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2023 BMW X3

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
4
on record
MPG
27
combined

Open recalls on record

4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Vehicle Summary

2023 BMW X3

4 recalls
10 complaints
27 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 4 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 1 complaint reporting a crash
Review the 10 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
4
Owner complaints
10
Complaints citing a crash
1

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

4 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 23V821000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota GR Supra, 3 Series Sedan (330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, M3), 5 Series Sedan (530i, 530i xDrive, M5), 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 4 Series Convertible (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 8 Series Coupe (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Convertible (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Gran Coupe (850i xDrive, M8), X3 SAV (X3 xDrive30i, X3M), X4 SAV (X4 xDrive30i), X5 SAV (X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M), X6 SAV (X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i, X6M), and Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i vehicles. The weld seam of the integrated transmission control unit's cover may not have been manufactured properly, which could allow automatic transmission oil to leak into the transmission control unit.

    Consequence

    Transmission oil that leaks into the control unit can lead to a seizure of the transmission gears, causing a sudden loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the transmission mechatronics module and the automatic transmission fluid, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

    Full campaign record
  • 24V534000high

    Body/structure issue

    STRUCTURE

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2023 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the interior cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.

    Consequence

    Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

    Full campaign record
  • 25V106000high

    Latches/locks/linkages · doors · lock

    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2024 X3 sDrive30i and X3 xDrive30i vehicles. The second-row seat side door locking modules may not function properly and allow the doors to be unlocked with a single motion. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."

    Consequence

    Doors that can be inadvertently unlocked and unlatched may open unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupants.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the second-row seat side door locking modules, free of charge. A letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on April 21, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 800-525-7417.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V056000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Toyota Supra, 2022-2023 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2024 5 Series (xDrive), 2021-2022 Z4, 2022-2024 4 Series (Gran Coupe), 2021-2024 4 Series (Convertible and xDrive Convertible), 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe), 2021-2024 3 Series, 2021-2023 X4, 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.

    Consequence

    Fire increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 24, 2026.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2023 BMW X3.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    17.1%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
No
Lane departure warning
No

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2023 BMW X3 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 17.1% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2023 BMW X3 Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2023 BMW X3 Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2023 BMW X3 Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2023 BMW X3, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

22

City

34

Hwy

27

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$1,944
Tailpipe CO₂
329 g/mi

How this compares

The EPA holds too few vehicles in this class and model year to rank the 2023 BMW X3 against its peers.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 329 grams per mile — about 4.9 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

10 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

10
Total
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries

Most reported components

  • STRUCTURE3
  • OTHER2
  • ENGINE2
  • ELECTRICAL1
  • STEERING1

Notable Issues

10 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves injuries. 1 report involves a crash.

Most reported problems

body/structure issues (rust, door problems, trim)3
miscellaneous issues2
engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)2

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2023 BMW X3, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 26V056000

    Fire increases the risk of injury.

  2. Recall

    Recall 25V106000

    Doors that can be inadvertently unlocked and unlatched may open unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupants.

  3. Recall

    Recall 24V534000

    Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.

  4. Recall

    Recall 23V821000

    Transmission oil that leaks into the control unit can lead to a seizure of the transmission gears, causing a sudden loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

22

City

34

Hwy

27

Comb

Annual cost
$1,944
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All BMW X3 years

Common problems

BMW X3 problems

766 owner complaints analyzed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 26V056000

    Fire increases the risk of injury.

  2. Recall

    Recall 25V106000

    Doors that can be inadvertently unlocked and unlatched may open unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupants.

  3. Recall

    Recall 24V534000

    Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.

  4. Recall

    Recall 23V821000

    Transmission oil that leaks into the control unit can lead to a seizure of the transmission gears, causing a sudden loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.