Skip to content
Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2018 BMW X1 Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
2about this part
Share
3%of 60 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 2 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2018 BMW X1, 3% of the 60 complaints for this model year.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“When first turning on the car in the morning and trying to reverse the vehicle, it begins jerking and the acceleration revs up rpm almost as if it's trying not to shut off. We have friends with the same model and they have had the same issue and were told it has to do with the crankshaft.”

NHTSA complaint #11508153, filed 2023-02

“There is an issue with the X1 series of BMWs where the system shuts down after a cold start. This car displays alerts on the dashboard, and BMW service has confirmed that there are two firmware updates available to fix the issues. However, instead of providing the updates at no charge, they are asking for almost $1,000 for the firmware update. Forum discussions indicate that this issue causes the engine to stop after a cold start, which is extremely challenging, especially when leaving a garage into oncoming traffic, as the car just shuts off. …”

NHTSA complaint #11604840, filed 2024-07

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2025635%
202427%
202368%
2020431%
201918%
201823%
20175737%
20163321%
201512%
201447%
201313%

Other parts of the 2018 BMW X1

Body and structure
22 complaints
Other or unknown
15 complaints
Electrical system
8 complaints
Air bags
6 complaints
Engine
6 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
4 complaints
Seat belts
3 complaints
Steering
3 complaints
Engine cooling
2 complaints
Fuel system
2 complaints
Latches, locks and linkages
2 complaints
Suspension
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2018 BMW X1

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology