Home · 2015 BMW X1 Sdrive28i · Complaints

What 94 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 BMW X1 Sdrive28i

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (94)Crash / fire / injury (9)Electrical system (32)Airbags (30)Engine & cooling (22)Engine (21)Brakes (3)Fuel system (3)Steering (3)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Body & structure (2)Speed control (2)

4 of 94 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 19, 2025EngineFire

The contact owned a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, she noticed there was smoke emerging from underneath the hood, and it caught fire. The contact was able to exit the vehicle safely. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. The service warning light was illuminated prior to the failure. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployments, or crashes. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The local dealer was contacted, but there was no assistance provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 95,800.

NHTSA ODI 11706087

Aug 15, 2023EngineFire

The engine caught on fire - While driving the car, the engine suddenly started running poorly. Check engine lights went on and the car went into limp mode. Smoke came out of the engine compartment. We were able to pull over to the side of the road. The engine died and would not start. The car was towed to an independant repair shop and then to the BMW dealer. BMW of NA sent a field investigation team to inspect the car. BMW said there was "thermal activity in the engine compartment where the intake ducting was partially melted". BMW would not release a copy of the report. The insurance company is inspecting the car now. Photos are available. This might be related to NHTSA recall number 22V-119.

NHTSA ODI 11538594

Jan 25, 2021EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 BMW X1. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN SHE SAW SMOKE EXITING THE HOOD THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE AND UNDER HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER VISTA BMW COCONUT CREEK (4401 W SAMPLE RD, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073: (954) 905-4461) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE IGNITION CORD AND OIL PAN WAS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.

NHTSA ODI 11389848

Feb 15, 2019EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 BMW X1. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 52 MPH ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED DARK SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS IMMEDIATELY ALERTED BY SOMEONE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE RAIN. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BRAMAN BMW JUPITER (561-609-0144, LOCATED AT 1555 W INDIANTOWN RD, JUPITER, FL 33458) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ASSIGNED A TECHNICIAN TO OVERSEE AN INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ORDERED AN INVESTIGATION. THE CONTACT DID NOT STATE IF THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 47,800.

NHTSA ODI 11180384

Working with the data? Download all 94 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2015 BMW X1 Sdrive28i verdict →