine cooling
7Power train
6Exterior lighting
5Back over prevention
2711 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 47 | 5 |
| Engine | 35 | 2 |
| Structure | 31 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 13 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 12 | 2 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 7 | 0 |
| Power train | 7 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 0 |
| Back over prevention | 5 | 0 |
| 11 other systems | 27 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
10 recalls
2019 BMW X3 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 · 2026 Q3
Structure
Risk. Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Air bags: frontal
Risk. A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2023 Q1
Sensing system: camera
Risk. If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Show 6 more recalls
repaired · 2022 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
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…
repaired · 2021 Q1
Sensing system: camera
Risk. The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Seats
Risk. In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
repaired · 2019 Q4
Disc: caliper
Risk. A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2019 Q4
Lane keep: steering assist
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…
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.
Electrical system
9 owners mentioned a cost$3,000median
Middle half: $2,500 – $3,500
Engine
8 owners mentioned a cost$5,550median
Middle half: $2,825 – $8,000
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
2019 vs. every other X3 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 X3 median. How we score
'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2019 BMW X3 safety ratings
2019 BMW X3 SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.1% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Standard
- Lane departure warning: Optional
In owners' words
What X3 owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
On Sept 16th, 2026 my wife was operating the vehicle under normal, routine driving conditions. While she was completely stopped at a stop sign the vehicle spontaneously caught fire. Description of the Issue and Damage: 1. There was no collision, impact, or external trauma prior to the fire. 2.…
Our 2019 BMW X3 M40i shows "EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" which means the "SOS" system, which is crucial for post-collision response, fails. Erhardt BMW in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan confirmed water leakage due to defective sealing around the roof-mounted shark fin antenna damaged the…
Main dashboard display is partially blocked by a message stating “emergency call system malfunction.” Apparently the roof mounted antenna’s seal fails and allows water into the electronics for the emergency call system. Upon failure, it also stops the Bluetooth microphone for the cell phone to stop…
Own a 2019 X3?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.