2011 BMW X3 Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 4about this part
- Share
- 4%of 113 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 54,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the brakes of the 2011 BMW X3, 4% of the 113 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 54,500 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
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.
“I pulled my car into my flat garage, placed it in park, turned it off and went into the house. 1 hour later it had rolled out into the yard. It was off and in park. It was towed and evaluated by a Bmw expert who determined there was nothing wrong. They said the car could not have been left in neutral and could not have been left on and then gone off. They had no explanation for the failure to hold the park position and that it was safe to drive!!! My insurance covered the $3200 damage and car rental. …”
NHTSA complaint #10435410, filed 2011-11, 8,000 miles“While driving on an interstate road, exiting a tunnel, the x-3 suddenly, without any warning or indicators, lost the power steering and power brakes. The engine lost power and the dash board lite up with a myriad of warnings that made no sense. Then, just as suddenly the entire dash board went dark. The vehicle was extremely difficult to steer and stop. Since I was in fast moving traffic, the situation was scary to say the least. I found a place to pull off and did so. I turned the x-3 off. At restart it seemed ok, but the problem re-occurred again. I was able to finally get to my house. …”
NHTSA complaint #10777682, filed 2015-09, 88,863 miles“The error chassis stabilization popped up with multiple lights on the instrument gauge cluster. Steering, acceleration, and braking were effected. After backing out of driveway, made a sharp right turn and warnings appeared. They also happen intermittently during driving, most often in the first 2 minutes of driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11279058, filed 2019-11, 60,000 miles“The contact owns a 2011 Bmw X3. While driving at approximately 65 MPH during heavy rain, the vehicle violently decelerated to 35 MPH without warning. The contact stated that the failure was similar to slamming down on the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed but the failure could not be duplicated. The failure recurred only during rain weather conditions. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000. The VIN was not available.”
NHTSA complaint #10794363, filed 2015-11, 49,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10178996Jul 1, 2020TICKING NOISE WHILE CORNERING WITHOUT THE BRAKES APPLIED: Ticking noise coming from front wheel while cornering without brakes applied, noticeable at low speeds. The vehicle must…
- 10174015Apr 1, 2020TAILGATE UNINTENTIONALLY OPENS: This Service Information Bulletin (Revision 4) replaces SI B51 30 16 dated March 2018. Trunk/tailgate may open when vehicle is locked…
- 10174009Apr 1, 2020TICKING NOISE WHILE CORNERING WITHOUT THE BRAKES APPLIED: This Service Information Bulletin (Revision 3) replaces SI B34 05 17 dated September 2017. Ticking noise coming from…
- 10162423Jul 10, 2019"Service Action: Programming Update for Condition Based Service (CBS) Data. Due to a software error, the remaining distance to a brake service may be incorrectly displayed in the…
- 10146906Oct 1, 2016KAFAS CAMERA-BASED ASSISTANCE SYSTEM LIMITS. INFORMATION The situations described above may all be caused by known limitations of the system such as: Dirty windshield Incomplete…
- 10146892Oct 1, 2016CBS BRAKE PAD CALCULATION AND CORRECTION. When a vehicle comes into the workshop for any repair or maintenance job, the bundling calculator recommends a brake maintenance…
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 14% |
| 2025 | 2 | 5% |
| 2024 | 2 | 5% |
| 2022 | 5 | 6% |
| 2021 | 6 | 5% |
| 2020 | 2 | 2% |
| 2019 | 12 | 7% |
| 2018 | 5 | 7% |
| 2017 | 12 | 13% |
| 2016 | 10 | 12% |
| 2015 | 8 | 8% |
| 2014 | 11 | 13% |
| 2013 | 19 | 8% |
| 2012 | 5 | 12% |
| 2011 | 4 | 4% |
| 2009 | 1 | 5% |
| 2008 | 2 | 3% |
| 2007 | 1 | 1% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% |
| 2005 | 2 | 2% |
| 2004 | 3 | 2% |
Other parts of the 2011 BMW X3
31 complaintsEngine cooling
24 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
23 complaintsElectrical system
22 complaintsSteering
21 complaintsExterior lighting
10 complaintsOther or unknown
7 complaintsAir bags
5 complaintsVehicle speed control
5 complaintsElectronic stability control
4 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsSeat belts
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2011 BMW X3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 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