Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical and body and structure. The 6 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2019Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/6 checked
2019 BMW X1: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2019's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2019 BMW X1. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 25–26 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2019 BMW X1, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The emergency call (SOS) system fails and posts an error warning on the instrument panel, sometimes on and off for weeks or months. When it fails, the car may not be able to call for help after a crash. In one case, dealer service blamed water leaking from the shark fin antenna onto the telematics control unit. That unit sits under the headliner, so diagnosis and replacement are difficult and costly. Another report describes a sudden shutdown on the highway at 17000 miles, with dashboard lights blinking and no restart. That is a serious loss-of-power risk in traffic.
No failures are reported here. Both complaints are about waiting for a recall repair. Owners received notice for campaign 19V349000, but dealers said the parts were not available and could not give an arrival date. The manufacturer could not give a date either. Owners say the wait for the remedy went on far too long. This category is about parts shortages and slow dealer service, not breakdowns on the road.
Excerpts from complaints X1 owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
SOS Malfunction For the past two years, I have received a notice on my dashboard that there is a problem with the Emergency Call System. However, the message appears intermittently for weeks or months at a time.211/400
Filed with NHTSA, January 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2019 ranks fifth for owner complaints among 8 X1 years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2019 is the fourth model year of the X1's second generation (2016–2022).
Recall repairs are free at any BMW dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2019 X2 xDrive28i, MINI Cooper S Convertible, Countryman, and John Cooper Works Countryman vehicles. The steering gear tie rod may have been assembled incorrectly, which may result in excessive wear of the tie rod end, eventually causing it to break.
Risk: A broken steering tie rod would lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the tie rods and ball joints as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2019 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. In the event of a crash where the occupants head contacts the B-pillar, the pillar may not absorb an adequate amount of the impact. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact.".
Risk: In the event of a crash, the insufficient impact absorption can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vertical trim pieces on the upper portion of the interior B-Pillars, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 1, 2019. Second notices will be sent as parts become available, starting on September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. Contaminated hardware may cause the attachment brackets of the taillight housings to crack, causing the lights to loosen or possibly detach from the vehicle.
Risk: If a taillight detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will properly secure the taillights, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Cars shoppers compare with the BMW X1, with their own 2019 checklists.
2019 owner complaints, side by side
