2021 BMW X1 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other X1 years
- Not enough data 12th of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 BMW X1. That ranks 12th out of 15 X1 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (4 complaints, 44%), typically at around 32,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 4 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 9owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2021 BMW X1 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 | 44% | 32,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 33% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 22% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 11% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2021 BMW X1 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X1. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 10 MPH, she was involved in a head-on crash with another vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The driver was transported to the hospital for level two severe trauma to…
I got into an accident, i was hit on the driver side and the car was pushed to hit a tree, the air bag did not deploy.
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the navigation screen was glitching and became inoperable. The service message was displayed. There was a red triangle with an exclamation mark displayed. The…
At approximately 20,000 miles, the vehicle was inspected by an authorized dealer due to abnormal noises from the front suspension when turning the steering wheel. The dealer confirmed abnormal noise from the front struts when the wheels were turned while the vehicle was on a lift and diagnosed…
I was involved in an accident today and the front steering wheel airbags didnât deploy The blue car in the pictures turned in front of me and I hit them
Other BMW X1 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 X1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2025 X1 | 17 | 3 |
| 2024 X1 | 30 | 3 |
| 2023 X1 | 70 | 6 |
| 2022 X1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021 | 9 | 1 |
| 2020 X1 | 13 | 1 |
| 2019 X1 | 13 | 3 |
| 2018 X1 | 59 | 4 |
| 2017 X1 | 156 | 2 |
| 2016 X1 | 159 | 3 |
| 2015 X1 | 52 | 2 |
| 2014 X1 | 55 | 2 |
| 2013 X1 | 38 | 2 |
| 2012 X1 | 0 | 1 |
See all BMW X1 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2021 BMW X1?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, forward collision avoidance problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2021 BMW X1?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2021 BMW X1 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other X1 model years, the 2021 has too little data to compare, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.