2019 Bmw X1 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Structure (2) · Electrical System (2) · Visibility/Wiper (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Bmw X1 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (3)
Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly 2019-08-14 · campaign 19V601000 · 32 vehicles
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2019 X2 xDrive28i, MINI Cooper S Convertible, Countryman, and John Cooper Works Countryman vehicles. The steering gear tie rod may have been assembled incorrectly, which may result in excessive wear of the tie rod end, eventually causing it to break.
Risk: A broken steering tie rod would lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the tie rods and ball joints as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Structure:body:roof And Pillars 2019-05-09 · campaign 19V349000 · 106,182 vehicles
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2019 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. In the event of a crash where the occupants head contacts the B-pillar, the pillar may not absorb an adequate amount of the impact. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."
Risk: In the event of a crash, the insufficient impact absorption can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vertical trim pieces on the upper portion of the interior B-Pillars, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 1, 2019. Second notices will be sent as parts become available, starting on September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Exterior Lighting:tail Lights 2019-01-30 · campaign 19V074000 · 5,920 vehicles
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. Contaminated hardware may cause the attachment brackets of the taillight housings to crack, causing the lights to loosen or possibly detach from the vehicle.
Risk: If a taillight detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will properly secure the taillights, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Service bulletins (68)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine 2026-06-26 · B010224 · Warranty Program/Extension
the evap systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
Engine 2026-05-05 · B010224 · Warranty Program/Extension
the evap systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.
Electrical System 2025-01-16 · B011924 · Warranty Program/Extension
the telematics control units (tcu) internal emergency (backup) battery for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 6 years without mileage limitation, as determined from the vehicles original first in-service / delivery date. this coverage is subject to the same vehicle eligibil
Electrical System 2024-12-31 · B01192024 · Warranty Program/Extension
the telematics control units (tcu) internal emergency (backup) battery for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 6 years without mileage limitation, as determined from the vehicles original first in-service / delivery date.
Electrical System 2024-10-12 · B840324 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the “end of life” or “emergency call system error” check control message appears in the vehicle. the following fault memory entry is stored: b7f341 – emergency battery: hardware faulty
Engine 2024-05-02 · B010224 · Warranty Program/Extension
evap system purge (vent) valve ext ltd wty (elw) 15/150
Showing the 6 most recent of 68 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-12 · Steering“while releasing the manual telescope lever on my 2019 bmw x1 (under 75k miles) to adjust the steering wheel, the steering column completely bypassed its factory structural travel stop and jammed rock-solid in the farthest extended position and will not budge. the steering wheel is now physically wedged against my torso, making it impossible to main…”
2026-10-07 · Structure:body“on [xxx] at approximately [xxx], i was driving my 2019 bmw x1 northbound on the [xxx] in manhattan at a steady highway speed when the powered rear liftgate unexpectedly opened approximately halfway without any intentional activation. the key fob was stationary in the center cupholder. i did not activate any liftgate controls. i became aware of the…”
2026-06-06 · Power Train“my car began shaking at low speeds when turning. brought it to a mechanic to investigate and they performed a recommended manufacturer alteration on the car related to rear differential vent. that did not fix the issue and mechanic said a full rear differential replacement was required and it was a safety issue. if the rear differential failed whil…”
2025-09-09 · Suspension“a recall was issued for similar vehicles (x1) but ended with the 2018 model year (recall 24v-608). this issue continues to be present in the 2019 model year. the thermostats in subsequent year models continue to leak, presenting a hazard. an engine warning lamp triggered an inspection at bmw honolulu which identified the thermostat leak issue requi…”
2025-03-12 · Electrical System · 44,770 mi“the contact owns a 2019 bmw x1. the contact stated that the emergency call error light illuminated the instrument panel. in december of 2024, the contact received notification regarding an extended warranty coverage for the battery to be replaced. the contact was unable to immediately take the vehicle to the dealer due to other reasons. once the co…”
2025-01-22 · Unknown Or Other“sos malfunction for the past two years, i have received a notice on my dashboard that there is a problem with the emergency call system. however, the message appears intermittently for weeks or months at a time.211/400…”
2024-11-08 · Engine And Engine Cooling · 39,673 mi“the contact owns a 2019 bmw x1. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change and was informed that the vehicle was leaking coolant. the contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the contact became aware that there was coolant on the ground underneath the vehicle. there were no warning lights illuminated. the…”
2024-01-14 · Electrical System“emergency call (sos) system is malfunctioning. this prevents the vehicle from communicating if an accident happens. bmw service stated the problem could be caused by water leaking on to the telematics control unit from the shark fin antenna, which would require replacing the unit. the tcu is located under the head liner beneath the shark fin. the h…”
2023-03-11 · Visibility/Wiper“the moonroof spontaneously exploded while traveling on interstate highway at 65 mph. i was in the open and no vehicles were near me. i was showered in glass but uninjured because i was wearing a brimmed hat. i could have but did not lose control of the vehicle. there was no warning or other indicator of the problem. the dealership inspected and rep…”
2021-11-29 · Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings · 💥 crash“the car is equipped with driving assistant. bmw active driving assistant is a collection of driving assistance and collision avoidance technologies. active driving assistant includes forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.