NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2008–2013

BMW X6 SAV recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 6 owner complaints for the BMW X6 SAV, covering model years 2008 to 2013. The 2009 model year drew the most complaints (2), and Air Bags is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your BMW X6 SAV VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

2 recall campaigns on file
6 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
6 model years with data (2008–2013)

most complaints: 2009 (2 for that model year)
top component: Air Bags (3 complaints)
latest recall 14V176000 (reported Apr 10, 2014)

0 complaints reporting a crash (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting an injury (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

BMW X6 SAV complaints by model year

5 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2009 model year has the most complaints: 2 of 6, or 33.3%. Next come 2008 (1) and 2010 (1). The fewest are for 2013, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

BMW X6 SAV complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

BMW X6 SAV complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
2008	1	0	0	0	0
2009	2	0	0	0	0
2010	1	0	0	0	0
2011	1	0	0	0	0
2013	1	0	0	0	0
All model years	6	0	0	0	0

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported BMW X6 SAV components

top 6 · NHTSA categories

Air Bags is the component named most often, in 3 complaints (50.0% of all 6), followed by Engine (3) and Electrical System (1).

Components named most often in BMW X6 SAV complaints (top 6)

Components named most often in BMW X6 SAV complaints (top 6)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Air Bags	3	50.0%
Engine	3	50.0%
Unknown or Other	2	33.3%
Electrical System	1	16.7%
Fuel System, Gasoline	1	16.7%
Fuel/Propulsion System	1	16.7%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

BMW X6 SAV recalls

2 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name X6 SAV, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 2011 to 2012. The 2012 model year appears in the most campaigns (2).

2 recall campaigns

BMW X6 SAV recall campaigns covering each model year
2011: 1 campaign	2012: 2 campaigns

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 14V176000
Reported Apr 10, 2014
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Model years 2011–2012
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 Convertible, 528i Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535i xDrive Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, and X3 xDrive 35i, 2010 X3 xDrive 30i, and X5 xDrive 30i, 2012 640i Coupe, and 640i Convertible and 2010-2012 535i Gran Turismo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and may possibly break.
Consequence:
If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
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 equipped with inline 6 cylinder engines not covered by this recall, will receive an extended warranty to address this condition. The recall began on September 24, 2014. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 12V161000
Reported Apr 10, 2012
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Other Fuel Types › Turbo/Supercharger
Model year 2012
BMW is recalling certain model year 2011 5-series, 5-series gran turismo, model year 2012 6-series convertible, 7-series, X5 SAV, and X6 SAV vehicles equipped with 8- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat.
Consequence:
This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire.
Remedy:
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The safety recall began on April 30, 2012. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

BMW X6 SAV questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the BMW X6 SAV have?

NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the BMW X6 SAV, covering model years 2008 to 2013. The most recent, 14V176000, was reported on April 10, 2014 and is filed under “Engine and engine cooling”. The 2012 model year is covered by the most campaigns (2).

Which BMW X6 SAV model year has the most complaints?

The 2009 model year, with 2 of the 6 complaints in NHTSA’s file (33.3%). The next are 2008 (1) and 2010 (1). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common BMW X6 SAV complaint?

Air Bags is the component named most often: 3 complaints, or 50.0% of all 6. Engine (3) and Electrical System (1) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my BMW X6 SAV?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a BMW dealer.

How many BMW X6 SAV complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 6 complaints, 0 report a crash, 0 a fire, 0 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The BMW models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the BMW VIN decoder with every BMW model page, WMI code and VIN note.

BMW X5 1999–2026 · 103 recalls · 3,138 complaints
BMW 328i 1996–2016 · 27 recalls · 2,576 complaints
BMW X3 2004–2026 · 60 recalls · 1,989 complaints
BMW 325i 1995–2012 · 20 recalls · 1,281 complaints
BMW Z4 2002–2023 · 28 recalls · 1,280 complaints
BMW 3 Series 1995–2023 · 8 recalls · 841 complaints
BMW 528i 1997–2016 · 14 recalls · 831 complaints
BMW 330i 1999–2026 · 38 recalls · 813 complaints

All BMW models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.