Home · 2017 BMW X1 Sav · Complaints

What 8 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 BMW X1 Sav

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 (8)Crash / fire / injury (1)Body & structure (5)Brakes (1)Electrical system (1)Wheels (1)

5 of 8 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters

Jul 11, 2019Body & structure

AUTOMATIC TAILGATE MALFUNCTIONS. TOE KICK FUNCTIONS RESPOND ERRATICALLY 50% OF THE TIME. THE TAILGATE HAS CLOSED ON MY HEAD WHILE LOADING/UNLOADING. IT HAS OPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT HAS OPENED ONLY HALFWAY AND STALLED WHILE STATIONARY, AND MORE IMPORTANT IT HAS STALLED HALFWAY WHILE CLOSING. I RECENTLY PRESSED THE CLOSE BUTTON AND DROVE OFF WITH THE TAILGATE HALF CLOSED, AND DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL SOMEONE BEHIND ME BLEW THE HORN. ITEMS IN THE CARGO AREA COULD TUMBLE TO THE HIGHWAY AND CREATE A POSSIBLE HAZARD. IT HAS BEEN IN THE BMW SERVICE DEPART 6 TO 8 TIMES AND INSPECTED AT LEAST TWICE BY SOMEONE FROM BMW OF N. AMERICA. INASMUCH AS IT IS ERRATIC THEY CLAIM THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I CONTEND IT IS AN INCONVENIENCE WHICH SHOULD BE CORRECTED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. THERE IS EVIDENCE TO BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET OF OTHER OWNERS HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. I HAVE HAD A SUBDURAL HEMATOMA AND THE TAILGATE CLOSING ON MY HEAD IS NO SMALL CONCERN. BMW REFUSES TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM EXISTS AND HAS SHOWN INDIFFERENCE. THE ISSUE CONTINUES TO PERSIST.

NHTSA ODI 11231069

Jul 5, 2018Body & structure

THE CAR WAS ON AND IN DRIVE, BUT FULLY STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT ON A CITY STREET. THE REAR DOOR OPENED WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INPUT. THE DOORS WERE LOCKED.

NHTSA ODI 11109769

May 30, 2018Body & structure

THE BACK HATCH CLOSES SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT MOTION. THE CAR IS PARKED, THEN I MAY SIT ON THE TRUNK OF THE CAR PUTTING ON MY GOLF SHOES AND THE HATCH CLOSES ON ME UNTIL I PUSH IT BACK. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AT THE REGULAR ONE-YEAR SERVICE AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE.

NHTSA ODI 11098797

Apr 9, 2018Body & structure1 injury

ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4TH, I WAS HELPING MY COLLIE INTO THE BACK OF THE SUV TO TAKE HER TO THE VETS AND THE LIFT GATE AUTOMATICALLY BEGAN COMING DOWN WHEN SHE WAS HALF IN. I PUSHED THE BUTTON TO STOP IT AND MY DOG STARTED FALLING OUT, WHEN I TUNED RO CATCH HER THE LIFT GATE HIT MY HEAD WITH ENOUGH FORCE THAT I FELL ON MY KNEES AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION THAT I AM STILL STRUGGLING WITH. THAT LIFT GATE HAS AUTOMATICALLY COME DOWN AT LEAST A COUPLE DOZEN TIMES AS WE PUT THINGS IN THAT BACK SUCH AS GROCERIES OR BOXES. WE USUALLY MANAGE TO GET OUT IF THE WAY. WE COMPLAINED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN DECEMBER BUT IT WORKED FINE WHEN THE TECH CHECKED IT AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH BMW OF OCALA, FLORIDA AND HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY THEIR MAIN OFFICE IN NJ. I AM REPORTING IT BECAUSE THIS COULD POSSIBLY KILL A PERSON OR PET.. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND TURNED OFF, THE PASSENGER DOOR MAY HAVE BEEN OPEN SINCE I WAS PUTTING THINGS IN THE CAR FOR MY DOG, BUT I'M NOT SURE.

NHTSA ODI 11084211

Nov 24, 2017Body & structure

REAR HATCH UNEXPECTEDLY CLOSES AND WILL HIT YOU IF YOU CAN'T MOVE QUICKLY ENOUGH. I SUSPECT IT HAPPENS IF YOUR FEET MOVE UNDER THE BUMPER WHEN LOADING OR UNLOADING THE VEHICLE, TRIGGERING THE AUTOMATIC OPEN/CLOSE SENSORS. CAR PARKED. AN WARNING BEEP OCCURS BUT THIS ONLY HAPPENS AFTER THE HATCH HAS STARTED TO CLOSE. IT WILL HIT YOU. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR 2 WEEKS AND IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. ONLINE OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ODI 11048254

Working with the data? Download all 8 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 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 2017 BMW X1 Sav verdict →