2016 BMW X6 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 BMW X6 has 9 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 0 per year. That is more complaints per year than most X6 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Child seat.

2012 BMW X6 — Photo by Alexander-93, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (3 of 9), then Electrical system (2) and Electronic stability control (ESC) (1). Those filings include 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 X6 has 9 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 3 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

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 2016 BMW X6. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (1)

Recall child seat 2019-11-18 · NHTSA campaign 19V823000

Summary BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2015-2019 X6 sDrive35i, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6M vehicles equipped with rear seat lower anchor bars used in securing child restraint seats. The lower anchor bars may become damaged over time when used with an ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.

Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will weld a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars and the vehicle body, free of charge. Owner notification began January 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component (9 total)

Powertrain

Electrical system

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Engine and engine cooling

Steering

Suspension

Wheels

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2016 BMW X6. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The vehicle was parked inside the garage, and the contact was unable to turn to the…"
Steering · filed 2025-10-29
"I am reaching out regarding a serious issue with my 2016 BMW X6 M, which suffered a driveshaft failure. I understand that certain BMW models were recalled for similar issues, but my vehicle was not included. Given the…"
Powertrain · filed 2025-04-30
"The contact owns a 2016 BMW X6. The contact stated that the vehicle was running rough, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a vehicle scanner and retrieved diagnostic trouble codes…"
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system · filed 2025-01-22
"The contact owns a 2016 BMW X6. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact pulled off the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The…"
Powertrain · filed 2024-03-06
"The contact owns a 2016 BMW X6. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact attempted to use the turn signal while making a right turn however, the system failed to operate as needed. The…"
Electrical system · filed 2023-02-27

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2016 BMW X6 SUV AWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated
2016 BMW X6 SUV RWD	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
X6 M	4.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	14	19	16 MPG	$5000
X6 sDrive35i	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	18	25	21 MPG	$3800
X6 xDrive35i	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	18	24	20 MPG	$4000
X6 xDrive50i	4.4L, 8-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	15	21	17 MPG	$4700

Specs and fitment

F16 generation, 2015–2019

Body styles Coupe SUV

Oil 0W-30 (BMW LL common fills; ~6.9 qt with filter on typical gasoline) , 6.9 qt capacity

Tire size 255/55R18, 255/50R19, 275/40R20 or 285/35R21; staggered M packages front / 255/55R18–285/35R21 or staggered M packages rear

Known issues for this generation

Recall 19V823000 covers certain 2015-2019 X6 sDrive35i, xDrive35i, xDrive50i, and X6M vehicles (~32,760 units) whose rear-seat lower LATCH anchor bars can be damaged by ISOFIX rigid-style child restraints; dealers weld a reinforcing bracket to the anchors and body. The campaign applies to this X6 generation only among the named trims.

Compare

Previous year 2015 BMW X6 Next year 2017 BMW X6 See every BMW X6 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 BMW X6 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2016 BMW X6?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (3 of 9), then Electrical system (2) and Electronic stability control (ESC) (1). Those filings include 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2016 BMW X6 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 X6 has 9 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 3 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 BMW X6 been recalled?

The 2016 BMW X6 has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 BMW X6?

Owners have filed 9 complaints about the 2016 BMW X6 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 BMW X6 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 BMW X6 is 18.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a BMW X6 use?

E71/F16 gasoline fills commonly list 0W-30 (~6.9 qt); G06 models commonly list 0W-20 or 0W-30 depending on engine, with higher capacity on some V8s.

What tire sizes does a BMW X6 use?

OEM packages commonly run from 255/50R19 or 255/55R18 through 21–22 inch staggered fitments with 315-series rears on higher packages.

What LATCH-anchor recall covers certain F16 X6 models?

Recall 19V823000 covers certain 2015-2019 X6 models whose rear-seat lower LATCH anchor bars can be damaged by ISOFIX rigid connectors.