2013 BMW X1 Sav problems & reliability
64 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 BMW X1 Sav, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 32 | 50% |
| Electrical System → | 10 | 16% |
| Engine | 9 | 14% |
| Power Train | 5 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 8% |
| Unknown OR Other | 4 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3% |
| Steering | 2 | 3% |
| Structure | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 14 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 31 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 51,000 miles (middle 50% between 25,181 and 72,500 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“2 months after reporting a dead/drained battery, it has happened again. The alarm starts whining and then the car needs to be jumped because the battery is dead. Car was stationary when occurred, and is driven daily during the school year, but can sit for a few days during school breaks.”
Electrical System · filed Dec 26, 2019
“Strong electrical burning smell from vents the smell does not go away when recirculating the air and I suspect it is not coming from outside of the engine bay b. This issue is very similar to the symptoms documented in safety recall 17v-676 ' blower motor wiring ' 2006-2011 bmw 3 series”
Electrical System · filed Nov 24, 2019
“Bought the car from a dealer with a new battery. Battery died 5 days later for no apparent reason. Nothing worked on car. Had to jump it. Was told by mechanic to buy a different battery. That new battery died 6 days later. Nothing worked on car. Had to jump it. Apparently from my research, this model has an issue with…”
Electrical System · filed Nov 5, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
- Loss of power assist braking
Preliminary Evaluation PE13030 · opened Sep 6, 2013 · closed Oct 25, 2013 · led to recall 13V454000
Technical service bulletins
131 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2013 BMW X1 Sav. The 10 most recent:
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 186,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
B012016 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued May 6, 2026
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 186,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
B012016 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Mar 13, 2025
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…
B611305 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 11, 2024
For the above-referenced vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the engine timing chain and oil pump drive chain modules to: 7 years/70,000 miles as determined by the…
B110317 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2021
With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Gelis, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren Werke…
B110221 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2021
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the engine timing chain and oil pump drive chain modules to: 7 years/70,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date
B110317 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2021
BMW of North America, LLC BMW NA is extending the limited warranty for the engine timing chain and oil pump drive chain modules to: 7 years/70,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date
SIB110317 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2021
With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Gelis, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren Werke…
B110221 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2021
Distribution of the following tool will be through the Automatic Tool Shipment Program
B040221 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 2021
TELEMATICS UNIT DEACTIVATION DUE TO 3G CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY DISCONTINUATION: The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the…
B840121 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2021
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2013 BMW X1 Sav has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2013 BMW X1 Sav?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 51,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.