BMW X1 years to avoid
BMW X1 years to avoid, by NHTSA owner complaints: the 2016 (159 complaints, led by the powertrain at 33 and the windshield wipers at 18) and the 2017 (156, led by the powertrain at 57 and the brakes at 26) drew the most of the 2013–2025 model years on record as of November 10, 2026; complaints are owner reports, not proven defects, and the counts also reflect each year’s age and sales. Before buying a used X1, run its VIN: the $14.99 original ClearVIN PDF shows title brands, odometer readings, accident and auction records on file.
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The 2016 (159) and 2017 (156) drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA of the 2013–2025 BMW X1 model years on record, as of November 10, 2026.
NHTSA lists recalls but no complaint for 2014 and 2015 under this name, so those years’ complaints may be filed under a name this collection did not find.
2019–2022, 2024 and 2025 have fewer than 40 complaints on file, too few to compare.
NHTSA’s recall records also list 2012 under this name, a year with no complaint whose campaigns all reach later model years too; it is left out, so the table starts with 2013.
Fewest complaints: not named. Fewer than three of the BMW X1 model years from 2013 to 2020 with at least 40 complaints on file remain once the years with the most are set aside.
Half of the 142 NHTSA owner complaints on the BMW X1 that list mileage came after 47,000 miles (NHTSA complaints file of November 11, 2026). How many miles will a BMW X1 last? →
BMW X1 complaints and recalls by model year, 2013–2025
This table lists the 13 BMW X1 model years NHTSA holds records for between 2013 and 2025, collected from NHTSA’s complaints and recalls APIs on November 10, 2026. Each owner complaint is counted once, by its NHTSA number, and a complaint can name more than one component; recall campaigns are counted once per model year, by campaign number. Across these years NHTSA lists 19 distinct recall campaigns, the newest filed Jul 1, 2026.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Most-reported components | Recall campaigns | Newest recall filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 X1 | 103 | airbags (33), electrical system (28), engine (25) | 2 | Aug 14, 2024 |
| 2014 X1 | 0 · may be filed under another name | — | 2 | Aug 14, 2024 |
| 2015 X1 | 0 · may be filed under another name | — | 2 | Aug 14, 2024 |
| 2016 X1 | 159 · most | powertrain (33), windshield wipers (18), body structure (17) | 3 | May 9, 2019 |
| 2017 X1 | 156 · most | powertrain (57), brakes (26), electrical system (24) | 2 | May 9, 2019 |
| 2018 X1 | 60 | body structure (22), electrical system (8) | 4 | Aug 14, 2019 |
| 2019 X1 | 13 · too few to compare | electrical system (5), body structure (3), engine (2) | 3 | Aug 14, 2019 |
| 2020 X1 | 13 · too few to compare | powertrain (4), engine (3) | 1 | May 20, 2020 |
| 2021 X1 | 11 · too few to compare | airbags (4), electrical system (3) | 1 | Jul 21, 2021 |
| 2022 X1 | 1 · too few to compare | engine (1) | 2 | Feb 14, 2023 |
| 2023 X1 | 71 | electronic stability control (31), brakes (31), powertrain (6) | 6 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| 2024 X1 | 30 · too few to compare | electronic stability control (10), brakes (10), forward collision avoidance (5) | 3 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| 2025 X1 | 17 · too few to compare | electrical system (9), powertrain (6), brakes (4) | 3 | Sep 17, 2025 |
BMW X1 by model year: mileage, problems and recalls
Each page below covers one model year in NHTSA’s complaints file of November 11, 2026: the mileage when owners reported problems, the most-reported components and the recall campaigns NHTSA’s recall files list. That file is a separate collection from the table above and goes back to the 1981 model year, so its counts can differ and it holds years the table does not.
How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse vehicle. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road, so older and best-selling years collect more.
- The comparison is between years of the BMW X1 only. It says nothing about how the X1 compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. NHTSA’s VIN lookup checks open recalls within its coverage and excludes completed repairs. A zero result does not prove the vehicle’s complete recall or repair history; ask for dated repair documentation.
- NHTSA files some years under body or cab names (for example ACCESS CAB or CREW CAB). This collection asked for the names NHTSA lists, and a year far below its neighbours also under the common cab and body names. Such a year is marked as possibly filed under another name only when NHTSA’s records show it split across names or holding recalls and no complaint; otherwise its count is read as low.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
- NHTSA recall and complaint datasets: scope and API documentationNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle APINational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle APINational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Recalls Lookup by VINNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
BMW X1 year-by-year questions
Which BMW X1 years should I avoid?
BMW X1 years to avoid, by NHTSA owner complaints: the 2016 (159 complaints, led by the powertrain at 33 and the windshield wipers at 18) and the 2017 (156, led by the powertrain at 57 and the brakes at 26) drew the most of the 2013–2025 model years on record as of November 10, 2026; complaints are owner reports, not proven defects, and the counts also reflect each year’s age and sales. NHTSA lists recalls but no complaint for 2014 and 2015 under this name, so those years’ complaints may be filed under a name this collection did not find. 2019–2022, 2024 and 2025 have fewer than 40 complaints on file, too few to compare. NHTSA’s recall records also list 2012 under this name, a year with no complaint whose campaigns all reach later model years too; it is left out, so the table starts with 2013.
What are the best BMW X1 years?
Complaint counts do not show which model year is best; the closest they come is which years drew the fewest complaints. This page names none: fewer than three of the BMW X1 model years from 2013 to 2020 with at least 40 complaints on file remain once the years with the most are set aside.
Do complaint counts mean the X1 is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model, which is what this page does, not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific X1 before buying?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. It reports open recalls within its coverage and excludes completed repairs. A zero result is not a complete recall or repair history; ask the seller or manufacturer for dated repair documentation. For the vehicle's own past, the original ClearVIN PDF from VIN Lookup shows title brands, odometer readings, accident and auction records on file for that VIN.