2020 BMW X4 reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2020 BMW X4 holds 15 complaints after 7 years, a rate of 1 per year. That is more complaints per year than most X4 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 10 recalls on file, including Relay, Engine, and Camera.

2015 BMW X4 — Photo by Bull-Doser, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (4 of 15), then Air bags (3) and Suspension (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 X4 has 10 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2021 has 6 complaints, 0 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

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 2020 BMW X4. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (10)

Recall electrical system, starter, relay 2025-09-23 · NHTSA campaign 25V636000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 BMW 330i, 2019-2022 BMW Z4, 2020-2022 BMW 530i, X3, X4, Toyota Supra, 2021-2022 BMW 430i, 430i Convertible, and 2022 BMW 230i vehicles. The engine starter relay may corrode, causing the relay to overheat and short circuit.

Remedy Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 14, 2025.

Recall Engine 2021-08-02 · NHTSA campaign 21V598000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 M340i, M340i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, X3 M40i, 2020-2021 X4 M40i, 745Le xDrive, 2019-2021 Z4 M40i, and 2020-2021 Toyota Supra vehicles. During engine start, the engine management software may cause loss of braking assist. Full mechanical braking (without assist) remains available.

Remedy Dealers will update the engine management software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2021-02-19 · NHTSA campaign 21V096000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2020-09-30 · NHTSA campaign 20V598000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall steering, linkages, tie rod 2020-06-15 · NHTSA campaign 20V355000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 Z4 sDrive30i, 2019-2020 330i xDrive, M340i and M340i xDrive, 2020 X3M and X4M, and Toyota Supra vehicles. In certain driving conditions, such as high temperatures and rough road surfaces, a steering gear tie rod may become damaged, possibly resulting in a fractured tie rod.

Remedy BMW and Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear tie rods, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

Recall seat belts, front, buckle 2020-03-19 · NHTSA campaign 20V164000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X3 xDrive30e, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, X4M, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, 840i Gran Coupe, 840i xDrive Gran Coupe, M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, M8 Gran Coupe, X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, and 840i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The sensors in the front seat belt buckles may inaccurately detect a belted occupant as unbelted, possibly causing the air bag and seat belt pretensioners to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.

Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt buckles, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall electrical system, instrument cluster 2020-03-18 · NHTSA campaign 20V152000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.

Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall steering, rack and pinion, pinion shaft 2019-10-16 · NHTSA campaign 19V738000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 BMW X3 M40i and X4 M40i vehicles. The steering rack pinion teeth may break under load, resulting in a loss of steering control.

Remedy BMW has notified owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 9, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2019-09-27 · NHTSA campaign 19V684000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

Recall suspension, front 2019-09-25 · NHTSA campaign 19V678000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, and X3 M40i vehicles, X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front axle swivel bearings may not have been properly heat treated during manufacturing, reducing their strength and possibly causing them to break.

Remedy BMW has notified owners and instructed them to not drive their vehicles. Dealers will replace the front axle swivel bearings, free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component (15 total)

Electrical system

Air bags

Suspension

Seat belts

Engine

Exterior lighting

Forward collision avoidance

Lane departure

Powertrain

Seats

Steering

Structure

Wheels

Show 5 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"On 8/31/2026 this 2020 BMW X4 was serviced at an authorized dealer (BMW of Tyler) to execute the remedy for official NHTSA Safety Recall Campaign 25V-636 (Engine Starter Relay Fire Risk). INCIDENT DESCRIPTION: Within…"
Electrical system · filed 2026-09-01
"I am filing a safety complaint for my 2020 BMW X4, VIN [XXX]. The vehicle recently began making a noticeable noise while turning. I reported this to an authorized BMW dealer before/during service and requested review…"
Steering, Suspension, Wheels · filed 2026-06-09
"-Electrical damage due to leak. Water entered through the roof shark fin antenna, leading to corrosion /severe water damage to the Telematics Communication Box Module. -Failure of BMW Emergency SOS Call System, GPS, and…"
Structure · filed 2026-03-10
"The contact owns a 2020 BMW X4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer…"
Electrical system · filed 2026-02-17
"I am filing a complaint regarding what I believe is a manufacturer defect in my BMW vehicle. During a recent visit to an authorized BMW dealership for a routine oil change, I was informed that the front tension joints…"
Suspension · filed 2026-01-03

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2020 BMW X4 M SUV AWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated
2020 BMW X4 SUV AWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated

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
X4 M	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	14	19	16 MPG	$5000
X4 M Competition	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	14	19	16 MPG	$5000
X4 M40i	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	21	27	23 MPG	$3450
X4 xDrive30i	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	23	28	25 MPG	$3200

Specs and fitment

G02 generation, 2019–2025

Body styles Coupe SUV

Oil 0W-20 or 0W-30 (engine-dependent; ~5.6–7.4 qt with filter)

Tire size 245/50R19, 245/45R20 or 245/40R21; M packages may use 255/45R20–265/40R21 staggered front / 245/50R19–245/40R21 or staggered M packages rear

Known issues for this generation

Recall 21V096000 covers certain 2019-2021 X4 xDrive30i, M40i, and X4M vehicles (with X3, X5, X6, X7, 3 Series, 5 Series, 8 Series, and other models in the same ~13,858-unit campaign) where the rearview image may be obscured or blank when shifting to Reverse. Recall 25V636000 covers certain 2020-2022 X4 models (with 330i, 530i, X3, Z4, Supra, 4 Series, and 230i; ~199,674 units total) for a starter relay that may corrode, overheat, and short, increasing fire risk; dealers replace the starter. BMW has indicated 2025 is the final model year for the X4.

Compare

Previous year 2019 BMW X4 Next year 2021 BMW X4 See every BMW X4 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 BMW X4 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2020 BMW X4?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (4 of 15), then Air bags (3) and Suspension (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Is the 2020 BMW X4 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 X4 has 10 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2021 has 6 complaints, 0 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 BMW X4 been recalled?

The 2020 BMW X4 has 10 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 2020 BMW X4?

Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 2020 BMW X4 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 BMW X4 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 BMW X4 is 20 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a BMW X4 use?

F26 models commonly list 0W-20 or 0W-30 by engine; G02 models likewise—capacity varies about 5.3–7.4 qt with filter depending on engine.

What tire sizes does a BMW X4 use?

OEM sizes commonly start at 245/50R18 or 245/50R19 with optional 20–21 inch packages and staggered M fitments.

What timing-chain settlement covers certain early X4 models?

The 2015 X4 SAV with N20 power was included in the Gelis timing-chain / oil-pump drive chain class-action settlement (BMW SI B11 02 21).