BMW X1 SAV Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 173 consumer complaints across the 4 model years of the BMW X1 SAV (2013–2017) that have at least 5 complaints. 2013 has the most, with 64. Across all years, the part named most often is air bags (98 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All X1 SAV model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 8 | 6,015 | 2 | 190 | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 42 | 26,000 | 2 | 94 | 50 · Typical | Stable |
| 2014 | 59 | 35,000 | 4 | 111 | 56 · Typical | Falling |
| 2013 | 64 | 43,000 | 3 | 131 | 25 · Fewer | Stable |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Air bags98 52%
- Electrical system19 10%
- Other or unknown17 9.0%
- Engine16 8.5%
- Body and structure13 6.9%
- Brakes13 6.9%
- Transmission and drivetrain7 3.7%
- Vehicle speed control5 2.7%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2014: “My vehicle caught on fire on 12/05/2020. There were no known recalls. Total loss.... Stopped on the side of the road, southbound I-95 in brevard county, fl. Bmw of north america has indicated that the damage was so severe that they cannot figure out the cause of the fire and will not accept any liability!!”
NHTSA complaint #11396790, filed 2021-02, 98,000 miles2013: “I was driving and the nys thurway and my car shut down because I found that my ground cable to the battery rusted or rotted then broke because there was no cover around the cable protecting it from the weather. It connects from the battery to the bottom of the car where the snow and rain get to it. Every car I have owned had a battery with plastic covering. The car will stall and shutdown. They know of this.”
NHTSA complaint #11103526, filed 2018-06, 67,500 miles2015: “I crashed my car on 11/10/2015 and the airbag did not deploy. I drove through a heavy rail fence and struck a tree with the left front side of the bumper. A large section of the fence penetrated the front of the car and lodged in the vehicle. Cause of accident I became unconscious while driving due to heart problem”
NHTSA complaint #10853361, filed 2016-04, 8,500 milesOther BMW models
3,165 complaintsBMW 328I
2,576 complaintsBMW X3
2,016 complaintsBMW 325I
1,377 complaintsBMW Z4
1,271 complaintsBMW 3 Series
832 complaintsBMW 528I
830 complaintsBMW 330I
813 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology