2011 BMW X3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other X3 years
- More complaints than other years 5th of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 113 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW X3. That ranks 5th out of 23 X3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (31 complaints, 27%), typically at around 74,500 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 113owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 BMW X3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 31 | 27% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 24 | 21% | 143,295 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 20% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 22 | 19% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 21 | 19% | 67,747 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 9% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 6% | 78,375 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 4% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 4% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 4% | 55,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 3% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 680 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 19,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 BMW X3 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Risk: Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Child seat:latch strap
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.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2011 x3 passenger vehicles manufactured from april 27, 2011, through june 8, 2011. A control module in the electric power steering (eps) unit may malfunction, resulting in a sudden loss of power steering assistance.
Risk: Sudden loss of power steering assistance could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during august 2011. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Car would not start, diagnosed that the Cam shaft sensor was not showing a signal. Discovered BMW had a Vanos recall â (Campaign 23V-707) Contacted BMW of North Canton for recall. Dropped of the BMW on Aug 1st. Received a call August 3rd from [XXX] that the technician could not get the hood open…
Electronic power control issue caused the vehicle to loose power steering. After starting and driving the vehicle an alert message showed up saying chassis malfunction and power steering issues. Vehicle was stopped and re-started but the issue didn't go away. BMW confirmed there was a malfunction…
I had my car towed into bmw dealership for a vanos recall repair,it went in for the repair the repair was "done" but before picking it up they told me they were unable to qc/start my engine to verify the repair claiming that because my camshaft position sensor was removed (it was removed to…
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the engine. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign…
The contact owns a 2011 BMW X3. The contact stated that while his granddaughter was attempting to start the vehicle, there was smoke coming from under the driverâs side hood, and the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the PCV heater had…
Other BMW X3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 X3 | 19 | 2 |
| 2025 X3 | 38 | 9 |
| 2024 X3 | 42 | 3 |
| 2023 X3 | 15 | 4 |
| 2022 X3 | 83 | 7 |
| 2021 X3 | 112 | 10 |
| 2020 X3 | 110 | 16 |
| 2019 X3 | 170 | 10 |
| 2018 X3 | 76 | 11 |
| 2017 X3 | 92 | 6 |
| 2016 X3 | 82 | 5 |
| 2015 X3 | 105 | 7 |
| 2014 X3 | 86 | 6 |
| 2013 X3 | 226 | 7 |
| 2012 X3 | 42 | 2 |
| 2011 | 113 | 4 |
| 2010 X3 | 32 | 4 |
| 2009 X3 | 19 | 3 |
| 2008 X3 | 66 | 3 |
| 2007 X3 | 98 | 3 |
| 2006 X3 | 143 | 2 |
| 2005 X3 | 103 | 1 |
| 2004 X3 | 138 | 1 |
See all BMW X3 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 2011 BMW X3?
Owners most often report engine, engine and engine cooling, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 31 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 BMW X3?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 BMW X3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other X3 model years, the 2011 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.