2019 BMW X3 Complaints

The contact owns a 2019 BMW X3. While the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for maintenance, the technician discovered an active coolant leak coming from the coolant expansion tank. The mechanic stated that the leak was caused by excessive system pressure stressing the factory plastic tank. The mechanic informed the contact that if the issue was not resolved, the failure might become a major coolant leak into the engine, and the engine would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the leak was coming from several areas. The contact stated that all the plastic parts need to be replaced with metallic parts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000.

I was driving in my bmw x3 going about 35 miles an hour and hit a small pothole next thing I know is I got a flat tire when I pulled over the perch plate on the strut had slipped down and hit the tire causing it to blow out and now I'm stuck having to replace the entire strut assembly

**Description of Incident** On **July 25, 2026**, I parked my 2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i in a parking lot and turned the engine off. The vehicle was shifted into Park, locked, and I walked into a nearby store. At approximately 6:41 p.m., I received the update on my phone confirming that my vehicle had been locked. I remained inside the store for approximately six minutes. My purchase transaction was completed at approximately 6:47 p.m., at which time I immediately exited the store. When I returned to the parking lot, I found my vehicle fully engulfed in flames, not merely smoking. The fire had developed rapidly during the brief period the vehicle was parked and unattended. Prior to parking the vehicle, it had been operating normally. There were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel, including no check engine light, no engine overheating warning, no temperature warnings, and no other indications of a mechanical or electrical problem. The vehicle was not overdue for scheduled maintenance, and I had no reason to believe there was any issue that would place the vehicle at risk of catching fire. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the fire, which also spread to nearby parked vehicles. Based on the absence of any warning signs and the fact that the fire occurred while the vehicle was parked with the engine turned off for only a few minutes, I am requesting that this incident be investigated to determine whether it may have resulted from a vehicle defect.

I bought my 2019 BMW X3 late 2025 before Christmas. The Carfax was fine and there were no open recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had been serviced regularly at BMW facilities. Our family mechanic looked at the vehicle before I bought it and performed some basic diagnostics. The vehicle appeared fine. There were no error codes and all of the fluids were topped off. I don't know if the issues with the coolant were there before I purchased the vehicle or if they happened afterwards. There were no warning lights and everything looked good. This car is garage kept and is used a couple of times a week. I did my research on the internet and took my car in for an oil change at a highly-rated independent auto repair facility that specializes in European vehicles and are famous for providing dealership-level expertise, ASE-certified with factory trained technicians from Germany. On March 5th, 2026, when I went to pick up my car, they told me the bad news that is a well known manufacturer defect within the industry regarding these vehicles. They used plastic components in the engine compartment and in the cooling system, which makes the vehicles malfunction. From their report, with pictures, they state the following repairs need to be made, "During the vehicle inspection noticed active coolant leaks are present from multiple locations. The radiator plastic tank actively leaking coolant. The water pump change over valve leaking coolant. The turbocharger coolant line has a coolant crud build up . Oil filter housing and coolant flange on the cylinder block are discolored. For proper cooling system repair recommend complete update of the cooling system. Both balance shaft end caps leaking oil. Recommend replacement during cooling system update." They quoted me $8,914.86 for this repair. That's over HALF the value of the vehicle. They said the entire system needs to be replaced because ALL of the plastic parts in Florida's hot sun will fail. Sudden coolant failures in FL = DEATH.

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious mechanical and safety issue involving my 2019 BMW X3. On or around January 21, 2024, while driving from my home, a warning signal suddenly appeared on my dashboard related to the vehicle’s cooling system/engine. Due to safety concerns, I pulled into a nearby Wawa parking lot, which was the safest available place to stop at the time. I turned the vehicle off and waited approximately 15 minutes before carefully driving the vehicle back home. After inspection and diagnosis, I was informed that the vehicle required extensive repairs, including an engine replacement and cooling system repairs. At the time the coolant warning appeared, the replacement engine reportedly had approximately 59 miles on it. I believe a sudden engine or cooling system malfunction while operating a vehicle presents a serious safety concern for drivers, passengers, and others on the roadway. In addition, I experienced issues involving the shark fin antenna on the vehicle, which I understand may be connected to broader complaints involving BMW vehicles. I am requesting that NHTSA review this matter to determine whether these issues may indicate a broader defect or safety-related concern affecting other consumers. I am willing to provide supporting documentation including repair invoices, dealership records, photographs, and any additional information requested. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your commitment to vehicle safety.

