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BMW X1Model year report

2017 BMW X1 Problems

Compared with other BMW X1 years

Typical for this model

50/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2014, 2015

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
156filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
50,210miles, 13 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
26 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 23 city / 32 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2017 BMW X1 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a warning telling them to secure the vehicle against rolling when the gear selector is in Park, which many complaints trace to a small spring inside the shifter assembly. A second common theme is the power tailgate closing on its own while someone is loading or unloading, and some owners also report rough running or stalling after a cold start.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    “Secure vehicle against rolling” warning in Park

    • 83 complaints (53%)
    • median 42,500 mi at 4.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • owner-quoted repair $2,250 (median of 24 quotes)
    • filed 2021–2026

    Complaints describe a Check Control message such as “Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped” or “Secure vehicle against rolling” appearing when the shifter is placed in Park, and sometimes when the engine is started or shut off. Several owners say research and dealer conversations pointed to a small spring in the gear selector mechanism, and that the warning persists even with the parking brake applied. According to complaints, some dealers replaced the entire shifter assembly and quoted repair costs in the thousands of dollars, while others were told the condition was rare. A few owners note the message can clear after shifting out of Park and back. Reports span roughly 26,000 to 98,000 miles, with several owners mentioning the message appearing at low mileage and on level ground.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: When parked, confirm no “secure vehicle against rolling” message appears, and ask whether the shifter assembly or its spring has been serviced. A warranty extension bulletin describes extended coverage for the selector lever mechanism, so ask whether it applies to the vehicle.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I had my car in for regular Oil Change Service and was told I needed front brakes and rotors. I approved the stated repairs. When I started my car and proceeded to drive off the lot a caution light appeared and an error message Secure vehicle against rolling. Secure vehicle with the parking brake when stopped. Consult service center. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11487992, filed 2022-10

    “There is a small, broken spring in my shift lever ($10 part) that makes the car think it cannot be put into park. This otherwise does not affect the operation of the vehicle, but every time I get in the car, I am greeted with a warning message to Secure Vehicle Against Rolling and visit a service center . …”

    NHTSA complaint #11565140, filed 2024-01
  2. Body and structure

    Power tailgate closes on its own

    • 13 complaints (8%)
    • median 12,000 mi at 2.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2018–2023

    Owners describe the rear hatch starting to close by itself while they are loading or unloading, sometimes immediately after opening and sometimes many seconds later, with little warning beyond a beep. Complaints say the hatch has struck heads, backs and hands, and that feet were not under the bumper sensor when it happened. Some owners report the dealer found nothing wrong or quoted a repair, and a few mention the tailgate also opening unexpectedly. Reported from as little as 1,000 miles up to about 60,000 miles, typically while the vehicle is parked and the key fob is nearby.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Open and close the tailgate several times with the key in your pocket and watch whether it reverses or closes unprompted. Ask whether the tailgate control software or actuator has been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2017 Bmw X1 rear hatch door shuts prematurely without reason which one has to quickly get out of the way to avoid injury. In my case, it can happen anytime and, no, my feet are not under the kick sensor under rear bumper. Bmw forum says it's a common problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #11330456, filed 2020-06, 60,000 miles

    “The tailgate automatically starts closing on me when I am loading or unloading. It starts beeping so I at least get a warning but I have to put my hand up and stop it from crashing on my head. I have told my dealership about this since the first few times it happened, but was told there was nothing wrong with it. Note my feet are not going under the bumper (and that feature does not work on this car ever anyway). This happens when car is stopped and turned off. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11386267, filed 2021-01, 12,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Rough idle and stalling after start-up

    • 20 complaints (13%)
    • median 77,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2021–2026

    Complaints describe rough running and a shaky idle right after a cold start, and occasional stalling when shifting into gear or pulling away. One owner said a dealer diagnosed that a software update was needed but the vehicle was not repaired. Other reports mention a cracked engine mount found at low mileage and coolant loss from a leaking oil filter housing. Mostly described at low to moderate mileage, often when the engine is cold or during the first moments of a drive.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Start the engine from cold during the test drive and listen for rough running or hesitation when selecting a gear. Ask whether any software updates for cold-start running have been applied, and check the coolant level and for leaks under the engine.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have been complaining about roughness for quite some time. Especially when are is cold. I have a 2017 X1, less than 40k and the engine mount cracked BMW Service informed me this is an known issue within BMW. Not only x1 but X2 and some X3 models. Also said the others will crack within 10-20K miles I had made the concern known about the car almost or complete stalling out to the dealerships. Link below to the video. Part was thrown away on Saturday (I am told) No warning lamps, messages. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11438104, filed 2021-10

    “Car experiences a very rough idle at start and often stalls after being place in gear. This can happen after car starts moving. My wife drives this car and is experiencing regular stalls after pulling away.”

