Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the airbags and electrical. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2021Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/8 checked
2021 BMW X1: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/4
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
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 2021's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2021 checks
Worth adding to your 2021 checks
Worth adding to your 2021 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2021 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 | 26–27 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2021 BMW X1, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Airbags, including the steering wheel airbag, fail to deploy in collisions. Both complaints in this category involve real crashes, with 3 injuries reported between them. The impacts described include hitting a car that turned in front of the X1 and a strike to the front passenger side at about 65 mph. This is a direct safety risk, because occupants may get no airbag protection in a serious crash. Neither report describes a dealer inspection, a diagnosis, or a repair. One failure came at about 6,000 miles, but there are too few reports to show a mileage pattern.
Dashboard messages report a Frontal Collision Warning System malfunction and a reduced Daytime Pedestrian Warning, and automatic brake intervention stops working. Visual and audible warnings still work, but the car will no longer brake on its own. Drivers find the flashing alerts distracting. Dealers struggle to diagnose the fault and blame earlier damage to the right side of the bumper. Owners say that damage came from snagging a parking block, not from a collision, and call the fault a factory defect. One repair estimate reached $5,000.
Excerpts from complaints X1 owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
I was involved in an accident today and the front steering wheel airbags didn’t deploy The blue car in the pictures turned in front of me and I hit them
Filed with NHTSA, May 2023
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2021 ranks seventh 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 2021 is the sixth 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 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.".
Risk: During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
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).
Cars shoppers compare with the BMW X1, with their own 2021 checklists.
2021 owner complaints, side by side
