Home›BMW›X3›2023

BMW · Compact SUV

2023 BMW X3

HybridGas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11

Safety Signal

63 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls1 critical4

Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA12

Crash ratingNHTSA overall5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA25 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2023 BMW X3 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact SUV with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the X3 sDrive30i, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 12 complaints, most often about the structure. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
X3 M40i	Hybrid	AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo + 44V Li-Ion	21	26	23	$3,350
X3 sDrive30i	Gas	RWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	23	29	25	$3,100
X3 xDrive30i	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	28	24	$3,250
X3 M	Gas	AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	15	20	17	$4,550
X3 M Competition	Gas	AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	15	20	17	$4,550

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 45545, 45535, 45544, 45546, 45547.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Electrical System

87,394 vehicles

ProblemBMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Toyota Supra, 2022-2023 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2024 5 Series (xDrive), 2021-2022 Z4, 2022-2024 4 Series (Gran Coupe), 2021-2024 4 Series (Convertible and xDrive Convertible), 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe), 2021-2024 3 Series, 2021-2023 X4, 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.RiskFire increases the risk of injury.FixDealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 24, 2026.

NHTSA campaign 26V056000reported Jan 30, 2026BMW of North America, LLC

●moderate

Latches/Locks/Linkages

40,736 vehicles

ProblemBMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2024 X3 sDrive30i and X3 xDrive30i vehicles. The second-row seat side door locking modules may not function properly and allow the doors to be unlocked with a single motion. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."RiskDoors that can be inadvertently unlocked and unlatched may open unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupants.FixDealers will replace the second-row seat side door locking modules, free of charge. A letter informing owners of the safety risk was mailed on April 21, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 800-525-7417.

NHTSA campaign 25V106000reported Feb 20, 2025BMW of North America, LLC

▲high

Structure

282,387 vehicles

ProblemBMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2023 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the interior cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.RiskInterior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.FixDealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

NHTSA campaign 24V534000reported Jul 17, 2024BMW of North America, LLC

▲high

Power Train

Toyota - 23TA14

552 vehicles

ProblemBMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota GR Supra, 3 Series Sedan (330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, M3), 5 Series Sedan (530i, 530i xDrive, M5), 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 4 Series Convertible (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive), 8 Series Coupe (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Convertible (840i, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Gran Coupe (850i xDrive, M8), X3 SAV (X3 xDrive30i, X3M), X4 SAV (X4 xDrive30i), X5 SAV (X5 xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M), X6 SAV (X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i, X6M), and Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i vehicles. The weld seam of the integrated transmission control unit's cover may not have been manufactured propRiskTransmission oil that leaks into the control unit can lead to a seizure of the transmission gears, causing a sudden loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers will replace the transmission mechatronics module and the automatic transmission fluid, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

NHTSA campaign 23V821000reported Dec 6, 2023BMW of North America, LLC

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

12complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2023: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Structure3

Forward Collision Avoidance2

Engine2

Electrical System2

Unspecified1

Power Train1

What owners describe

“The contact owns a 2023 BMW X3. The contact stated that after purchasing the salvaged vehicle at an auction, the contact became aware while attempting to register the vehicle, that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System). A dealer was contacted for the recall repair; however, the de…”Sep 2, 2026 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report

“Mileage: 31,694 (bought [new]) The engine starter intermittently fails to crank the engine and, per an open manufacturer recall, presents a fire risk while the vehicle is running. On multiple occasions the vehicle struggled to start during normal use. There was no crash, no injury, and no airbag deployment. To isolate …”Jul 27, 2026 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

“The contact owns a 2023 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V056000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall …”May 13, 2026 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV RWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other X3 model years

2026 BMW X3

2 recalls · 16 complaints

2025 BMW X3

9 recalls · 34 complaints

2024 BMW X3

4 recalls · 36 complaints

2022 BMW X3

8 recalls · 70 complaints

2021 BMW X3

11 recalls · 106 complaints

2020 BMW X3

16 recalls · 109 complaints

2019 BMW X3

10 recalls · 167 complaints

2018 BMW X3

11 recalls · 73 complaints

2017 BMW X3

6 recalls · 92 complaints

2016 BMW X3

5 recalls · 82 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

JSON for this page · API