FaultScore

BMW X1 transmission problems

114 of the 954 complaints filed about the BMW X1 are about the transmission — 12% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2017.

114

Complaints

12%

Share of all complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year

2013 X1 1 0.9%

Median failure at 74,000 miles

2014 X1 4 3.5%

Median failure at 89,500 miles

2015 X1 1 0.9%

Median failure at 118,000 miles

2016 X1 33 28.9%

Median failure at 67,000 miles

2017 X1 57 50.0%

Median failure at 59,000 miles

2018 X1 2 1.8%
2019 X1 1 0.9%
2020 X1 4 3.5%

Median failure at 67,000 miles

2023 X1 6 5.3%

Median failure at 6,750 miles

2024 X1 2 1.8%
2025 X1 3 2.6%

Median failure at 4,300 miles

What owners said

2020 BMW X1 at 67,000 miles Scottsdale, AZ

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2020 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated to 10 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. During the failure, the messages, "Chassis Stabilization: Drive Moderately," "Collision Warning System Malfunction," "Pedestrian Warning Reduced," and "Drivetrain: Continued Driving Possible" were displayed. The vehicle was pulled over into a remote emergency lane and driven 10 miles to an exit. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a short circuit to ground at the throttle body. The contact was informed that the throttle ground wire and controller needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,000.

NHTSA complaint #11753485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 BMW X1 Carrollton, TX

POWER TRAIN

Since November 2025, my 2025 BMW X1 has repeatedly lost propulsion while I was driving, typically after the dashboard screens suddenly crash and reboot. When this happens, the vehicle stops responding to the accelerator, displays the wrong gear, or requires me to shut it completely off in traffic before it will move again. The vehicle has been in the shop for more than 130 days, and there have been seven documented incidents, several supported by photos and videos showing the failures as they occurred. Despite multiple repair attempts, BMW has been unable to identify or correct the problem. I am honestly terrified to drive this vehicle because I never know when it will happen again, especially at highway speeds where losing power or acceleration could easily cause a serious accident. Luckily, I've avoided 3 near misses during these failures, once at highway speed on the NTTA tollway and it blocked a lane and required NTTA authority to pull it off the road. Because of that fear, I now avoid highways whenever possible and limit my driving to surface streets, which has significantly affected my daily life.

NHTSA complaint #11745444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 BMW X1 Cape Neddick, ME

POWER TRAIN

My car began shaking at low speeds when turning. Brought it to a mechanic to investigate and they performed a recommended manufacturer alteration on the car related to rear differential vent. That did not fix the issue and mechanic said a full rear differential replacement was required and it was a safety issue. If the rear differential failed while driving it could cause a serious accident. He suggested that the manufacturer knew there was an issue because they had this upgrade in their service literature. My concern is that the manufacture knew of a potential safety defect and did not initiate a recall. My car has 58k miles which in my opinion should not put it at risk for major powertrain failures.

NHTSA complaint #11742471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 BMW X1 Williamsport, PA

POWER TRAIN

Today is 1/21/26. My car has had problems since 12/4/25 when I started getting drivetrain warning lights. After "call roadside assistance" prompts, it will start, but a drivetrain fault appears on the dash. Many faults have appeared at the dealer and I have it in writing that there is nothing more they can do. They escalated the issue to BMW with no resolution, to date. I have requested a buy-back and they no longer return my calls. In terms of safety, I'm not sure what could happen if the drivetrain fault light is on. On three separate occasions, it told me that the car was in danger of rolling over when I was on a flat surface. Another time, the car wouldn't go over 30 mph. This didn't feel safe! The dealer has reloaded software many times. Once they said I could pick it up and when I started it to drive home, the fault light appeared. They said other cars have come in for similar issues, but the software update has solved the problem. They said they have never seen anything like this before. As far as I know, other than the local dealer, all other BMW inspections have been done remotely. Documentation of what as happened every day is attached. I also have the back-and-forth correspondence with the dealer and with BMW North America if needed.

NHTSA complaint #11712606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2024 BMW X1 Bolingbrook, IL

POWER TRAIN

Our X1 has a lot of "slip" in the transmission. It's most apparent when you back up and then switch to drive. In our X1, the car keeps rolling backward like it's in neutral. Drive doesn't engage until after a long delay.

NHTSA complaint #11709771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 BMW X1 Pine Bush, NY

POWER TRAIN

I believe there is a class action lawsuit for timing chains and oil pumps on BMW years 2012-2015 with N20/N26 engines. My vehicle is an exact match for this recall but it dos not show for BMW or even on your website. How do I proceed with this matter since it is something that I should not have to pay for. Can you please advise further.

NHTSA complaint #11690304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 BMW X1 at 4,300 miles Portland, ME

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2025 BMW 1X. The contact stated while at an ATM, the vehicle was shifted into drive(D), but the vehicle unintendedly shifted into park(P) and failed to move. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred in an enclosed area. The contact was unable to exit the vehicle. The contact continued to restart the vehicle. The Police was contacted for assistance. The vehicle was released approximately 10 minutes later. While exiting the vehicle, the alarm engaged. The local dealer was contacted, and an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer tested a BMW X2 where the failure was duplicated. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 4,300. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA complaint #11688060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 Taunton, MA

POWER TRAIN

My car suddenly displayed a drivetrain malfunction error, and I cannot identify the reason because the car was driving normally in a residential area.

