CSR

BMW · NHTSA safety record

2013 BMW X1 SAV

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

64

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 BMW X1 SAV have filed 64 safety complaints with NHTSA between January 2013 and December 2019. The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 32 of them (50%). The typical failure was reported at 43,000 miles, the median across the 33 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (3)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

16V071000 · February 5, 2016

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive, 335is and M3 Coupes and Convertibles, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i SAVs, 2007-2010 X3 xDrive30i SAVs, 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M SAVs, 2009-2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d SAVs, 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M SACs, 2010-2011 BMW X6 xDrive50i SACs and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module or inflator depending on the vehicle model, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 840,000 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

14V627000 · October 7, 2014

The defect
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V-454.
The risk
A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 8,988 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

13V454000 · September 26, 2013

The defect
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.
The risk
A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 76,191 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (2)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA21002

Still open engineering analysis · opened September 17, 2021

the air bags

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Loss of power assist braking

PE13030

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened September 6, 2013 · closed October 25, 2013 · led to recall 13V454000

the hydraulic brakes

In a letter dated September 26, 2013, BMW Group submitted a safety recall notice to NHTSA identifying a defect condition in the vacuum pump oil supply that may result in loss of power assist braking in 76,191 model year (MY) 2012 through 2014 BMW 3-Series, 5-Series, X1 SAV, X3 SAV, and Z4 vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder engines (NHTSA Recall 13V-454).According to BMW, movement of the seal disk within the camshaft may result in blocking of the oil supply to the vacuum pump, resulting in improper pump operation and loss of power assist braking.On July 11, 2013, BMW initiated a change to the camshaft geometry that prevented the seal disk from blocking the oil port.BMW has not received any braking complaints related to loss of power assist after the design change was implemented in production.The owners of all affected vehicles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their vehicle to a BMW dealer who will install a locking ring into the camshaft to keep the seal disk in its proper location.BMW expects to begin dealer and owner notification in November 2013 and complete dealer and owner notification in December when the remedy is expected to be available.Based on the actions taken by BMW, this investigation is closed.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 64.

AIR BAGS 32 50%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10 16%
ENGINE 9 14%
POWER TRAIN 5 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 6%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 3%
SEAT BELTS 2 3%
STEERING 2 3%
STRUCTURE 2 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 3%
VISIBILITY 2 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2017 at 21.

2013 2017 2019
2013 to 2019

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed · 35,000 miles

DRIVING ON 95 NORTHBOUND IN MIAMI. CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON BRAKES. I WAS FAR AWAY FROM HER REAR END (2 CAR DISTANCE) TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BRAKE. WHEN I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES THE CAR KEPT MOVING. I SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF HER CAR. THE AIRBAGS ALSO DID NOT GO OFF.

NHTSA complaint 11149547. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

crash

BMW X1 28I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG SYSTEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED A CARELESS DRIVER RAN A STOP SIGN AND SHE AND THE OTHER DRIVER HIT EACH PERPENDICULARLY AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEED. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO BOTH VEHICLES. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TOTALED. *JB

NHTSA complaint 10502966. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 78,000 miles

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON A SIDE STREET, GOING ABOUT 25MPH. REDUCED ENGINE SPEED LIGHT CAME ON AND A FEW SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. MANAGED TO CREEP THE CAR TO THE CURB BEFORE SHUT DOWN. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. MECHANIC SAID TIMING GUARD AND CHAIN WENT, ENGINE IS DEAD AT APPROXIMATELY 78,000 MILES. BMW NORTH AMERICA WAS CONTACTED TWICE. I WAS TOLD BASICALLY THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK. NEEDS A NEW MOTOR. USED MOTOR TO COST $11K INSTALLED. STILL OWE MONEY ON LOAN.

NHTSA complaint 11161016. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100,800 miles

2 MONTHS AFTER REPORTING A DEAD/DRAINED BATTERY, IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. THE ALARM STARTS WHINING AND THEN THE CAR NEEDS TO BE JUMPED BECAUSE THE BATTERY IS DEAD. CAR WAS STATIONARY WHEN OCCURRED, AND IS DRIVEN DAILY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT CAN SIT FOR A FEW DAYS DURING SCHOOL BREAKS.

NHTSA complaint 11291377. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

111,000 miles

STRONG ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL FROM VENTS THE SMELL DOES NOT GO AWAY WHEN RECIRCULATING THE AIR AND I SUSPECT IT IS NOT COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE BAY B. THIS ISSUE IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE SYMPTOMS DOCUMENTED IN SAFETY RECALL 17V-676 ' BLOWER MOTOR WIRING ' 2006-2011 BMW 3 SERIES

NHTSA complaint 11281998. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100,000 miles

BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A DEALER WITH A NEW BATTERY. BATTERY DIED 5 DAYS LATER FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NOTHING WORKED ON CAR. HAD TO JUMP IT. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC TO BUY A DIFFERENT BATTERY. THAT NEW BATTERY DIED 6 DAYS LATER. NOTHING WORKED ON CAR. HAD TO JUMP IT. APPARENTLY FROM MY RESEARCH, THIS MODEL HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE AND ALSO WITH PARASITIC COMPONENTS CONSTANTLY DRAINING THE BATTERY. IT SHOULDN'T COST ME $$$ TO HAVE A MECHANIC DIAGNOSE AND RE-PROGRAM CAR COMPUTER, AS WELL AS PURCHASE NEW BATTERIES.

NHTSA complaint 11278972. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON AND OFF AND SEATBELT LIGHT ALWAYS ON WHILE DRIVING TWO DAYS AFTER RECALL FOR DRIVER AIRBAG WAS DONE THIS ISSUE STARTED. THE DEALERSHIP PERSON TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE LIGHTS ARE STEADY TO FIX THE PROBLEM , SOMETHING ABOUT A SENSOR OR WEIGHT MAT.

NHTSA complaint 11228667. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

74,300 miles

MY GOT HIT ON THE DRIVE SIDE DOOR BREAKING THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR. TOOK THE CAR TO THE BODY SHOP AND I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR, THE CAR DIDN'T START AS IF NO ELECTRICAL POWER, NO POWER AT ALL, THEY JUMP START MY CAR AND I BROUGHT THE CAR HOME, THE NEXT DAY NO ELECTRICAL POWER AGAIN, I CALLED THE SHOP WHERE I GOT MY DENT FIXED AND TOOK THE CAR THEY SAID THEY REPLACE THE BATTERY AND BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO ME THE NEXT THE DIDN'T START AGAIN NO ELECTRICAL POWER THEY TOOK CAR AGAIN TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR, SO THEY TOOK THE BMW DEALER, UNTIL NOW I DON'T HAVE MY CAR. I AM PUZZLED AND WONDERING IF MY CAR WILL EVER FIX.

NHTSA complaint 11208947. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

43,000 miles

THE BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD ON WET STREETS. THEY ALSO WILL NOT HOLD ON SNOW COVERED STREETS. YOU HAVE TO PUMP THEM WHEN YOU TRY TO HOLD THEM DOWN .SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HOLD THEM DOWN THEY LOCK IN PLACE. A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP RESULTS IN THE REDUCED BRAKING POWER THAT COUL INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH CAUSING DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERS FRONTAL AIR BAG, THE INFLATOR COULD RUPTURE WITH METAL FRAGMENTS STRIKING THE DRIVER OR OTHER OCCUPANTS RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

NHTSA complaint 11206641. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the BMW X1 SAV

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2017 8 2
2015 42 2
2014 59 4

Other 2013 BMW models

Every BMW on this site — 249 vehicles, 484 recall campaigns and 2 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst