2021 BMW X1 Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2021 BMW X1.

20202022
Complaints
10
per 10K Sold
5.5
US Sales
18,255
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
3
Fatalities
—
Recalls
1

Worst 2021 BMW X1 Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#12 complaints

Airbags

Crash-related:2
#22 complaints

Electrical Faults

#32 complaints

Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings

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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2021 BMW X1.

Airbags
2
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Suspension Failures
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2021 BMW X1. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2021 BMW X1

1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~21,537 vehicles.

21V554000Seat Belts
~21,537 affected

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."

Other BMW X1 Years

2013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025

2021 BMW X1 — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2021 BMW X1 reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2021 BMW X1 has 10 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Airbags with 2 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2021 BMW X1?
Top reported problems: Airbags (2 complaints); Electrical Faults (2 complaints); Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings (2 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
How safe is the 2021 BMW X1?
NHTSA complaints for the 2021 BMW X1 include 2 crash-related reports, 0 fire reports, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2021 BMW X1 have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 21,537 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2021 BMW X1?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full BMW X1 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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