What 81 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 BMW X3

The contact owned a 2016 BMW X3. The contact stated that while parking in the garage, the warning message "engine overheated" had displayed, but the temperature gauge displayed a normal temperature reading. The contact noticed smoke coming from under the hood before entering the home, along with a strange sound. Moments later, the contact returned to the garage and discovered flames coming from under the front end of the vehicle. The contact quickly drove the vehicle out of the garage onto the driveway. The vehicle became engulfed in flames, and the fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the fire, the vehicle was destroyed, and the driveway and parts of the lawn were damaged. No injuries were reported. A fire and police reporter was taken to the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000(ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The failure mileage was 220,000.

NHTSA ODI 11695769

The contact owned a 2016 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the dealer had previously performed an engine inspection and pressure test for the coolant system due to coolant loss with the low coolant warning light illuminated. The contact had added a quart of coolant. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with a loss of power warning message displayed. The contact's wife was able to pull over on the shoulder of the roadway and noticed there was smoke coming from underneath the hood before it caught fire. The contact's wife was able to safely exit the vehicle. The fire department arrived on the scene and was able to extinguish the fire. Police and fire department reports were filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and then to the contact's residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that an inspector would perform an inspection to determine the cause of the fire. The failure mileage was approximately 88,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11479331

ON 8/30/20,AFTER SITTING FOR AN HOUR AFTER A LONG DRIVE, THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES AND BURNED DOWN TWO ADJACENT HOMES. THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR AN HOUR BEFORE IT STARTED TO BURN.

NHTSA ODI 11354903

MY 8-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SITTING ON REAR PASSENGER SIZE SEAT ON A BOOSTER SEAT WITH SEAT BELT ON. SHE FIRST PLAYED WITH MY SON WHO WAS SITTING ON A READ DRIVER SEAT ON A CAR SEAT. THEN SHE FELL ASLEEP. IN THIS PROCESS THE SEAT BELT SOME HOW GOT WRAPPED AROUND HER. WHEN WE STOPPED FOR A BATHROOM BREAK WE UNBUCKLED THE BELT TO FIND OUT THAT THE BELT WAS WRAPPED AROUND HERE AND WE COULD NOT UNWRAP IT. THE MORE WE TRIED TO PULL OUT THE MORE TIGHTER IT GOT. SHE WAS IN SEVERE PAIN. WE HAD TO BORROW A SCISSOR FROM THE GAS STATION TO CUT THE BELT.SEE THE PIC WITH THE SCAR. SHE WAS IN PAIN FOR NEXT FEW DAYS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT BELT WORKED AS DESIGNED. THE CHILD LOCK KICKED IN AND THE LOCK WONT RELEASE UNTIL THE BELT GOES ALL THE WAY IN. BELT COULD NOT GO ALL THE WAY IN BECAUSE IT WAS WRAPPED AROUND HER. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOME MANUAL BUTTON/SWITCH TO RELEASE THE BELT.

NHTSA ODI 11291909

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW X3. WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE RPMS INCREASED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BMW OF ONTARIO (1301 AUTO CENTER DR, ONTARIO, CA 91761, (909) 402-3052) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE RESULTS WERE NOT DISCLOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11184715

WHILE BRAKING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO A STOP BEHIND TRAFFIC AT A RED LIGHT, AFTER COMING OFF A HIGHWAY EXIT RAMP, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND TO ADDED PRESSURE APPLIED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE BMW X3 KEPT MOVING FORWARD, AND COLLIDED, AT VERY SLOW SPEED, WITH THE STOPPED VEHICLE AHEAD. I QUICKLY CHECKED TO ENSURE THAT MY FOOT WAS PROPERLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND DEPRESSED THE PEDAL AGAIN, WHICH AGAIN FAILED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP, RESULTING IN SECONDARY CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY JUMPED INTO PARK FROM DRIVE, REQUIRING ME TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE VEHICLE BEFORE I COULD SAFELY MOVE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11057745

2016 BMW X3 XDRIVE28 I I PULLED INTO A FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY AND APPLIED THE BRAKES APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET FROM THE CLOSED GARAGE DOOR. MY CAR "LEAPT " INTO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, THEN CAREENED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR. THE CAR ACCELERATED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT BOTH AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I AM SURE THAT I DID NOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR BY ACCIDENT. AT THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE GARAGE I COULD NOT HAVE ACCELERATED TO CAUSE SUCH A VIOLENT CRASH THAT DEPLOYED THE AIRBAGS. MY CAR WAS DECLARED A " TOTAL LOSS ". THIS WAS ONE OF THE MORE FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE. IT ALL HAPPENED IN A SPLIT SECOND. I AM THANKFUL THAT I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI 11035564

