2016 BMW X1
The 2016 BMW X1 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV. The most efficient version, the X1 xDrive28i, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 163 complaints, most often about the power train.

Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X1 xDrive28i | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 31 | 25 | $3,300 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36936.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X1 xDrive28i | 8 / 10 | LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV] |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2 L |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 228 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | AWD/All-Wheel Drive |
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes one configuration rather than every trim (seen: xDrive28i). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 174.8 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 71.7 in |
| Height | 63.4 in |
| Wheelbase | 105.1 in |
| Track, front | 61.4 in |
| Track, rear | 61.4 in |
| Curb weight | 3,660 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 57/43 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: xDrive28I 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2016 BMW X1 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (4)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseAir Bags
Seat Belts
Steering
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture open
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf. Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a subst
Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific X1
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. BMW publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 BMW X1, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2016 BMW X1
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this X1 →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 5 injuries · 0 deaths reported
Filed per year: 2016: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 26 · 2022: 30 · 2023: 38 · 2024: 23 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 1
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
Sun shade mechanism will not open, causing the sun shade to tear. Seems that sun shade is off the track, or hung and will not allow for closure on this Bmw X1
The engine mounts have failed on my car. I have only 14 thousand miles on the auto and do only city driving. Had this not been discovered during a routine oil change the results could have been catastrophic. There may be a problem with either the mounting hardware or the weight of the engine
Your box was bad it would jump out a gear force me to hit a curb at one time. All wheel drive was bad. Back wheels push front wheels so front tires wear out about every 2000 miles, no notice of recall given. Air bag problem no notice of recall sent. Roof unsafe not air bags. Seat belts, no recall notice sent.
The contact owns a 2016 Bmw X1. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the retractable sunroof head liner detached from the sliding track causing the head liner fabric to crumble and block the rear view mirror. The contact was informed that the head liner needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted.
The contact owns a 2016 Bmw X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 19v349000 (structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
Occasionally when the adaptive cruise control is active, the collision warning will light and the brakes automatically applied even though there is nothing in front of the car. This has occurred on a straight, flat road with no shadows, undulations, or cars anywhere in sight.
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by BMW itself: 9 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 9 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every X1 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 38 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 19,000 and 51,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Median mileage by component
| Component | Reports | Median miles |
|---|---|---|
| Unspecified | 13 | 34,000 |
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- 15 years or 150,000 miles · BMW warranty extension 1390900300For this vehicle, the EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles, from the original 10 years/120,000 miles…
- 10 years or 120,000 miles · BMW warranty extension 2516900100The limited warranty for the automatic transmissions Selector Lever Magnetic Shift Interlock Mechanism (Gearshift lug assembly portion) has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles, as determined by…
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every BMW warranty extension (46) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Structure, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.
- B010925 Warranty extension2025-07-31 · Power Train
- The limited warranty for the automatic transmissions Selector Lever Magnetic Shift Interlock Mechanism (Gearshift lug assembly portion) has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles, as determined by the vehicles original first in-service / delivery date, when a gearshift lug repair kit installation procedure is required to be performed to address a displayed Check Control message (CCM) that state
- B840324 Service bulletin2024-10-12 · Electrical System
- The “End of life” or “Emergency call system error” Check Control message appears in the vehicle. The following fault memory entry is stored: B7F341 – Emergency battery: Hardware faulty
- B010419 Warranty extension2024-09-16 · Engine
- For this vehicle, the EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles, from the original 10 years/120,000 miles, as determined from the original in-service date. This coverage is subject to the same vehicle eligibility requirements, limitations, and exclusion criteria that apply to the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warr
- B640416 Service bulletin2024-01-19 · Structure
- Customer complains of a musty odor or damp front footwell carpet.
- B611305 Service bulletin2024-01-11 · Electrical System
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.
- B160623 Service bulletin2023-12-20 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel pressure system, electric fuel pump: pressure value too low CDA594 - Message (- 0x33E) missing, receiver DME, transmitter TFE
- B521723 Service bulletin2023-12-11 · Seats
- Customer states one of the front seats is inoperative. The seat heater and power supply are inoperative .During the vehicle test, the seat module does not respond. The power supply fuse for the seat module is found to have blown.
- B612723 Service bulletin2023-12-08 · Electrical System
- When using the Key Reader to retrieve CBS information from the customer key, no current vehicle data is available, or the data does not match the maintenance schedule.
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 BMW X1 failed the emissions check on 4.8% of first inspections — close to the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%).
failed emissions
844 initial inspections of 815 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2016 X1 | Every 2016 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 4.8% | 4.2% | 838 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 2.8% | 2.2% | 844 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.12% | 0.27% | 844 |
| Miles driven a year | 9,154 | 10,028 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 93,922 | 103,109 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Common questions about the 2016 X1
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2016 BMW X1 have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 BMW X1. The most serious on file is 19V349000, covering Structure. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2016 BMW X1?
NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2016 BMW X1 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (75/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 BMW X1?
For the 2016 BMW X1, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2016 BMW X1?
Transport Canada measured it at 174.8 in long, 71.7 in wide (body, without mirrors), 63.4 in tall, on a 105.1 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,660 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2016 BMW X1?
Owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW X1, most often about unspecified, power train, visibility/wiper. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 5 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2016 BMW X1?
The EPA smog rating for the 2016 BMW X1 is 8 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, LEV-III SULEV30 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2016 BMW X1?
The manufacturer has filed 406 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 BMW X1, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2025-07-31. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2016 BMW X1 do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 BMW X1 failed the emissions check on 4.8% of first inspections — close to the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 1 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 1 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 4 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 163 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | none | NHTSA NCAP | NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe. |
| Service bulletins | 406 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 1 | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 8 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.