Reliable Auto DB

2019 BMW X1 reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 BMW X1 over 8 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most X1 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Tie rod, Roof and pillars, and Tail lights.

2012 BMW X1
Photo by Vauxford, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

11

Per year

1

Recalls

3

Years on the road

8

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (5 of 11), then Engine (2) and Structure (2). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 X1 has 59 complaints, 11 per year, and the 2020 has 13 complaints, 2 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2019 BMW X1. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall steering, linkages, tie rod 2019-08-14 · NHTSA campaign 19V601000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2019 X2 xDrive28i, MINI Cooper S Convertible, Countryman, and John Cooper Works Countryman vehicles. The steering gear tie rod may have been assembled incorrectly, which may result in excessive wear of the tie rod end, eventually causing it to break.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the tie rods and ball joints as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Recall structure, body, roof and pillars 2019-05-09 · NHTSA campaign 19V349000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2019 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. In the event of a crash where the occupants head contacts the B-pillar, the pillar may not absorb an adequate amount of the impact. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vertical trim pieces on the upper portion of the interior B-Pillars, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 1, 2019. Second notices will be sent as parts become available, starting on September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Recall exterior lighting, tail lights 2019-01-30 · NHTSA campaign 19V074000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles. Contaminated hardware may cause the attachment brackets of the taillight housings to crack, causing the lights to loosen or possibly detach from the vehicle.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will properly secure the taillights, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component (11 total)

Electrical system
5
Engine
2
Structure
2
Engine and engine cooling
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Powertrain
1
Suspension
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12019220201202112023220243202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "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…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-06-06
  • "A recall was issued for similar vehicles (X1) but ended with the 2018 model year (Recall 24V-608). This issue continues to be present in the 2019 model year. The thermostats in subsequent year models continue to leak,…"
    Suspension, Engine · filed 2025-09-09
  • "The contact owns a 2019 BMW X1. The contact stated that the emergency call error light illuminated the instrument panel. In December of 2024, the contact received notification regarding an extended warranty coverage for…"
    Electrical system · filed 2025-03-12
  • "SOS Malfunction For the past two years, I have received a notice on my dashboard that there is a problem with the Emergency Call System. However, the message appears intermittently for weeks or months at a time.211/400"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other · filed 2025-01-22
  • "The contact owns a 2019 BMW X1. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change and was informed that the vehicle was leaking coolant. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling,…"
    Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system · filed 2024-11-08

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2019 BMW X1 SUV AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2019 BMW X1 SUV FWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
X1 sDrive28i 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 23 32 26 MPG $3050
X1 xDrive28i 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 22 31 25 MPG $3200

Specs and fitment

F48 generation, 2016–2022
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 (B46/B48) , 5.6 qt capacity
Tire size 205/60R17, 225/55R17, 225/50R18 or 225/45ZR19 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 19V349000 covers certain 2016-2019 X1 sDrive28i and xDrive28i vehicles (~106,182 units) that may not absorb enough B-pillar impact energy in a crash to meet FMVSS 201; dealers replace the upper interior B-pillar trim pieces. This generation moved to the front-wheel-drive UKL2 platform and B48 four-cylinder engines, leaving behind the N20 timing-chain settlement class that applied to the prior E84.

Compare

Previous year 2018 BMW X1 Next year 2020 BMW X1 See every BMW X1 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 BMW X1 reliable?

Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 BMW X1 over 8 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most X1 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Tie rod, Roof and pillars, and Tail lights.

What are common problems with a 2019 BMW X1?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (5 of 11), then Engine (2) and Structure (2). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2019 BMW X1 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2018 X1 has 59 complaints, 11 per year, and the 2020 has 13 complaints, 2 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020.

Has the 2019 BMW X1 been recalled?

The 2019 BMW X1 has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2019 BMW X1?

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2019 BMW X1 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 BMW X1 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 BMW X1 is 25.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a BMW X1 use?

E84 models commonly use 0W-20 (28i N20) or 0W-30 (35i N55); F48/U11 gasoline models commonly use 0W-20 (~5.6 qt with filter on B46/B48).

What tire sizes does a BMW X1 use?

OEM sizes span about 205/60R17 through 225/45ZR19 (and staggered rear packages on some E84 options); confirm the door placard.

What timing-chain settlement covers certain early X1 models?

N20/N26-powered 2012-2015 X1 SAV models were included in the Gelis timing chain and oil-pump drive chain class-action settlement (BMW SI B11 02 21).