KnownCarProblems2013 BMW X3 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 226 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 BMW X3, most often about the engine (70% of complaints, typically around 86,000 miles). It is the most complained-about X3 model year since 2000 and has 7 recalls.
Most common 2013 BMW X3 problems
Engine
159 complaints · 70%Half of these problems showed up before 86,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine.
While driving on the highway at 60-70 miles, the low oil pressure light came on, immediately followed by a drivetrain malfunction indicator light then car completely lost all power including breaks and steering. Luckily was able to pull over to a service lane. The car would not restart and had tow to the dealer.…
My 2013 x BMW was giving a message on the dash board stating if I stop the engine I may not be able to re-start the car. On april 17, 2019 I drove to prime motor group BMW of norwood, ma for service. I was told that the replace a part and the car cannot start, at this point I was getting an e-mail from the dealer with…
Transmission
60 complaints · 27%Half of these problems showed up before 85,500 miles.
While driving on the highway at 60-70 miles, the low oil pressure light came on, immediately followed by a drivetrain malfunction indicator light then car completely lost all power including breaks and steering. Luckily was able to pull over to a service lane. The car would not restart and had tow to the dealer.…
At 85000 miles drivetrain malfunction light came on. Couldn't get car to continue driving. Mechanic explained the diagnosis showed a timing code. This is the 5th time car was in the shop since the purchase from carvana on july 2nd 2020. Told a new engine is needed..
Electrical
29 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 87,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery.
My 2013 x BMW was giving a message on the dash board stating if I stop the engine I may not be able to re-start the car. On april 17, 2019 I drove to prime motor group BMW of norwood, ma for service. I was told that the replace a part and the car cannot start, at this point I was getting an e-mail from the dealer with…
1. Warning drive train malfunction 2. Drove moderately on way driving in to dealership for repair 3. Oil pressure low stop or risk damage to engine 4. Pulled over, had it towed to BMW 5. They called the next morning stating it was 17,000 mol due to engine being damaged after fragments went in from timing chain 6.…
Brakes
19 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 45,500 miles.
While traveling at relatively slow speed I attempted to brake and brakes were basically unresponsive. Had to really stomp on pedal to eventually get it to stop. Scary incident and could have been really bad in different conditions. So far isolated one time incident. Noticed there is a recall for these vehicles for…
The brakes are less or not responsive in city drive. I notified 3 times to dealer but they said no problem with the brakes. It must be something wrong in electronics. Alot of other owners of 2013 BMW X3 have same complaint. It is very risky. It happened 3 out of 4 times whike driving in 35 MPH limits. Though the…
Fuel system
17 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 76,000 miles.
The baffles are loose in my muffler causing a terrible noise. I believe this is also causing my check engine light to come on. My car is running rich. BMW says it's annoying but not causing and issues on my car. They say it's $1,200 to fix. It started out only making the noise sometimes. It then progressed to when…
Various failures in power train including transfer case, turbo, high pressure fuel injection, and transmission. Failures have happened while traveling on california freeways. Failures sometimes require towing. Sometimes caution driver to proceed at lower speeds.
Other or unspecified
14 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 87,500 miles.
The vehicle has been to shop 2 times.1st drivetrain light came on and car would slow down in the middle of the highway.then it would totally stop. 2nd time it did the same thing except oil pressure light came on saying pressure too low and it stopped right there in the middle of the street. Now the oil pressure light…
On july 9th I was driving down the highway 495 south in massachusetts when all of the suddenly my car lost power totally shut down and went into neutral. I had a very extremely hard to moving over to the side of the highway, when all of the sudden the car started smoking and blew up on the side of the highway. I…
Speed control
12 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 31,500 miles.
The contact owns a 2013 BMW X3. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact maneuvered to the side of the road. The contact also stated that the chassis stabilization, drive train malfunction, and check engine warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was…
Shifting is erratic, especially accelerating from a stop. Both wife and myself noticed this on separate occasions driving by ourselves. Dealer says there are no codes and it drives like all other X3's. It does not drive like other X3's as we were given a new X3 as a loaner.
Air bags
8 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 82,000 miles. Parts named most often: sensor.
Intermittent warning message displaying passenger restraint system malfunction. Service adviser stated this is common on x3s. Exact issue was defective passenger seat occupancy mat (cost $1380). Common defects should be covered under a recall, but no recall exists for this issue.
The passenger sensor mat linked to the air bag system is repeatedly malfunctioning. It is of the same design as previously recalled sensors in other BMW models. It is a safety hazard and should also be recalled.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2013 BMW X3 recalls
Electrical: connectors/plugs/receptacles
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Child Seat: latch strap
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Brakes: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Electrical: instrument cluster/panel
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 [email protected].
Full defect summary
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.
Brakes: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
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 [email protected].
Full defect summary
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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
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 substa
Loss of power assist braking
Summary
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 bra
Questions about the 2013 BMW X3
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 BMW X3?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (159 complaints, typically around 86,000 miles); transmission (60 complaints, typically around 85,500 miles); electrical (29 complaints, typically around 87,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2013 BMW X3 have?
- 7 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from August 13, 2024 (electrical). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2013 a bad year for the BMW X3?
- It is the most complained-about X3 model year since 2000, with 226 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.