I HAD PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT TRAVELING VERY SLOWLY THEN TURNED LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKE BUT JUST BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AT GREAT SPEED, LEAPT OVER A CONCRETE "LOG" DESIGNED TO STOP A VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE WALL 3 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO LIFT MY FOOT FROM THE PEDAL THINKING I HAD DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR IN ERROR, HOWEVER THE CAR INCREASED SPEED AND I JUST HAD TIME TO GLANCE DOWN AND ASCERTAIN THAT MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE BEFORE THE CAR PLOWED INTO THE WALL, DEPLOYING THE AIR BAGS. THE WHOLE INCIDENT WAS OVER IN 2 - 3 SECONDS AND THE CAR WAS PERFECTLY ALIGNED IN THE PARKING SPACE EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT WHEELS BEING THE WRONG SIDE OF "LOG". THE X3 WAS NOT DRIVE-ABLE AND WAS TOWED ON A FLATBED TO THE BMW SERVICE CENTER AND SUBSEQUENTLY DECLARED A COMPLETE WRITE-OFF BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. I AM HORRIFIED BY THE FACT THAT MANY CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE OF THIS SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM YET, BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO PROVE, USUALLY PUT ALL REPORTED INCIDENTS DOWN TO OPERATOR ERROR, THEREFORE ABSOLVING THEM OF RESPONSIBILITY. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS NOT INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE, NEITHER IS BMW. WHY IS THAT? IS IT GOING TO TAKE A FATALITY BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE TO RECTIFY THIS VERY REAL PROBLEM. BELOW IS THE CONTACT DETAILS FOR THE CHUBB CLAIMS EXAMINER WHO IS WILLING TO SHARE HIS REPORT AND PHOTOS SHOULD NHTSA DECIDE TO INVESTIGATE. SAM JACKSON 800 432 2482 EXT 0860 SAM.JACKSON@CHUBB.COM CLAIM # 77140147

NHTSA ODI 10991289

I WAS IN TRAFFIC AT A LIGHT AND MOVING SLOWLY BEHIND CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS BRAKING AND THE CAR JUST KEPT GOING FORWARD. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THEN I HIT IT AGAIN AS IT MOVED FORWARD AND A THIRD TIME AS IT MOVED FORWARD. ALL THE TIME I WAS HITTING THE BRAKES. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE ACCELERATING.... I FINALLY HAD TO PULL OFF ONTO A SIDEWALK AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK TO GET IT TO STOP. THE POLICE WHO ARRIVED ON THE SCENE ALSO TESTED THE BRAKES AND SAID THEY WERE NOT WORKING. LATER WHEN THE CAR WAS TOWED THE BRAKES WORKED? I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING FIXED. I AM WAITING FOR NEWS FROM BMW ON THE SITUATION. VERY SCARY.... *TR

NHTSA ODI 10947260

I WAS SLOWING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT ON A VERY BUSY STREET AND THE BRAKES IN MY X3 FAILED. INSTEAD OF SLOWING THE CAR DOWN - IT SPED UP AND CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PUSHED DOWN ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD. THERE IS MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BUMPER BUT I AM SCARED TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 10926927

SEATBELT PRETENSIONER FAILING TO HOLDBACK PASSENGER ON DECCELLERATION ON EXIT RAMP AT 4 DEGREES INCLINE OR DECLINE FROM 65 TO ZERO ON CONTROLLED DECCELERATION

NHTSA ODI 10905931

THIS ALL HAPPENED THE SAME DAY BEGINNING ABOUT 10AM ON 12/29/15. THE CAR IS A 2016 BMW X3 THAT I BOUGHT NEW IN AUGUST 2015. 1.SLOWED TO BRAKE AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS THE FIRST CAR AT THE INTERSECTION. AS I PUSHED THE BRAKE TO COME TO A FULL STOP, THE CAR LURCHED INTO THE INTERSECTION. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR IN DRIVE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO CROSS TRAFFIC. I SLOWLY ACCELERATED AND CONTINUED WITH MY ERRAND. 2. I STOPPED AT A BUSINESS WITH A PARKING LOT. I SLOWLY DROVE THROUGH THE LOT AND FOUND A OPEN SPOT. EACH PARKING SPOT HAD A CONCRETE "STOP BAR". I SLOWLY TURNED INTO THE SPOT. WHEN I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE FOR A FULL STOP, IT LURCHED FORWARD OVER THE "STOP BAR" AND HIT THE CAR PARKED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND WAS ABLE TO GET BACK OVER THE "STOP BAR". I LOOKED CAREFULLY AT BOTH CARS AND COULD FIND NO DAMAGE ON EITHER ONE. 3. I DROVE SLOWLY DIRECTLY TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR ON AUGUST 13, 2015. TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE TECHS DROVE IT AND THEY RAN ALL POSSIBLE SYSTEM TESTS ON IT. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. 4. I WAS SO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, I TRADED IN THE 2016 X3 FOR A 2016 X1 THE SAME DAY - 12-29-15. BOTH WERE NEW WHEN I BOUGHT THEM. THE X3 HAD 2,500 MILES ON IT WHEN I TRADED IT IN. I DROVE 139 DAYS. 5. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE X3 WILL BE SOLD AS A USED CAR WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEM. 6. THE NHTSA REPORTED THAT 88,000 BMWS (VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE X3) WERE RECALLED IN 2014 FOR A BRAKE PROBLEM. I GAVE THIS INFORMATION TO THE DEALERSHIP. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER #14V627000, NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE13030. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD. NHTSA COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE: 4 OUT 8 COMPLAINTS FOR 2014 X3 4 OUT 8 COMPLAINTS FOR 2015 X3 0 OUT OF 1 COMPLAINT FOR 2016 X3

NHTSA ODI 10819810