    NHTSA complaint #11562543, filed 2023-12

Buying note. When inspecting this model year, check the shifter for the “secure vehicle against rolling” warning and ask for service records on the gear selector, then test the power tailgate several times. A cold-start test drive helps reveal rough running or stalling that owners describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 156 consumer complaints for the 2017 BMW X1. 13 of the complaints include a mileage, and 46% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 50,210 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 10 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 189 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 6 BMW X1 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 50 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seat belts (3), Suspension (3), Fuel system (1), Lane departure (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “There is a light that came on that states Transmission: secure vehicle against rolling. This is a common problem with these cars and is very expensive to fix. This is a defect in these cars and I don’t want to find out what will happen in the event that my car does roll especially my children in the car. I chose BMW because it is not only a luxury vehicle but was suppose to be safe. This to me is NOT safe.”

NHTSA complaint #11468090, filed 2022-06

Other or unknown: “The tailgate consistently closes on its own. Without my foot even being near the sensor that is located under the backend. T has slammed me in a back a few times when I've had my headphones in and did not hear the beeping. I won't even let my knees get anything out of it. The dealership in fl has allegedly fixed it but continues to do it. It did it on the dealership as well. I moved in and continue to do it took it to a dealership here in pennsylvania and they say nothing is wrong. When it hit you in the back it hurts really bad.”

NHTSA complaint #11299705, filed 2020-01, 10,000 miles

Brakes: “Every time I get in the vehicle or turn the vehicle off I get a message Secure vehicle against rolling contact service specialist . Even if I press the emergency brake it still continues, this appears to be a known problem with the BMW X1 and not sure if it will cause my car to roll away.”

NHTSA complaint #11691848, filed 2025-10

Electrical system: “The rear trunk of the car starts closing by itself. I injured my hand due to such sudden closure. This problem is all over the internet with thousands of customers hitting it and Bmw is not acknowledging or fixing the issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11355481, filed 2020-09, 1,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

46% of the 13 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 12,000 and 60,000 miles.

15%0–1023%10–258%25–5038%50–7515%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (13 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 50,210 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

20182019202020212022442023202420252026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2017 BMW X1 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
X1 sDrive28i FWD2.0L 4-cyl8-speed automatic233226$3,150
X1 xDrive28i AWD2.0L 4-cyl8-speed automatic223125$3,300

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2017 BMW X1 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 189 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 189 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW X1

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2025172,6503428—Too new
2024307,0003428Too new to compareToo new
2023708,0006428100 · MoreToo new
20211047,0001527—Not enough data
20201335,0001527—Not enough data
20191339,6733526—Not enough data
20186013,000452685 · MoreStable
201715650,2102—2650 · TypicalRising
201615942,0003—2557 · TypicalStable
20155290,0002—260 · FewerRising
20145590,0002—260 · FewerRising
20133896,0002—270 · FewerRising

All BMW X1 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 BMW X1?

Owners of this model year most often describe a warning telling them to secure the vehicle against rolling when the gear selector is in Park, which many complaints trace to a small spring inside the shifter assembly. The issues reported most often: “Secure vehicle against rolling” warning in Park; Power tailgate closes on its own; Rough idle and stalling after start-up.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2017 BMW X1 have?

NHTSA recorded 156 consumer complaints for the 2017 BMW X1 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2017 BMW X1 is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 57 complaints (37% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 50.

Has the 2017 BMW X1 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2017 BMW X1 get?

The EPA rates the 2017 BMW X1 (X1 sDrive28i, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 26 mpg combined, 23 city and 32 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2017 BMW X1 reported?

Among the 13 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 50,210 miles and the middle half falls between 12,000 and 60,000 miles; 46% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.