The Used Car Index

2011 BMW X3 SAV problems

NHTSA lists 13 complaints for the 2011 BMW X3 SAV, 0 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 0 complaints mention an injury, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as BMW X3 SAV.

At a glance

Complaints
13
With crash
0
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Recalls
1
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
156,137
Investigations
1
Open investigations
1
Manufacturer communications
9

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
ENGINE430.8%
AIR BAGS323.1%
STEERING323.1%
POWER TRAIN215.4%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER215.4%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM17.7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING17.7%
SEATS17.7%
STRUCTURE17.7%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

1 recalls.

14V176000

Date: 2014-04-10. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i Convertible, 528i Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535i xDrive Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, (excerpt)

Consequence: If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash. (excerpt)

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2012 BMW vehicles equipped with inline 6 cylinder engines not covered by this recall, will receive an extended warranty to address this condition. The recall began on September 24, 2014. Owners may c (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 1 open.

EA21002

Opened: 2021-09-17. Closed: Not listed.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupt

Systems: AIR BAGS.

Linked campaign numbers: None listed.

Manufacturer communications

9 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
AIR BAGS5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
STRUCTURE1
VISIBILITY1

11031873

Date: 2026-04-30. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Replace the drivera s air bag module (generation 10, PSDI-X).

11032047

Date: 2026-04-08. Type: Other. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Update - Recent F25 Air Bag Module Service Actions

11030442

Date: 2026-04-01. Type: Other. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Update - Recent F25 Air Bag Module Service Actions

11030336

Date: 2026-03-26. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: AIR BAGS.

BMW AG is conducting a Voluntary Service Action involving certain Model Year 2010 a 2013 vehicles.This Service Action involves the replacement of the drivera s air bag module.

11030337

Date: 2026-03-26. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: AIR BAGS.

BMW AG is conducting a Voluntary Service Action involving certain Model Year 2010 a 2013 vehicles.This Service Action involves the replacement of the passengera s air bag module.

10253326

Date: 2024-04-04. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

While driving the vehicle on normal roads at10mph and above, a "cracking" sound from the top of the B-pillar(s) is heard.

10249437

Date: 2024-01-16. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY.

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

10249027

Date: 2024-01-11. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle A A?A A A A discharged batteryA A?A A A A compl

10215024

Date: 2017-06-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

The engine?s intake charge-air duct limited warranty extension to 10 years/120,000 miles applies to ?eligible USspecification

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
X3 SAV13

Same model, other years

All model years | All BMW models

Other BMW models, 2011

Sources

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