CSR

BMW · NHTSA safety record

2020 BMW X7

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

Owners have filed 54 safety complaints about the 2020 BMW X7 with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 3 mention a fire, 3 people were injured and no death is recorded. 12 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 15 complaints, 28% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 43,000 miles, the median across the 14 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers October 2019 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

54 complaints on file

54

Complaints

2

Describe a crash

3

Mention fire

3

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.

Complaints more than doubled year on year: 26 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 10 in the twelve before.

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.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 15 · 28%
ENGINE 13 · 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12 · 22%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10 · 19%
SEATS 5 · 9%
STEERING 5 · 9%
SUSPENSION 5 · 9%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 · 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 6%
STRUCTURE 3 · 6%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 4%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 54.

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 18.

20 15 10 5
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2020 BMW X7. 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

12 on file

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

25V644000 · September 25, 2025

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 340I, X6, 2020-2025 840I, 2020-2022 740LI, 2019-2020 X7, and X5 vehicles. After repeated attempts, the starter motor may overheat from an electrical overload.
The risk
An overheated starter motor can ignite nearby combustible material in the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. This recall includes vehicles repaired under recall 24V576 and those owners will need to have their vehicle repaired again. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 17, 2025.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 145,102 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

24V576000 · August 1, 2024

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2019-2020 X5, X7, 2020 3 Series Sedan, X6, 2020-2021 7 Series Sedan, 2020 8 Series Convertible, 8 Series Coupe, and 2020 8 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. In the event the starter motor fails, repeated attempts to start the vehicle can cause the starter motor to overheat from an electrical overload.
The risk
A starter motor that overheats can ignite nearby combustible material in the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 27, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 105,588 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS

22V670000 · September 7, 2022

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2022 BMW X7 xDrive40i, X7 Drive50i, X7 M50i vehicles with third-row seats. One or more of the compression springs that lock the backrest may not have been installed properly, and could dislodge or detach.
The risk
In a crash, the seat backrest may not fully lock, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the third-row seat and, if necessary, remove and reinstall improperly installed compression springs, and reinstall any missing springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 246 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

22V267000 · April 20, 2022

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive); 2019-2022 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M; 2021-2022 X5 xdrive45e; 2020-2022 X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6M and 2019-2023 X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, X7 xDrive60i, X7 M60i, X7M, Alpina XB7 vehicles. The roof function control unit may be programmed incorrectly, allowing the sunroof to close without the key fob present inside the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
The risk
A sunroof that closes without the key fob present inside the vehicle can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will reprogram the roof function control unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 61,221 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

21V096000 · February 19, 2021

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 13,858 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

21V062000 · February 10, 2021

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 8 Series Coupe, Grand Coupe and convertible 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8 and 740 Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750 Li xDrive, M760 Li xDrive, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xdrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, and 2019-2021 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, and 2021 M3, M3 Competition, M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, X5 xDrive45e, 745 Le xDrive. The rotor and shaft within the integrated brake system may not have been welded properly and could separate during a hard braking event, possibly resulting in a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and braking assistance.
The risk
A loss of ABS and a reduction in braking assistance can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 893 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

20V678000 · November 4, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 M50i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i and X6M vehicles and 2021 X5 xDrive45e vehicles. The weld between the front axle support and the right front control arm bearing bracket may separate.
The risk
If the weld between the front axle support and the right front control arm bearing bracket separates, vehicle handling and control may be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle support, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 83 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

20V528000 · September 1, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X6 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, X6 M50i, X6M, X7 M50i and 2021 X5 xDrive45e vehicles. The headlamps may allow a blue light to illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
Oncoming drivers may be confused by the blue light of approaching vehicles, which could potentially increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlamps and, if necessary, replace them, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 307 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

20V465000 · August 7, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive 40i, X5 xDrive 40i and one X7 xDrive 40i vehicle. The starter motor may have an extra bolt that could potentially fall into the transmission housing and cause an engine stall.
The risk
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the starter motor for the extra bolt, removing it if necessary. Dealers will also inspect the starter for damage, and check if the bolt has fallen into the transmission housing, replacing any damaged parts as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 2, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 21 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

20V052000 · January 30, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X7 xDrive40i and X7 xDrive50i vehicles. The rear reflex reflectors may not reflect an adequate amount of light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
An inadequate amount of reflected light will decrease the vehicle's visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace both rear reflex reflectors, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 683 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

19V684000 · September 27, 2019

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
The risk
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 257,473 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK

19V631000 · August 28, 2019

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i and X7 M50i vehicles. The steering rack pinion teeth may break under load, resulting in a loss of steering control.
The risk
A loss of steering control increases risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began August 21, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 12 vehicles across all model years covered

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.

