Model year 2015 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
2015 BMW X3: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2015 BMW X3 at 21–30 mpg combined across 4 versions. NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 104 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
7
EPA combined mpg
21–30
NHTSA overall rating
5/5
Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a BMW dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2015 BMW X3 recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 7 safety recalls for the 2015 BMW X3, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling: Cooling system: Pump and 1 more component
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Risk
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Risk
A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall. An interim owner notification letter was mailed on January 18, 2022. The remedy is expected to be available in June 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.
Risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling: Exhaust system: Emission control: Gas recirculation valve (egr valve)
NHTSA 18V755000Reported Oct 25, 2018
Filed by
BMW of North America, LLC
Units affected
44,368 (estimate)
Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 BMW 328d and 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon and 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d and 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. If the EGR cooler leaks internally, the coolant can mix with diesel engine soot. The high EGR temperatures may result in these particles possibly smoldering and melting the intake manifold.
Risk
The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the EGR cooler as necessary. If a leak has already occurred, the engine intake manifold will also be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 BMW X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, X3 xDrive28d, X4 xDrive28i and X4 xDrive35i vehicles, and model year 2014-2015 X5 xDrive35i, X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, and 2014 X5 xDrive35d vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver's frontal air bag inflator that may have been improperly welded.
Risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on November 1, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2011-2017, X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i and X3 xDrive35i, vehicles manufactured July 2, 2010 to April 14, 2016, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014 to March 31, 2016, and 2015-2017 x4 xDrive28i, X4 xDrive35i and X4 xDriveM40i vehicles manufactured March3, 2014 to April 15, 2016. The affected vehicles have lower anchor bars for securing child restraint seats that may become damaged when using the European-ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.
Risk
Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will weld a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars and the vehicle body, free of charge. The recall began on July 13, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 X3 and X4 Sports Activity Vehicles manufactured July 28, 2014 to July 29, 2014. The affected vehicles may have been produced with a driver's side exterior rearview mirror that was designed to meet non-US market requirements. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards No. 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk
The driver may not notice that vehicles viewed in the mirror are closer than they appear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side exterior rearview mirror, free of charge. The recall began on December 16, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or [email protected].
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2015 BMW X3 fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2015 BMW X3 crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
2015 BMW X3 NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2015 BMW X3 Xdrive28D SUV AWD
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
4 stars
16.9%
Optional
2015 BMW X3 Xdrive28I SUV AWD
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
4 stars
16.9%
Optional
2015 BMW X3 Xdrive35I SUV AWD
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
4 stars
16.9%
Optional
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2015 BMW X3 owner complaints
Owners have filed 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 BMW X3, most recently on Jun 14, 2026. 8 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 3 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2015 BMW X3 complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Engine
29
Electrical system
21
Engine and engine cooling
15
Fuel/propulsion system
13
Unknown or other
13
Air bags
10
Fuel system, diesel
10
Power train
9
Service brakes
8
Vehicle speed control
7
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
