2018 BMW X1

2018 BMW X1 recalls (4)

• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440i xDrive Gran Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, 740i, 740i xDrive, MINI Cooper, Cooper S, JCW, MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), and MINI Clubman (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, JCW All4) vehicles.

  Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2019 X2 xDrive28i, MINI Cooper S Convertible, Countryman, and John Cooper Works Countryman vehicles. The steering gear tie rod may have been assembled incorrectly, which may result in excessive wear of the tie rod end, eventually causing it to break.

  Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the tie rods and ball joints as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

• EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. Contaminated hardware may cause the attachment brackets of the taillight housings to crack, causing the lights to loosen or possibly detach from the vehicle.

  Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will properly secure the taillights, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2019 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. In the event of a crash where the occupants head contacts the B-pillar, the pillar may not absorb an adequate amount of the impact. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."

  Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vertical trim pieces on the upper portion of the interior B-Pillars, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 1, 2019. Second notices will be sent as parts become available, starting on September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

2018 BMW X1 safety ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP ratings.

2018 BMW X1 owner complaints (15)

• ENGINE

  On May 20, 2026 We were in Mt Dora, FL We were approaching a red light. Cars were stopped in front of us and cars were beside me and behind me. As I slowed down the car just stalled out. It completely turned off while I was in drive. I immediately tried to start it. Then I put my foot on the brake and put it in park and turned on my hazard lights. I waited about 3 minutes and started it up. It was so scary because we could have been hit from behind.

• VISIBILITY/WIPER

  • What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I have a 2018 BMW X1 that has about 60,000 miles on it. So far, I have had to have the windshield replaced four times due to pebbles hitting and cracking the windshield when on the highway. This never used to be the case in older BMWs that I have had in the past. Pebbles would never crack windshields. I know many other friends and family members that have had the same issue. Although insurance pays for the windshield/sensor replacements that cost around $1,500 to $2,700 (depending on which dealership I go to and which state I have lived in), this results in higher premiums for us all, because insurance companies are not going to just take a loss on the windshield claims. So really, we are all paying for each other's windshields with our insurance premium increases. Please enforce a recall to replace all the weak windshields with the strong windshields they used to produce. They are not only wasting our money but profiting off the insurance payments for all these broken windshields. My car is available for inspection upon request. • How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Cracked windshields compromise the vehicle's structural integrity, distorts your vision, and can shatter if subjected to sudden temperature changes, road vibrations, or a collision. • Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, every time I go into a BMW dealership to have the windshield replaced and by my insurance company, which pays for the replacements. • Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, by BMW dealerships when they have replaced the windshield each time. • Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the check engine and engine overheating warning lights became illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The contact had an older BMW that had experienced the same failure, and the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The local dealer was contact and the contact was informed that the current vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

• STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS

  While driving my vehicle at normal highway and city speeds, I noticed a serious steering issue where the steering wheel feels excessively loose and unresponsive. The vehicle does not track straight and constantly drifts left and right, requiring continuous steering corrections to keep it within the lane. The steering feels vague and unstable, as if there is excessive play in the steering system. At times, small steering inputs result in delayed or inconsistent vehicle response, making it difficult to maintain a straight path. This issue occurs on smooth, dry roads and is not related to road conditions, wind, or tire pressure. This condition creates a significant safety concern, especially at higher speeds, as it feels like I could lose control of the vehicle or unintentionally drift into another lane or off the road. The problem has been persistent and appears to be worsening over time.

• STEERING

  In November I noticed a noise when steering. I took my suv to the mechanic shop and they located the following recall from your website: recall 19V601000 the tie rod assembly. I contacted BMW of North America and they cannot locate this recall with my VIN.

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  On the evening of July 10, 2025, while driving a 2018 BMW X1, I experienced a sudden cascade of dashboard alerts, including warnings for the airbag, chassis system, and right signal headlight. The system advised moderate driving and service. Moments later, all dashboard lights activated simultaneously. I pulled over and placed the vehicle in park. Within seconds, smoke began rising from the front-right corner of the engine compartment, followed by visible flames. My daughter was in the car with me. We had to evacuate immediately, and contacted emergency services from the roadside. The fire was extinguished by first responders, and the vehicle was later towed. This event put both of us in immediate danger. It occurred just five days after service on the right front headlight was performed by an authorized dealership. While the issue has not yet been confirmed by the manufacturer or service center, the timing and location raise serious concerns. The vehicle was inspected by the fire department, and an insurance claim is currently under investigation.

• STEERING

  The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was loose while turning to the left or the right. The contact stated that the failure was a reoccurring failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V601000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  The contact owns a 2018 BMW X1. The contact stated that while approaching an intersection at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled and came to a complete stop in the middle of the intersection, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving. However, shortly afterward, the vehicle stalled again. The contact allowed the vehicle to sit idle for a while before attempting to restart the vehicle for a third time and was successful in driving the vehicle safely to the residence. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) and 18V465000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); as the possible cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000.

• AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE

  Airbag. No open recalls. Spinal injury in head-on collision. Unknown Crash Champions at Windsor Mills in Baltimore, MD (auto body shop for Progressive) No warnings

• POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  There is an issue with the X1 series of BMWs where the system shuts down after a cold start. This car displays alerts on the dashboard, and BMW service has confirmed that there are two firmware updates available to fix the issues. However, instead of providing the updates at no charge, they are asking for almost $1,000 for the firmware update. Forum discussions indicate that this issue causes the engine to stop after a cold start, which is extremely challenging, especially when leaving a garage into oncoming traffic, as the car just shuts off. There should be a recall and free firmware updates for these vehicles. FC 151001 IGNITION TIMING DURING COLD START

• AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS

  This was struck in the rear at the stop light.

• AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS

  This vehicle was rear ended with rear frame damage. The airbag light stays on and the seat belt was ejected and lock. The seat now will not extend to fit and latch. My wife the owner of the car [XXX] head and body was jerked extremely hard due to the lack of airbag not deploying. My wife completed all required maintenance with the BMW dealer prior to the accident. This is frustrating since we paid a lot of money over the years to maintain the car and we expect nothing less, but a safe vehicle for my wife. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Was driving down the highway at 70 MPH when my sunroof suddenly exploded. There was no damage to the sunroof prior to the explosion and there was no outside object that fell onto the sunroof that could have caused it to explode. Thankfully I had the liner closed on the inside of the vehicle and I did not have the glass shatter on to me physically. However, if the liner had not been closed there could have been physical damage to myself and possibly caused me to have a motor vehicle accident. I took my vehicle to the dealership and the technician informed that he has at least 4 BMW vehicles per month with sunroof explosion. I also contacted BMW USA and notified them of the incident, and they stated there was no open recall on my vehicle. As stated before I feel this is a HUGE safety issue that warrants further investigation.

• ENGINE

  Car does not idle when first starts. Shifting into reverse causes car to nearly stall. To avoid this, I have to touch the accelerator with extra pressure which causes the car to jerk uncontrollably backwards. This is a known fault on X1 BMW’s. BMW requires $300-500 to complete a software update with no guarantee this will correct the problem. The software update was completed once before in 2019 and the problem persists. They are asking for another payment for another update with no guarantee.

• ENGINE

  Car began to make a loud humming noise from the engine compartment and the car went stiff. The check engine light came on and when taken to have the light looked at, it showed a faulty thermostat.