Used BMW X1 2015-2022 reliability

Non-engine electrics

Some owners have complained of failures that involve non-engine electrics, including the DAB radio, the sat-nav and the entire infotainment system. Many have had to wait a long time for replacement parts and had to pay quite a lot of money in the process.

DPF issues

There aren’t really any common issues with the X1. That said, we would suggest you check for diesel particulate filter (DPF) issues on diesel cars that haven’t ventured onto the motorway very often. The DPF needs to have been brought up to temperature before it can regenerate, and this process is best triggered at a constant, higher speed. Check how the previous owner has used the car if you are unsure.

Tie rods

A small number of X1s made on 2 April 2019 have an issue where the tie rods on the front suspension were not assembled correctly. If your car is affected it will need to checked by a BMW dealer and have the fault rectified.

Airbags

There have been two recalls relating to airbags so far. The first is for examples made between 8 August 2016 and 14 November 2016, with which the igniter in certain airbag modules might prevent the bag from deploying correctly. The second is to attend to a problem with the machining of the front passenger recess, in which the airbag is mounted in the dashboard. The recess may not split apart as intended in a collision and allow the bag to inflate. This recall applies to cars built from 11 June 2016 and 10 January 2017, so check both of these out with a BMW dealer.

Swivel bearings

A manufacturing flaw with the swivel bearings on the front suspension could lead to fractures in the part over time. This affects vehicles made between 24 April 2018 and 1 May 2018, and you can find out if your car is affected by contacting your BMW dealer.

Rear lights

The wrong securing nuts might have been used to hold the rear lights in place at the factory on some X1s manufactured between 5 October 2018 and 18 January 2019. Find out from a BMW dealer if your car is affected by this.

Crankshaft sensor

A problem with the crankshaft sensor of some examples built from 16 May 2018 and 8 June 2018 could lead to the engine going into an emergency reduced power mode and limit performance. A BMW dealer will be able to confirm if your X1 is affected by this and arrange to have the sensor replaced.

There should be few things to worry about with the BMW X1. In our annual What Car? Reliability Survey it placed eighth out of 34 cars in the family SUV class, achieving a great score of 96.6%. That was below the Skoda Karoq and the Volvo XC40 but above the Audi Q3 and Mercedes GLE.

Reliability rating 96.6%

What went wrong? Battery 4%, brakes 4%, engine 4%, interior trim 4%, non-engine electrics 4%

It’s the petrol versions of the 2015-2022 BMW X1 family SUV that are proving more robust than the diesel models. Owners told us that 12% of petrol X1s suffered a glitch, compared with 26% of diesels. The faults proved fairly inconvenient, with 40% of cars undriveable and out of action for more than a week, but BMW covered the cost of all repair work softening the blow for owners.

BMW did well as a brand, placing eighth out of 31 in our rundown of the most reliable used car brands. That was above Audi and Mercedes but below Hyundai, Kia and Volvo.

Used BMW X1 reliability: the owners' view

What Car? readers have offered their insights on the BMW X1. Their feedback points to a mostly sound reliability picture.

On one hand, the mechanical aspects of the X1, such as the engine and transmission, are generally reliable, with few significant failures reported. However, electrical issues, including faults with the infotainment system and electronic dashboard warnings, have been problematic for many owners, leading to several dealership visits.

Dealer service quality also varied among respondents. Some praised their dealers for professionalism and effective communication, particularly in resolving warranty-covered repairs efficiently. Others, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the length of time it took to schedule service appointments and complete repairs, alongside concerns about the cost of out-of-warranty work.

Overall, while the BMW X1 demonstrates solid mechanical reliability, electrical problems and inconsistent dealer service experiences highlight areas for potential improvement.

To take part in our annual reliability survey with your car, please follow the link here