Verified government source

NHTSA complaint #11738436

This page summarizes an official U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration owner complaint. Use the verification links below to confirm the record directly with NHTSA.

Vehicle

2020 BMW X3

Manufacturer

BMW of North America, LLC

Components

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Dates

Incident: 05/16/2026
Filed: 05/17/2026

Owner complaint summary

I am submitting this complaint regarding ongoing and potentially dangerous mechanical failures involving my vehicle that have repeatedly occurred despite numerous repair attempts by the dealership. Over the past year, I have taken my vehicle to the dealership more than 10 times for serious recurring issues. The problems have included: Drivetrain malfunction warnings Engine warning lights Oil leaks Smoke coming from the vehicle The vehicle unexpectedly shifting into neutral while driving Sudden loss of drivability requiring the vehicle to be towed The dealership has repeatedly stated that the issues were repaired, and at one point even provided a one-year warranty on the repair work. Despite this, the same problems have continued to occur. Most recently, the drivetrain malfunction warning and engine light returned again, smoke came from the vehicle, and the car shifted into neutral on its own, becoming completely undriveable and requiring towing. I have spent more than $10,000 on repairs related to these ongoing issues, yet the vehicle remains unreliable and unsafe. My primary concern is the safety risk posed by the drivetrain failure and the vehicle unexpectedly shifting into neutral while in operation. I am requesting that this matter be reviewed as a potential vehicle safety issue. I believe these repeated failures may present a serious risk not only to myself but potentially to other drivers as well. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

This is an owner complaint filed with NHTSA (ODI #11738436). It is not automatically an official recall, investigation outcome, or manufacturer admission unless the complaint text itself describes one.

Official record ID (ODI): 11738436. This page is the human-readable source link used across afterwarranty. The raw JSON link proxies NHTSA's public API for machine verification; prefer this page when reading the complaint.