2021 BMW X1

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
Good Reliability

This 2021 model shows good reliability, primarily driven by a below-average recall rate for the BMW brand.

Key Factor:below-average recall rate

📋Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis

  • 📈
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • ⚠️
    Primary Risk Area:Accident
  • ⚖️
    Vs Brand: Better than avg (1.5)
    📝
    Summary:

Safety & Reliability Score

92/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-8
Complaint Impact-0.25
Investigation Impact-0

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2021 BMW X1

Model Year2021
MakeBMW
ModelX1
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Dec21
ISSUEFirst Report

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

2 complaints (40% of total)
➡️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 5 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
2(40%)
🟡Medium
3(60%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

⚙️Engineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 0-20k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 6,000 miles.

📊 Mileage data extracted from 1 of 5 complaints (20% coverage)
0-20k
1 reports (100%)
20k-40k
0 reports (0%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
0 reports (0%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

SEAT BELTS

Official Safety Recalls (1)

Campaign: 21V554000

SEAT BELTS

Summary

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."

Consequence

During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.

Remedy

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).

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC

NHTSA Investigations

0 investigations

No active investigations for this vehicle.

Consumer Complaints

5 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 X1.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Accident40%
Warning40%
Display20%
Explode20%
Crash/Accident20%
Safety Systems🔶 Medium
AIR BAGS

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

Electrical🔶 Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

While I was driving my BMW X1 1 to 3 weeks ago, frontal collision warning malfunction, pedestrian alert and request service flashed. It was a distraction and not safe. When My husband brought it to the dealership, they were not certain how to fix it. They took a video while doing diagnostic. The right bumper is pop out a little bit because it got hooked to a protruding rod in a concrete parking block while I was parking in front of a food store in Raritan sometime last year. I did not have it fix yet because it was not so obvious and the aesthetics of the car was not much affected. For that reason, the man in the video was saying that he saw a little damage there and was assuming that there’s sort of impact there to the right but it’s hard for him to tell. He was talking of a hard impact which did not happen. He said, visually he could not see anything that is bent but usually if there is a hard impact, it usually twigs the knuckle or the tire rod and he was pointing to those. He also said that when there is a hard impact, they usually recommend to replace the steering rack which is very delicate electronic steering rack and he was pointing where it is. He said, those 3 parts need to be replaced and he will do an alignment once they’re done. He said the reason why always the collision warning are coming on are because of all the steering angle faults from the steering moving so far off. I spoke with the manager last Monday and agreed with alignment but he said if the warning won’t go away after then, I have to spend about $5,000 to replace all those 3 parts. They were not listening that the car did not get a hard impact that’s why they could not see anything bent. It was just the right side of the bumper that was hooked to a rod. They did not even talk about checking the cameras or sensor of the car which according to google is the common cause of frontal collision malfunction. The root cause should be found to fix the problem.

Electrical⚠️ High
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The car was displaying these messages: Frontal Collision Warning System: Malfunction, Brake intervention not available. Visual and acoustic ️ warnings active. Consult service center. Daytime Pedestrian Warning reduced:Brake intervention not possible, but visual and acoustic warnings are still given. Consult service center. It was inspected by the dealership but they were saying that I have to pay $5,000 for it to be fixed which is not right because I think it is a manufacturer’s defect. They were blaming it to a collision which never happened. A portion of the right side of the bumper came off sometime last year because as I was trying to park it, it got hooked to a rod in a parking block. It is not even obvious that’s why I did not have if fix yet, not a priority for my budget. I need a car to go to work. An unfix controller area network and electronic control units could lead to fatal accident.

Other⚠️ High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On November 18, 2022, around 9:45 a.m. on Rt. 462 in South Carolina. I was driving my 2021 BMW X1 when “boom.” I thought I’d been shot at with a shotgun. I nearly lost control of the car. As it turns out, by sunroof exploded. (See attached photo). My BMW dealer is covering it under warranty, but I thought I should let NHTSA know. It has been replaced, so inspection is not an option. There were no symptoms prior to the failure.

Safety Systems🔶 Medium
AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2021 BMW X1. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 mph, another vehicle crashed into the front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact mentioned the air bags failed to deploy from the intensity of the vehicle. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the driver sustained a broken right hand that needed medical attention and was unaware of the other vehicle injuries. The vehicle was towed to the body shop. The dealer was not contacted. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer but there was no answer. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000. The VIN was not available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2021 BMW X1?

Yes, the 2021 BMW X1 has 1 recorded recall from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including SEAT BELTS.

Is the 2021 BMW X1 safe to drive?

The 2021 BMW X1 has 1 recall. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2021 BMW X1 has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local BMW dealer.

📊Year-over-Year Context

➡️Stable Pattern

Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Seat belts

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm seat belts recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all seat belts recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:21V554000
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your BMW dealer to verify recall completion status.

🧭What This Means for You

Families with young passengers, pregnant drivers, or those with frequent highway commutes should prioritize this information.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

🔑

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 1 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your BMW dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediately—recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used

  • Request the VIN before purchase and verify recall status at NHTSA.gov.
  • This model year shows favorable reliability metrics compared to alternatives.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.