My SOS system has failed due to tsp/atm module defect from faulty shark fin component. My vehicle is off line and im unable to receive emergency services in case of an emergent situation.

While driving our BMW 2019 X3 on the highway, other drivers honked to get my attention that our vehicle's rear hatch was partially open. When we came to a stop light, I had my son riding in the passenger seat press the hatch button on the key fob to close the hatch. Instead this fully opened the back hatch. We continued pressing the fob button in an attempt to get the hatch to close without having to exit the vehicle. Rather than exit the vechicle in the middle of the roadway, we drove about 50 yards until we could pull over safely. A motorcyclist had been following us, and came up behind and communicated that he wanted to press the button to close the hatch. After I gave my consent, he pressed the close button and the hatch closed and latched. My husband has previously had incidents where after parking the BMW, he finds the back hatch open. He's also researched online this is apparently an issue. Reference: [XXX] NHTSA claim XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2019 BMW X3 equipped with a B46 engine developed a significant coolant leak at approximately 80,000 miles. The vehicle displayed a low coolant warning, and coolant was visibly leaking underneath the vehicle. Around the same time, I began noticing excessive white exhaust/steam during cold starts and, for the first time since owning the vehicle, had to add engine oil between scheduled oil changes. The vehicle is currently undergoing inspection by an independent repair facility. Preliminary findings indicate concerns involving premature failure of critical plastic cooling system and/or oil filter housing components. Based on my research, these failures appear consistent with widespread complaints involving BMW B46/B48 engine cooling system and oil filter housing defects. I am concerned this defect could lead to sudden coolant loss, overheating, engine failure, or unsafe driving conditions. Prior to the coolant warning appearing, there were no significant alerts indicating a major or imminent cooling system failure. The apparent failure of critical plastic engine cooling components under normal driving conditions raises serious concerns regarding the durability and safety of these parts. I have photographs documenting the coolant leak, as well as detailed notes and diagnostic information from the repair facility, available upon request. The vehicle is available for inspection.

Our 2019 BMW X3 M40i shows "EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" which means the "SOS" system, which is crucial for post-collision response, fails. Erhardt BMW in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan confirmed water leakage due to defective sealing around the roof-mounted shark fin antenna damaged the Telematics Control Box (TCB) and now requires replacement. The estimated cost is $3,600. Some quick research revealed this to be a repeated problem with my vehicle. BMW has acknowledged it as a defect in 2017-2023 model year BMW M440i, M550i, X1, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, 330, 340i and 750i vehicles and fix it at no cost, but only for citizens of [XXX] , as reported by [XXX] of [XXX] . For details, see: [XXX] . This seems unfair to non [XXX] residents like me [XXX] ). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I'm reporting a safety issue with BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 engine, primarily 2019-2021 models. These vehicles have an oil pump with an internal plastic component that regulates oil pressure, and this part is fracturing in the field, causing sudden loss of oil pressure. The failure typically occurs during cold starts in low temperatures. When it fails, oil pressure becomes erratic or is lost entirely, often with little to no warning before engine damage or vehicle disablement. Warning signs, when present, include inability to measure oil level electronically, abnormal oil pressure, or sudden drive train malfunction warnings. These can rapidly progress to engine shutdown or severe damage from oil starvation. This creates a dangerous situation because the vehicle can become disabled without warning while driving or after startup. This is especially hazardous when cars become immobilized in traffic or during winter conditions when failures occur most frequently, leaving occupants exposed to freezing temperatures while awaiting assistance. Pump replacement requires extensive disassembly and commonly costs $6,000-$8,000, assuming no engine damage. A critical concern: owners cannot determine if their vehicle has the original plastic pump or the later metal revision. BMW's VIN-based parts lookup now shows updated components even when original plastic parts remain installed, and BMW has removed the original plastic part number from dealer networks entirely. Failures are reported across multiple production years, and the scope of affected vehicles remains unclear. Because this condition causes sudden vehicle disablement without adequate warning, especially in cold weather, I believe this warrants investigation as a potential safety-related defect.