VehicleVerdict

2011 BMW X3 engine problems

The 2011 BMW X3 has 55 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 34% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

55

Engine complaints

34%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

2

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

X3 engine complaints by model year160 complaints2004: 17 complaints2005: 8 complaints2006: 10 complaints2007: 41 complaints2008: 31 complaints2009: 4 complaints2010: 20 complaints2011: 55 complaints2012: 10 complaints2013: 160 complaints2014: 38 complaints2015: 44 complaints2016: 30 complaints2017: 39 complaints2018: 19 complaints2019: 36 complaints2020: 25 complaints2021: 21 complaints2022: 8 complaints2023: 1 complaints2024: 1 complaints2025: 4 complaints
X3 engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

23V707000EngineOctober 20, 2023 · 157,796 units

Defect

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.

Consequence

Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

17V683000EngineOctober 30, 2017 · 740,561 units

Defect

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Consequence

An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.

Remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

What owners report

“I parked my vehicle in front of my house for the night after driving for only about 15-20 minutes. Maybe less. Roughly 3-4 hours later, I was alerted to my car being completely up in flames by the sounds of fire trucks / police sirens. Flames were 20-30 feet in the air coming from the engine…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · February 1, 2023 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2011 BMW X3 have?

NHTSA has 55 complaints about the 2011 BMW X3 engine — 34% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2011 BMW X3 engine?

Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for this model year are tied to the engine: 17V683000, 23V707000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.