2011 BMW X3 Sav Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2011 BMW X3 Sav, and owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2011 BMW X3 Sav
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Engine (engine and engine cooling)
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2012 BMW vehicles…
13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2011 BMW X3 Sav have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 64,662 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 4 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Steering is "sticky" when trying to move from the center position in my 2011 BMW x3 35i-- during highway driving when the steering wheel is used to keep the vehicle in the current lane of travel, high”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 13, 2019 · Steering
“Nothing happened (yet) but BMW service tells me there's no recalls that need to be taken care of on my vehicle”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 19, 2019 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2011 BMW X3 (X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 19 / 25–26 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S8) |
Compare BMW X3 Sav model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW X3 Sav model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 BMW X3 Sav | 2 | 160 |
| 2008 BMW X3 Sav | 2 | 56 |
| 2009 BMW X3 Sav | 2 | 16 |
| 2010 BMW X3 Sav | 3 | 23 |
| 2011 BMW X3 Sav | 1 | 13 |
| 2012 BMW X3 Sav | 0 | 6 |
Checking a specific 2011 BMW X3 Sav
How do I know if my 2011 BMW X3 Sav has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2011 BMW X3 Sav; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 14V176000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
- X53,154 complaints
- 328I2,578 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 330I815 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.