Transport CanadaLow Risk
At a glance
What can fail
The antilock brake system warning light doesn't turn on when you start the vehicle, as required by Canadian safety rules. Normal braking and ABS function continue to work.
This page covers 6 recalls, 57 owner complaints and NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2018 BMW X1.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Structural complaints dominate what 2018 BMW X1 owners report, making up the largest share of filings for this model year. The bulk of these involve steering, owners frequently describe the wheel feeling vague, loose, or unresponsive, with the car requiring constant corrections to hold a lane. Several report the steering wander occurring at both city and highway speeds, and some say power steering assistance cuts out entirely without any warning light appearing first. A smaller cluster of complaints covers the cooling system, where owners describe the water pump failing and triggering check engine or overheating warnings. A handful of reports mention airbag and seatbelt warning lights illuminating, sometimes alongside other dashboard alerts activating together, though these appear in far fewer filings than the steering complaints.
57
Total Complaints
6
Crash-Related
2
Fire-Related
5
With Injuries
By System
The 2018 BMW X1 has 6 recalls, the most serious being a steering tie rod that can wear and eventually break, causing sudden loss of steering control.
The tie rod defect stems from an incorrect assembly that accelerates wear at the tie rod end until it fractures. When that happens, the driver loses the ability to steer the vehicle. On the structural side, the B-pillar may not absorb enough energy when an occupant's head strikes it in a crash, raising the risk of head injury beyond what the federal safety standard permits.
Two recalls address the rear taillights, which share the same underlying problem: the attachment brackets holding the taillight housings can crack, allowing the lights to loosen or fall off the vehicle entirely. A detached taillight leaves following drivers without brake light or turn signal visibility and puts a piece of plastic debris on the road. There is also a brake warning light concern: the anti-lock brake system indicator may not illuminate during startup as required, so a driver would have no dashboard cue if the ABS stopped functioning correctly. One recall in this group covers only the 540d xDrive and does not apply to the X1, so the remaining five are the ones relevant to this vehicle.
At a glance
What can fail
The antilock brake system warning light doesn't turn on when you start the vehicle, as required by Canadian safety rules. Normal braking and ABS function continue to work.
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
BMW will mail you instructions to visit a dealer, who will update your vehicle's software to fix the warning light.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The steering gear tie rod may have been assembled incorrectly, causing excessive wear of the tie rod end, which could eventually break.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect your vehicle and replace the tie rods and ball joints as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The B-pillar may not absorb enough impact force if an occupant's head strikes it during a crash, potentially increasing injury risk.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the vertical trim pieces on the upper interior B-pillars at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The brackets holding the rear tail lights can crack, which may cause the tail lights to separate from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the rear tail lights, replace the mounting nuts, and replace the tail lights if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Contaminated hardware in the taillight attachment brackets can cause them to crack, making the taillight housings loosen or detach from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will secure the taillights properly at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The crankshaft sensor has incorrect firmware that prevents it from reading the crankshaft reluctor ring properly, which can cause the engine to stall.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