SEATS

1 injured

I am filing this complaint because the third-row passenger seat in my 2020 BMW X7 has a serious defect that poses an immediate safety risk to children and passengers. The third-row seat malfunctioned while my child was exiting the vehicle. The powered seat began moving unexpectedly and trapped my child’s leg, and we had extreme difficulty getting the seat to release. This is an extremely dangerous failure for any powered seat, especially one that is frequently used by children. This is not normal wear and tear — this is a mechanical and electrical failure of a safety-critical seat system. BMW Fresno has had the vehicle for more than six weeks and cannot fix the problem. BMW North America

NHTSA complaint 11703170, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire

The BMW X7 caught on fire going down the HW.

NHTSA complaint 11441886. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

On 11/23/2021 while driving the computer screen stated malfunction with personal protection device with in 10 seconds the rear of the car burst into flames the fire inspector from our insurance company traced the cause of the event to the fuse box neither BMW or the dealership will take any responsibility this car had never been repaired and only authorized dealership did yearly service

NHTSA complaint 11460379. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire

On October 21, 2021 we purchased a 2020 BMW X7 from West Houston Land Rover (AutoNation) in Oct 2021. Purchased extended warranties. Within 3 months: Technicians advised replacing nearly new tires. Car smoked on highway after oil change, dismissed as spilled oil. Nov 28, 2023: Car burst into flames 5 minutes after oil change and passed multipoint inspection. Car burned completely to the ground Escaped unharmed but met with rudeness and dismissal from dealership. GM initially promised help, then stopped communication after seeing evidence. Unacceptable: Horrific experience with fire and previous issues. Appalling service and intimidation tactics (threat of lawsuit for sharing story). We

NHTSA complaint 11561478, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
2020 bmw x7 with 34k miles 1 driver, front suspension control arm leaking causing clunk and un even steering / braking feel due to premature leaking of the hydraulic fluid do to a design flaw. As a 40 Honda master tech and 30yr dealer principal I cant believe bmw will not warranty this defect or up grade the part as it seems its still used today and thousands have complained about the issue not even to mention the car is 95k new totally unexceptable. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11766231. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Approximately 67,000 miles, my 2020 BMW X7 XDrive 40i began falsely indicating that the driver's door was open even though the door was securely closed. While the vehicle was in drive and moving, the false door open signal caused the vehicle to automatically shift into park and abruptly react. This caused a serious risk of an unexpected stop and loss of vehicle control. BMW Fairfax inspected the vehicle and verified that it indicated the driver's door was open and shifted or attempted to shift into park while driving and moving. BMW found fault code 804168 relating to the driver door contact circuit and reported that the fault had occurred more than 53 times. BMW also found multiple invalid

NHTSA complaint 11765783, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
We came from [XXX] to [XXX] at night. It was rainy in [XXX]. We parked the vehicle in the front of the garage door of the house and went to sleep. Around 8:00-9:00AM two police cars from [XXX] PD came to our house. The officer said that the vehicle calls to BMW or 911 as an emergency and they forwarder that call to FPD. The officers checked the vehicle and they figured that the vehicle did the emergency call when was parked. Now, the emergency call system is not working, because of the bad factory sealant in the top of the roof and the water leaks exactly to the Telecomunication module (TCM). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11749192. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Low oil sensor continues to light up and says i am low on oil. Found out that my oil pump was the main cause of the issue. At this time I have to have the oil pump replaced. It was also determined there have been numerous reports regarding oil pump failure in the 2020 BMW x7 due to an internal plastic part.

NHTSA complaint 11745685. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
The front thrust arm bushing was previously replaced on December 19, 2023, at 34,750 miles (after three years of ownership). It has now failed again at 57,203 miles, lasting only about 22,500 miles. This repeat failure within a relatively short timeframe and mileage interval suggests an underlying issue or defective part. The dealer wants me to replace both Front Thrust Arm bushings again.

NHTSA complaint 11744300. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
My X7’s front differential went bad at 50k miles. I paid over 100k for a vehicle of this caliber to have something like this fail and have to pay 8k with no help from BMWNA. I’ve been a loyal customer with bmw having owned over 5 bmw vehicles in the past. And for me to get treated like this is unacceptable. I hope we can have a law suit against bmw for this.

NHTSA complaint 11744077. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the BMW X7

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 7 2 —
2025 29 4 —
2024 62 7 —
2023 44 8 —
2022 20 2 —
2021 46 9 —
2019 47 11 —

Other 2020 BMW models

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