2023 BMW X1: What to check before buying

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the brakes, stability control, and transmission. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.

2023

Owner complaints: 68
Recalls: 5
Crashes reported: 2
Reliability: Good; 64/100 on Auto Reliability Index

Your inspection sheet

Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.

0/9 checked

Paperwork and questions

Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3

01Confirm the 5 recalls listed below show as completed for this VIN. A BMW dealer can look them up for free.
02Run the VIN for open recalls covering brakes, stability control, and air bags, and confirm each shows as completed.
03Ask for dealer records proving recall work was actually performed, not just scheduled or waiting on parts.

Walk-around and cabin

Engine off, key in hand0/1

04Restart the car several times and confirm the touch screen and backup camera come on every time.

Cold start, engine bay, and underside

Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1

05Start the car and confirm no ABS, traction control, brake, air bag, or check engine lights stay on.

Test drive

At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4

06With the engine running, press the brake pedal firmly and reject the car if it feels stiff or sinks toward the floor.
07Pull away from several full stops and note any lag of a second or two followed by a surge.
08Stop on a slight incline, shift into drive and reverse, and check whether the car rolls before the gear engages.
09Back out of a busy parking space and confirm rear cross traffic alert warns of passing cars.

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.

Which X1 is it?

EPA figures for each version of the 2023 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	28 mpg

Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A X1 that averages well under the EPA 28 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.

Why these checks: what owners reported

NHTSA complaints for the 2023 BMW X1, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.

Brakes381 crash
The brake pedal can suddenly turn stiff and need hard pressure, or sink to the floor after a thud, with warning lights on. One of the 38 complaints involves a crash after the brakes felt hard to push. Most complaints, though, are about an open brake and stability-control recall. Owners say dealers have no parts for the repair, in some cases for more than a year. A separate report describes brake squealing that dealers blamed on a sensor.
Stability control13No crashes
Brakes lose power assist or stop responding. The pedal either needs heavy force or drops to the floor. ABS, traction control, brake, and check engine lights come on. In one report the car swerved and stopped in a highway lane at 50 mph, then would not shift into gear and had to be towed. Even so, most of these 13 complaints come from owners who have had no failure and say the recall repair is stalled because parts are unavailable.
Transmission51 crash
Pulling away from a stop is delayed. Owners describe a lag of a second or two after pressing the accelerator, followed by a sudden surge. That makes left turns across traffic and highway merges risky. Some owners link it to the dual clutch transmission. One crash-related complaint ties it to the engine restarting after auto start-stop, when the car lurched forward into a house. Another report describes the car rolling one or two feet on an incline before the selected gear engages.
Airbags4No crashes
An open air bag recall dominates these complaints. Owners say the repair is stalled because parts are not available, and most have not had any failure. One report describes a driver restraint system malfunction warning light. The dealer then said the driver's air bag and another air bag needed replacement but could not do the work without parts. None of the 4 complaints describe a crash or an air bag deployment.
Backup camera3No crashes
Rear cross traffic alert gives no warning when cars or people pass behind the vehicle while it reverses. Two complaints describe near misses backing out of parking spaces. In one case a dealer offered a fix but could not explain the cause. A third complaint describes the touch screen going black, which takes out the backup camera, climate controls, and navigation until the screen comes back on its own. A dealer reset did not stop it from happening again.

In owners' own words

Excerpts from complaints X1 owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.

Brakes

I was given the notice in February 2024 that there was an issue with the integrated brake system and as of today June 4,2024 the dealer states they do not have the parts to fix the issue. It has been 4 months driving a car that is potentially unsafe due to Integrated Brake system. Please advise when BMW is required to have the problem fixed.

Filed with NHTSA, June 2024

Brakes

I received notice on the recall for my vehicle in October 2024. Since then I have tried to make appointments with BMW of Ramsey to fix the recall issue and they have told me each time that the part is not available and they cannot fix the issue. We are now in May 2025 and this has not been attended to.

Filed with NHTSA, May 2025

How the 2023 compares with other X1 years

Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.

The 2023 has the most owner complaints of the 8 X1 years we cover, about 4.0 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.

2023 Average of other years

Brakes382
Stability control130
Transmission51
Airbags41
Backup camera30

Where the 2023 fits in the X1's history

Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.

The 2023 is the second model year of the X1's third generation (2022–2023).

Recalls to confirm (5)

Recall repairs are free at any BMW dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.

24V739000Stability controlOct 2024
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2024 X1, X5, X6, X7, XM, 530i, i5, 740i, 760i, i7, and 750e vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The integrated brake (IB) system may malfunction and result in a loss of power brake assist or cause the Antilock Brake (ABS) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) systems to not function properly.
Risk: A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle. Additionally, malfunctioning ABS and/or DSC systems can cause a loss of vehicle control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the integrated brake module, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 22, 2024. Second letters will be mailed once the parts are available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicles in this recall were previously repaired under recall number 24V-104 and will need to have the new remedy completed.
24V697000Stability controlSep 2024
BMW of North America (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2024 X1, 2024-2025 X5, 2025 X6, 2023-2025 X7, 740i, 760i, 2024 XM, 530i, 540i, i7, 750e, X2, 2024-2025 i5, 2024 Rolls Royce Spectre, 2025 MINI Countryman S ALL4, JCW Countryman ALL4, and 2025 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, Cooper S) vehicles. Please refer to the recall report for the complete list of models. The welds in the servomotor of the integrated brake control module may break, causing a loss of power brake assist and rear brake function. In addition, the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system may not function.
Risk: A loss of brake power assist or rear brake function can result in extended stopping distance. A loss of ABS or DSC can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 13, 2024. Owners can contact BMW Customer Service at 1-800-525-7417.
24V104000Stability controlFeb 2024
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2025 BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The integrated brake (IB) system may malfunction and result in a loss of power brake assist or cause the Antilock Brake (ABS) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) systems to not function properly.
Risk: A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle. Additionally, malfunctioning ABS and/or DSC systems can cause a loss of vehicle control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between June and December 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls Royce customer service at 1-877-877-3735.
23V260000Seat beltsApr 2023
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 X1 xDrive28i, X1 M35i vehicles. On the second-row outboard seats, the seat belts may have been pinched by an interior trim panel during vehicle assembly.
Risk: A pinched seat belt may not function properly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and adjust the interior trim panel, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
23V079000AirbagsFeb 2023
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive40, iX xDrive50, iX M60 and 2022-2023 X1 xDrive28i vehicles. The front driver's air bag may have been manufactured incorrectly and may not deploy as intended during a crash.
Risk: A driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 14, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

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2023 owner complaints, side by side