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BMW · NHTSA safety record

2018 BMW X4

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

Owners have filed 11 safety complaints about the 2018 BMW X4 with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the engine and its cooling.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 7 complaints, 64% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers October 2022 to December 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

11 complaints on file

11

Complaints

2

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 · 64%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 5 · 45%
ENGINE 3 · 27%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 18%
POWER TRAIN 1 · 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 9%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 11.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 7.

8 6 4 2
22 23 24 25

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2022 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2018 BMW X4. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:PUMP

24V608000 · August 13, 2024

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
The risk
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 720,796 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

1 on file

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.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

ENGINE

fire

We heard a whining sound under the hood on November 1st, 2025. Prior to noticing this noise, there were no warming lamps or messages appearing. Following a short drive we smelled burning in the garage. We did not drive the vehicle the following day and intended to take it to our mechanic on Monday morning, the 3rd. Upon trying to start the car it was dead. We had to have it professionally jumped as standard jumping with our personal jumper cables would not start it. Our mechanic explained both the battery and the water pump would need to be replaced. Upon further examination, he realized that the cable or water pump harness that connects the two had been burned and discovered a recall on

NHTSA complaint 11706580, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

crash · 100,000 miles

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X4. The contact stated that when she would stop the vehicle for a traffic signal, the vehicle would independently shift into park (P). The contact stated that the failure had started as an intermittent failure but had gradually become a recurring failure. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been the cause of a recent crash at a traffic signal. The contact's vehicle had slipped into park (P) when the signal light changed to green her vehicle did not move forward and the vehicle behind her crashed into the rear bumper. The contact stated that there was minor damage to the other vehicle's front bumper and no

NHTSA complaint 11534537, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash

Unknown: Dealership replaced my brakes however they weren’t working properly I reported it 3 times BMW said it was common about 2 weeks later I was involved in a car accident where the brakes failed to respond and I rear ended another car.

NHTSA complaint 11667515. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The water pump was found to have extreme corrosion after several other components on the car were damaged from the coolant leak into the electrical system. The car was suddenly losing power while driving and the DME was smoking, potentially causing an engine fire. So far the water pump, Digital Motor Electronics (DME) and throttle body were replaced over a 15 day period in service. The day the car was picked up, the chassis stabilization light came on and the dealership was receiving codes saying multiple additional electrical systems are now triggering the codes. The car was back at the dealer for service and now they are saying even more systems have been damaged by the leak. There is

NHTSA complaint 11682608, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted on several occasions; however, the contact was informed that parts were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint 11674611. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Water pump completely failed and no longer working. I had to pull off of road on a busy interstate. Firestone confirmed water pump no longer working. Vehicle is at BMW service center. No warning until vehicle overheated and warning came on.

NHTSA complaint 11664164. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

75,000 miles

The contact owns a 2018 BMW X4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle there was a burning odor coming from the engine compartment. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was

NHTSA complaint 11656823, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the BMW X4

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2020 15 10 —
2019 10 7 —
2016 10 2 —
2015 18 5 —

Other 2018 BMW models

X3 75 X5 72 X1 59 K1600B 44 430I 36 330I 32 540I 31 530E 27

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every BMW on this site — 257 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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