NHTSA complaint #11681098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 at 60,000 miles Tempe, AZ

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2017 BMW X1. The contact received a notification letter of BMW Campaign Number: SIB 01 02 24(Evap System Purge(Vent) Valve Extended Limited Warranty). The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle hesitated and vibrated while the engine revved. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon shifting to drive(D), the vehicle responded as intended. The vehicle was taken to a collision center, where an unknown diagnosis was made, and an unknown repair was performed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA complaint #11677270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 Avon, OH

POWER TRAIN

X1 gear shifter is causing a Transmission waring - and comment to secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult Service center. I have spoken with BMW mechanic and other mechanic who have stated that it is common issue with X1 and Mini's that use same shifter. A spring breaks off in the shifter. Mini - issued a large warranty extension but it appears BMW has not.

NHTSA complaint #11669108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 Arlington, VA

POWER TRAIN

The warning light “Secure vehicle against rolling” appears when the gear is shifted into park. An additional message reads: “Transmission: Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult service center.” It has been verified that the gear is indeed mechanically in the park position. Upon further investigation, I discovered numerous BMW X1 owners reporting this same issue on various online forums. The common cause appears to be a broken spring inside the gear shifter. This spring normally activates a switch that notifies the vehicle's electrical system that it’s in park. When the spring fails, the system does not register this correctly, triggering the warning. After contacting BMW North America customer service, I was directed to visit an authorized service center. The estimated repair cost is around $3,000 to replace the gear shifter—despite the fact that this problem matches dozens of other complaints already submitted to the NHTSA. I'm filing this report to contribute to the growing number of similar complaints from BMW X1 owners in hopes that the issue will be formally acknowledged and addressed.

NHTSA complaint #11658198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 BMW X1 Mount Wolf, PA

POWER TRAIN

Every time I get in or out of my car, the secure vehicle against rolling indicator light comes on.

NHTSA complaint #11656952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 Rosharon, TX

POWER TRAIN

Car experiences a very rough idle at start and often stalls after being placed in gear. This can happen after car starts moving. I drive this car and am experiencing regular stalls after taking off.

NHTSA complaint #11656307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 Quincy, MA

POWER TRAIN

"Secure vehicle against rolling" warning light comes on when vehicle's gear is shifted into park. Additional information displayed states, "Transmission: Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult service center." Confirmed vehicle's gear is mechanically shifted into park. Researched issue, and found many BMW X1 owners posting to various online forums stating root cause is due to a broken spring in the gear shifter that is supposed to toggle a switch informing the vehicle's electrical system that the vehicle is shifted into park. Hence the warning message. My vehicle is currently mechanically sound with no issues. My fear is that I have no way of knowing when a real issue does occur because the warning message is constantly displayed. I am submitting this complaint to add to the 100+ other NHTSA complaints that have already been filed for this issue by other BMW X1 owners with the hope that action will be taken to address it.

NHTSA complaint #11654995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 BMW X1 at 13,000 miles Liberty Hill, TX

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2023 BMW X1. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the message "Braking may Require Additional Force" was displayed. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle jerked forward. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under an unknown recall. The contact stated that later while driving at an undisclosed speed, the messages "Chassis Stabilization", "4-WD", "Vehicle may Roll" were displayed and the check engine warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 13,000.

NHTSA complaint #11646494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 BMW X1 Frankfort, IL

POWER TRAIN

Wastegate actuator turbo failure. Causes sudden loss of power to engine. Turbo function impacted. Drivetrain malfunction warning on dashboard. No prior warning sent. Problem with wastegate has been confirmed by Independent Service Center. Found similar issue with BMW E-Series Model 530e xdrive sedan Production dates 2/22/17-6/18/20 which extended warranty to 15 yr/150000 miles for same part. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11646229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 BMW X1 at 118,000 miles Las Vegas, NV

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the engine overheated. The service engine warning light was illuminated. The thermostat symbol was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that an unknown hose was cracked. The mechanic performed a compression test, and the top of the radiator was cracked. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact was adding coolant to the reservoir occasionally. The contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11642458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 BMW X1 Barrington, NJ

POWER TRAIN

The car is indicating the I need to press the parking brake to secure the car from rolling after I have placed it in park and pressed the electronic parking brake.

NHTSA complaint #11636409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 Redondo Beach, CA

POWER TRAIN

When shifting vehicle to park "Secure Vehicle Against Rolling" warning displays on iDrive and warning message center along with "contact BMW service center". Shifter assembly failed internally. $850 shifter assembly has a $10 internal spring that broke and requires replacement. My safety at risk due to vehicle being unsafe when parked and possibly allowed to roll if not secured. Problem can be reproduced at all times when parking vehicle. Warning is also present at start up. Dealership quoted over $3000 to replace shifter assembly. There is no incident or damage to vehicle and it has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance reps. Warning lights came on after shifter assembly internal spring failure and continually afterwards while parking and starting the vehicle. Must accept warning message on iDrive system.

NHTSA complaint #11630830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 BMW X1 Moreno Valley, CA

POWER TRAIN

The secure vehicle from rolling warning alert keeps coming on everytime I get into the vvehicle I have to clear it everything I start driving or it will keep on chiming if I don't

NHTSA complaint #11625517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other BMW X1 problems