NHTSA Safety Recalls
2021 BMW X3 Recalls
The 2021 BMW X3 has 10 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on January 30, 2026.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2021 BMW X3. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 10
- Owner complaints
- 113
- Crashes reported
- 5
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★★
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
2 fires
overall, 5 stars max
On a 2021 BMW X3, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
10 recalls on the 2021 BMW X3
Electrical system: starter assembly
- Campaign
- 26V056000
- Reported
- January 30, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 87,394
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2022–2023 X3, 4 other models
Electrical system: starter assembly: relay
- Campaign
- 25V636000
- Reported
- September 23, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 199,674
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- NHTSA advisory
- park outside, away from buildings
- Same campaign
- also 2020, 2022 X3, 3 other models
Structure
- Campaign
- 24V764000
- Reported
- October 15, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 8,725
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2018–2020, 2022 X3
Structure
- Campaign
- 24V534000
- Reported
- July 17, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 282,387
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2018–2020, 2022–2023 X3
Seats
- Campaign
- 23V211000
- Reported
- March 29, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 51
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2020 X3, 2 other models
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- Campaign
- 21V199000
- Reported
- March 24, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 17
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- Campaign
- 21V096000
- Reported
- February 19, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 13,858
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 111, rear visibility
- Same campaign
- also 2019–2020 X3, 11 other models
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- Campaign
- 20V598000
- Reported
- September 30, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 312
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 111, rear visibility
- Same campaign
- also 2020 X3, 3 other models
Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery
- Campaign
- 20V601000
- Reported
- September 30, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 4,509
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2020 X3, 5 other models
Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery
- Campaign
- 20V490000
- Reported
- August 18, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 713
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 2020 X3, 3 other models
Electrical system: starter assembly
- Campaign
- 26V438000
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2022, 2024 X3, 3 other models
2021 BMW X3 complaints by year
NHTSA has received 113 owner complaints about the 2021 BMW X3, the newest on October 15, 2026. Of these, 5 describe a crash (4%) and 2 a fire; owners reported 2 injuries.
In complaints about the 2021 BMW X3, the component group named most often is the electrical system (30%), followed by the engine (20%) and the structure (10%).
5 of the 2021 BMW X3's 11 recalls also concern the electrical system.
Where 2021 BMW X3 owners gave the mileage (17 complaints), the median was 29,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Electrical System34
- Unknown Or Other26
- Engine23
- Structure11
- Vehicle Speed Control8
- Exterior Lighting5
Complaints received, by year
| 2020 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15 | |
| 2022 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 13 | |
| 2024 | 18 | |
| 2025 | 22 | |
| 2026 | 38 |
Complaints about the 2021 BMW X3 peaked in 2026, when NHTSA received 38. 47% arrived between 2020 and 2024, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2021 vehicles, the 2021 BMW X3 drew 1.9× the complaints of the median BMW X3 year in the same window: 2nd highest of the 12 ranked years.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: ★★★★★
- Frontal: 5/5
- Side: 5/5
- Rollover: 4/5
The 113 complaints about the 2021 BMW X3 are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
BMW X3 by model year
Other 2021 BMW models
Newest record on this page: October 15, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted