2016 BMW X3
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 BMW X3, covering electrical system, fuel system, diesel and engine and engine cooling, and 28 consumer complaints received since 2015.
The component named most often is service brakes: 216.2 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 76.8 per 1,000 across all 2016 model-year vehicles and against 44.8 per 1,000 for the BMW X3 line as a whole.
That is about the same as the average of 32.7 complaints per model year across the 23 BMW X3 model years on this register; 7 complaints reported a crash and 0 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2018 (9); the most recent in the file is dated 22 Apr 2019.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 2 investigations naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC; components: electrical system:wiring:connectors/plugs/receptacles; engine and engine cooling:cooling system:pump.
Defect, as filed: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Consequence: A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall. An interim owner notification letter was mailed on January 18, 2022. The remedy is expected to be available in June 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC.
Defect, as filed: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC.
- 18V755000ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)Reported 25 Oct 2018 · 44,368 units
Defect, as filed: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 BMW 328d and 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon and 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d and 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. If the EGR cooler leaks internally, the coolant can mix with diesel engine soot. The high EGR temperatures may result in these particles possibly smoldering and melting the intake manifold.
Consequence: The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the EGR cooler as necessary. If a leak has already occurred, the engine intake manifold will also be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC.
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC.
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2016 BMW X3 (black) against all 2016 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2016 | X3 line | All 2016 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 216.2 | 44.8 | 76.8 |
| Unknown or Other | 135.1 | 45.8 | 120.5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 108.1 | 39.1 | 54.3 |
| Engine | 108.1 | 116.4 | 119.7 |
| Seat Belts | 81.1 | 10.5 | 12.7 |
| Power Train | 81.1 | 64.9 | 128.6 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 8 | 216.2 | 44.8 | 76.8 |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 135.1 | 45.8 | 120.5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 108.1 | 39.1 | 54.3 |
| Engine | 4 | 108.1 | 116.4 | 119.7 |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 81.1 | 10.5 | 12.7 |
| Power Train | 3 | 81.1 | 64.9 | 128.6 |
| Wheels | 2 | 54.1 | 5.7 | 24.3 |
| Air Bags | 2 | 54.1 | 237.6 | 48.1 |
| Tires | 2 | 54.1 | 10.5 | 7.3 |
| Steering | 2 | 54.1 | 42.9 | 56.4 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 27 | 26.7 | 33.3 |
| Structure | 1 | 27 | 27.7 | 49.7 |
28 unique complaints, 37 component mentions; 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EA23001 | Engineering analysis | High pressure fuel pump failure | fuel system, diesel:delivery:fuel pump | 17 Mar 2023 | open | 24V957 |
| EA21002 | Engineering analysis | Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture | air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module | 17 Sep 2021 | open | — |
Other BMW X3 model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 | 129 | 200,000 |
| 2005 | 1 | 100 | 200,000 |
| 2006 | 2 | 127 | 285,302 |
| 2007 | 3 | 53 | 885,828 |
| 2008 | 3 | 34 | 885,828 |
| 2009 | 3 | 10 | 885,828 |
| 2010 | 4 | 13 | 1,043,624 |
| 2011 | 4 | 59 | 1,087,076 |
| 2012 | 2 | 23 | 195,453 |
| 2013 | 7 | 81 | 1,002,576 |
| 2014 | 6 | 29 | 996,274 |
| 2015 | 7 | 30 | 1,019,111 |
| 2016 | 5 | 28 | 1,015,452 |
| 2017 | 6 | 19 | 1,015,555 |
| 2018 | 11 | 10 | 574,604 |
| 2019 | 10 | 6 | 568,311 |
| 2020 | 16 | 0 | 824,229 |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 | 597,640 |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | 618,925 |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | 411,069 |
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 40,950 |
| 2025 | 9 | 0 | 41,835 |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | 36,935 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All BMW X3 model years · BMW: 250 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2016 BMW X3 have?
5 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 24V608000, was reported to NHTSA on 13 Aug 2024 and concerns electrical system:wiring:connectors/plugs/receptacles. Across all model years the BMW X3 line has 60 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2016 BMW X3?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 2 actions naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2016 BMW X3 complain about most?
Service Brakes: 8 of 37 component mentions (216.2 per 1,000). Next is unknown or other with 5. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.