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Emergency

Before you buy a used BMW X3 (G01).

2017–2024 · Petrol / Diesel / Plug-in hybrid / Electric · 8 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

BMW X3 (G01), real photo of this generation
Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

20i / 30i (B48) · 20d (B47) · 30d (B57) · M40i (B58, 3.0) · M40d (B57, 3.0)

20i / 30i (B48) (Petrol) · 20d (B47) (Diesel) · 30d (B57) (Diesel) · M40i (B58, 3.0) (Petrol) · M40d (B57, 3.0) (Diesel)

30e

Plug-in hybrid

These also apply, described above: ZF 8HP oil level, leaks and harsh shifts

iX3

Electric

X3 M (S58, 3.0)

Petrol

These also apply, described above: ZF 8HP oil level, leaks and harsh shifts

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the BMW X3 (G01)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
20i / 30i (B48)Petrol32 with conditions1
20d (B47)Diesel32 with conditions1
30d (B57)Diesel32 with conditions1
30ePlug-in hybrid21 with conditions1
iX3ElectricFewest documented11 with conditions0
M40i (B58, 3.0)Petrol32 with conditions1
M40d (B57, 3.0)Diesel32 with conditions1
X3 M (S58, 3.0)PetrolFewest documented11 with conditions1

According to the data we have, the engines with the fewest documented faults are: iX3 (Electric), X3 M (S58, 3.0) (Petrol).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Electric.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official BMW dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
RSW22 starter motor that fails to crank or short-circuits (BMW 2020–2026)Electrical and electronic systems

Engines: 20i / 30i (B48) (Petrol) · 20d (B47) (Diesel) · 30d (B57) (Diesel) · 30e (Plug-in hybrid) · M40i (B58, 3.0) (Petrol) · M40d (B57, 3.0) (Diesel) · X3 M (S58, 3.0) (Petrol)

How to check it: Ask a BMW garage to check with the VIN whether any of those campaigns is outstanding, especially if the car has already failed to start.

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On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 5 checked

Cooling / EGR

  • Look out for: Coolant loss with a low-level warning, coolant or oil residue at the rear of the engine; on diesels, internal coolant loss with no visible leak (EGR cooler).

    Ask them to check: Check the coolant level, look for leaks under the water pump and at the oil filter housing, and on diesels confirm by VIN whether the EGR cooler campaign was done.

High-voltage battery

  • Look out for: Usually none before failure. In rare cases, a battery short-circuit with a fire risk, especially while charging.

    Ask them to check: Confirm by VIN with BMW that the battery recall has been done; if not, do not charge the car until it is checked.

  • Look out for: None in normal use; after a serious crash the hazard lights, the lighting and the automatic emergency call may fail.

    Ask them to check: Check campaign 0061030600 by VIN at a BMW dealer.

Automatic gearbox

  • Look out for: Harsh shifts (especially engaging D and 1st to 2nd), slipping or jerking; oil leaks from the pan, the mechatronic connector sleeve or the seals.

    Ask them to check: Check the oil level with the official procedure (correct temperature and engine running), look for leaks at the pan, connector sleeve and seals, inspect the pan for impact damage and review adaptation values with ISTA.

Cooling

  • Look out for: Only in severe cold (−15 °C or below): a "top up coolant" warning and some fluid under the car. At normal temperatures it does not leak and the engine temperature is fine.

    Ask them to check: Note the outside temperature when the warning appears and only check the level with the engine cold. At the garage, have them look for the leak at the coolant pipes' quick connectors, including the low-temperature circuit.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

20A20120A209

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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