The 2013 BMW X3 has 7 safety recalls and 226 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine (147 complaints).
Recalls7safety recalls
Complaints226filed by owners
Crashes · fires4 · 10reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths5 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Electrical system › Wiring › Connectors/plugs/receptacles
NHTSA recall 24V608000 · Aug 13, 2024 · 720,796 vehicles
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Components: Electrical system › Wiring › Connectors/plugs/receptacles; Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Pump
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3, 2014-2015 3 Series Sedan, 2014 4 Series Coupe, 2014 4 Series Convertible, 2014 3 Series Gran Turismo, and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Fix: The driver's front air bag will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
NHTSA recall 17V495000 · Aug 8, 2017 · 6,785 vehicles
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, and M6 Convertible vehicles and 2013 M6 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver's frontal air bag inflator that may have been improperly welded.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Child seat › Latch strap
NHTSA recall 16V333000 · May 23, 2016 · 188,668 vehicles
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2011-2017, X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i and X3 xDrive35i, vehicles manufactured July 2, 2010 to April 14, 2016, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014 to March 31, 2016, and 2015-2017 x4 xDrive28i, X4 xDrive35i and X4 xDriveM40i vehicles manufactured March3, 2014 to April 15, 2016. The affected vehicles have lower anchor bars for securing child restraint seats that may become damaged when using the European-ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.
Risk: Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will weld a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars and the vehicle body, free of charge. The recall began on July 13, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
NHTSA recall 14V627000 · Oct 7, 2014 · 8,988 vehicles
Problem: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V-454.
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Components: Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings; Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
NHTSA recall 13V570000 · Nov 15, 2013 · 3 vehicles
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013 X3 xDrive 28i/35i vehicles manufactured February 11, 2013, through February 27, 2013. Due to a production process error, the tear seam on the instrument panel was not manufactured correctly.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the air bag could improperly deploy, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the air bag's protection and increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger. In addition, parts or fragments from the air bag system could strike and injure the front passenger or other vehicle occupants.
Fix: BMW has notified owners and dealers will replace the instrument panel, free of charge. The recall began on December 11, 2013. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Components: Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel; Air bags
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
NHTSA recall 13V454000 · Sep 26, 2013 · 76,191 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Components: Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings; Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2013 BMW X3 Xdrive28i SUV AWD
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
2013 BMW X3 Xdrive35i SUV AWD
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
X3 xDrive28i
24mpg combined
City / highway
21 / 28 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive · about $3,400/year to fuel
X3 xDrive35i
21mpg combined
City / highway
19 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Engine
147
2
4
2
85,000 mi
Power train
60
1
1
0
85,500 mi
Electrical system 12v/24v/48v battery
29
0
3
1
86,947 mi
Service brakes
17
1
0
2
38,500 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
16
0
0
0
80,449 mi
Unknown or other
14
1
5
1
87,530 mi
Air bags Sensor › Occupant classification; Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Nov 16, 2020Service brakes My Brake Vacuum Pump is broken, with oil leaking into the vacuum reservoir. The brake distance is much longer. I searched the web and found out a lot of people had the same issue.
May 12, 2026 · 106,000 milesEngine The contact owns a 2013 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light and drivetrain warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the positive battery terminal motherboard had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted again. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure…
Dec 30, 2025Power train BMW knows there is a problem with the 2013 x3 timing chain. I have continuously had my BMW serviced at there shops. Never once when my car was in for service did they mention the issue or proactively check. My vehicle now has the issue per the dealership snd indicated it is approximately a 20k repair which they included a new engine. I also followed BMWs recommendation to have the oil changed 1year or when miles were hit per their change program. Just has the oil changed in November and at the end of December now timing chain issues. Again multiple times this issue could have been identified and proactively fixed while under warrenty. Also has issues where the material on the glove box…
Aug 13, 2025 · 100,000 milesEngine and engine cooling The contact's daughter owns a 2013 BMW X3. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer found no signs of contamination and installed a water pump connector cap. The contact stated that a month after the repair, the engine was overheating while idling, and there was while smoke coming from the engine with an unknown warning light on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the water pump and the battery were replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the…
Nov 14, 2025Engine While driving my 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i under normal conditions, a âdrivetrain malfunctionâ warning suddenly appeared, immediately followed by a âlow oil pressureâ warning. Within seconds, the engine lost all power and shut off completely while the vehicle was in motion. I had to coast and steer the car off the roadway and push it to safety with the help of others. My safety and the safety of other drivers were at risk due to the sudden and complete loss of propulsion in active traffic. An independent BMW-trained service center confirmed that the engine suffered catastrophic internal damage caused by failure of the timing chain system. This timing chain defect is well documented in…
Nov 3, 2025 · fireUnknown or other The car experienced major issues and nearly stalled while driving. It was pulled off a road into a driveway where it caught fire and burned to the ground. No recall information was ever sent to my house. Very dangerous occurrence. We are lucky that no one was hurt.
Oct 1, 2025Engine I own a 2013 BMW X3 equipped with the N20 engine. After approximately 17 months of ownership and only around 11,000 miles of normal driving, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete engine failure without warning. The independent diagnostic determined the failure was due to a timing chain and oil pump drive chain defect, which is a well-documented issue in BMW N20 engines. This defect has been acknowledged by BMW through Technical Service Bulletin SI B11 03 17 and the national class action settlement Bang v. BMW of North America. The defect causes premature wear and eventual breakage of the timing chain components, resulting in catastrophic engine damage. My vehicle is now inoperable, and…
Aug 15, 2025 · 160,000 miles · fire · 1 injuryEngine and engine cooling The contact owns a 2013 BMW X3. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, smoke was noticed leaking from under the hood. The contact stated that after she opened the hood, the vehicle caught on fire. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that she and a neighbor had extinguished the fire utilizing a fire extinguisher. No police report was filed. The fire department did not arrive on scene. The vehicle was not towed. The vehicle was not deemed a total loss. The contact was burned on her hand however, she did not seek medical attention. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that spark plug wires and other unknown parts were burned. The contact…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · openDesiccated 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 rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…
PE13030 · opened Sep 6, 2013 · closed Oct 25, 2013 · led to recall 13V454000Loss of power assist braking In a letter dated September 26, 2013, BMW Group submitted a safety recall notice to NHTSA identifying a defect condition in the vacuum pump oil supply that may result in loss of power assist braking in 76,191 model year (MY) 2012 through 2014 BMW 3-Series, 5-Series, X1 SAV, X3 SAV, and Z4 vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder engines (NHTSA Recall 13V-454).According to BMW, movement of the seal disk within the camshaft may result in blocking of the oil supply to the vacuum pump, resulting in improper pump operation and loss of power assist braking.On July 11, 2013, BMW initiated a change to the camshaft geometry that prevented the seal disk from blocking the oil port.BMW has not received any braking complaints related to loss of power assist after the design change was implemented in production.The owners of all affected vehicles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their vehicle to…