Does the 2021 BMW X1 have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2021 BMW X1, the most recent reported on July 21, 2021 (Seat belts). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2021 BMW X1?

Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is air bags (4 complaints), followed by electrical system (3).

How many 2021 BMW X1 complaints mention a crash or fire?

4 of 10 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 4 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2021 BMW X1 recalls and problems

1 recall and 10 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2021 BMW X1.

recalls

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2021 BMW X1 recalls

Seat belts

NHTSA campaign 21V554000 · reported July 21, 2021 · BMW of North America, LLC · 21,537 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Air bags4
Electrical system3
Engine2
Forward collision avoidance2
Service brakes1
Suspension1
Unknown or other1

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Oct 22, 2026 · Engine · 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X1. The contact stated that while reversing and parking the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that after the failure, the message “Engine HOT” was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to…

Sep 18, 2026 · Air bags · 59,000 miles · crash reported
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X1. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 10 MPH, she was involved in a head-on crash with another vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The driver was transported to the hospital for level two severe trauma to the neck, head, and…

Sep 12, 2026 · Air bags · crash reported
I got into an accident, i was hit on the driver side and the car was pushed to hit a tree, the air bag did not deploy.

Aug 11, 2026 · Engine · 35,000 miles
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the navigation screen was glitching and became inoperable. The service message was displayed. There was a red triangle with an exclamation mark displayed. The vehicle was…

Jan 24, 2026 · Service brakes
At approximately 20,000 miles, the vehicle was inspected by an authorized dealer due to abnormal noises from the front suspension when turning the steering wheel. The dealer confirmed abnormal noise from the front struts when the wheels were turned while the vehicle was on a lift and diagnosed premature front strut…

X1 model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2018	4	60	6	2
2019	3	13	1	0
2020	1	13	1	1
2021	1	10	4	0
2022	2	1	0	0
2023	6	70	2	0
2024	3	30	3	0

Across all years, the 2016 X1 has the most complaints (159). All BMW X1 years →

Questions

Does the 2021 BMW X1 have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2021 BMW X1, the most recent reported on July 21, 2021 (Seat belts). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 BMW X1?: Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is air bags (4 complaints), followed by electrical system (3).
How many 2021 BMW X1 complaints mention a crash or fire?: 4 of 10 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 4 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received October 22, 2026.