2015 BMW X3. Consumer writes in regard to BMW design defects. The consumer stated the dealer informed the repairs for the vehicle requires buying a new engine. The consumer stated the repairs were made at the owners cost but they want to be discuss reimbursement for repairs.

- San Marino, CA, USA

When driving for more than 10 minutes I am noticing smoke coming from the near the engine compartment and strong smell of burning plastic. It smells and appears as if something will catch on fire if I don-€™t shut off the vehicle. A similar issue was previously reported for older models, which had led to a recall. In that recall the problem stemmed from a manufacturing defect involving the PCV valve heater, which helps recirculate waste gases within the engine. The heater could short-circuit, overheat, and catch fire. This defect is now effecting my own vehicle, which is a 2015 BMW X3.

- Hoboken, NJ, USA

Sunroof exploded and shattered while driving down the highway.

- Austell, FL, USA

I bought 4 new tires. They were balanced at Sam's Club when I purchased them. Then i went to get the alignment done the next day and they said my tie-rods were shot. Just the front...not the back. I have not had an accident or incident yet but I am concerned. My car has 83,000 miles.

- Savannah, GA, USA

Car under recall for egr cooler. Egr cooler leaked on 1/25/19 - no remedy for recall. Intake manifold was not replaced by dealer. Drove car for one year with this problem and significant safety risk. Remedy for recall available 10/2019- not notified. Now car as significant damage related to recall with the emissions system including nox sensors, particulate filter and catalyst. Drove car for one year with known damage related to egr coolant leak.

- Lyme, CT, USA

I was driving my 2015 BMW X3 diesel on route 2 West near route 128 North entrance, I lost power and "powertrain malfunction" warning alert came on display dashboard, I was able to barely coast the vehicle over to the breakdown lane of route 2 West. After pulling over to breakdown lane it started to smoke under the hood of the vehicle and with few minutes fire started in the engine compartment and less than 10 minutes vehicle engine compartment was fully engulfed in the fire. On October 11th of 2019, I have my 2015 BMW X3 brought to wagner bwm of shrewsbury MA to perform the open recall for egr cooler which was notified by BMW manufacturer. Dealer perform the inspection for signs of contamination or corrosion and perform couple of other test, but did not found the issue at that time, hence there were no repair was done to correct the open recall. Bwm manufactures should have required all effected vehicle to be repaired instead of just letting dealer inspection the vehicle, especially, bwm manufacture states that egr module could develop a cooling-fluid leak. Heated coolant could mix with diesel engine soot and melt the intake manifold. That could lead to fire.

- Acton, MA, USA

I own a 2015 BMW X3 that was on a recall issued October 2018.the recall dealt with faulty emissions parts.in January 2019, I went to the BMW dealership and asked about het recall; parts were not available..October, 2019, I received a second notice from BMW about the recall.I took the car for service at owings mills. The mgr advised me that my car would need to be left overnight for testing. October 11, I was advised that the car need servicing.however, the parts would not be available until December 2019. Aaked why so long to get parts that I received a 2nd letter, to have the work done. BMW did not anticipate so many cars would need the replacement parts. I wanted to take my car and bring it back when the parts arrive. The mgr explained car could possibly catch fire; small hot particles were being emitted into the engine that could ignite a fire. November 26th mgr called, car was fixed. I could come get it. I drove car off the service parking lot about 7 miles; the 'check engine' indicator light came on.returned the car back for service again.mgr called the following day and advised the emissions filter is clogged and needs replacement ;$4168. I was flabbergasted. Asked, if not having the recall fixed for almost a year could have contributed to the faulty filter.I needed this issue investigated. Wrote BMW corporate. BMW na contacted me. She told me there was nothing BMW could or would do for me. I questioned whether the fact that the parts were not available for my car for so long and I continued to drive a car that was emitting particles to the engine, that could have caused a fire, would have contributed to a clogged filter.she said she was not technical and didn't know. That was unsettling to me because that was the reason, I wrote BMW in the first place.she just kept repeating there was noting that could be done. Resolution is fix car at no cost to me.

- Finksburg, MD, USA

I was about to park in a parking lot, driving slowly and carefully between two parked cars. As I very gently put my foot on the brake to stop, the car jolted intensely and did not stop. I then pressed on the brake pedal harder but the vehicle accelerated to a very fast speed. I drove through some large plants and went over a side walk and made a sharp turn to avoid a large building in front of me. I then drove through the parking lot, maneuvering around parked cars, buildings and other objects while the car was speeding up. My efforts to slow the car down failed even after applying auxiliary brake. Luckily there were no pedestrians or moving cars while this was happening! finally I ended up driving up a hill, hoping that the elevation would stop the car. Instead due to high speed, the vehicle was lifted up about 7 feet in the air, hit a large tree and fell in the ground with much force. I have some injuries as a result and currently receiving medical support, hoping that I will not have permanent health issues, which I very much doubt! my car was severely damaged and was totaled. It is clear and evident that there was some kind of technical malfunction that caused the brake failure and acceleration. I contacted BMW dealership where we had purchased the car and also where I had the car serviced one month earlier! they said I must pay for the car to be delivered to their facility in order for them to examine the cause of brake failure. I refused to pay the high price. It is also important to mention that I have been driving for over forty years and I consider myself a very capable driver. I should also add that on the internet there are at least a dozen similar reported cases of this model. Obviously, BMW has neglected to look into this matter. They should investigate their X3 models before someone dies!

- Easton, CT, USA

It was in the morning and I was driving out of my townhouse neighborhood. I wasn't driving fast maybe 10-15 when I approached the the stop sign. I started to slow down but my car wasn't slowing down so I pressed the brakes as hard as I could. The car revved up and accelerated with force out into the cross street. Thankfully there wasn't a car coming or I would of been in an accident. I continued to drive a few miles very slowly. I was all shook up and confused as to what just happened.I called BMW to tell them and make a appointment to bring the car in. I stopped in a parking lot and parked wasn't thinking I parked across from a car. I decided to try just pressing on the brakes in the parking spot. I put the car in drive with my foot on the brakes and started to press harder the car revved up high as if I was pressing the accelerator in park.. but I wasn't it was in drive and I was only pressing the brakes. Then suddenly it started jerking forward. I almost hit the car in front of me I had to put it in park to stop it. I moved to a different parking spot there was a huge mound of snow my bumper was right up close to it. I tried it again and it did the same thing but the snow stopped me. BMW has not been able to reciprocate the problem as of now. I found online similar almost exact incidents of this on other X3 all different years. Some of them had been in accidents. I haven't picked up my car yet I am waiting still to see if they were able to duplicate it. I am not sure why with all the incidents I found of this that there hasn't been some sort of recall. I am hoping they will find out what caused this and fix it so I can feel safe driving my car on the road. So far it doesn't seem likely. I am not sure what to do if they don't find the problem and can't fix it. I feel like it would take someone to die for this to be investigated.

- Shoreview, MN, USA

Nhsta database is saying our vehicle has an active isofix bracket recall (16V333) but every time we try to schedule with BMW, the dealer informs us that our vehicle is not affected. I am a service member living overseas and will not be allowed to ship my car until the active recall is resolved but the manufacturer is telling us that there is nothing to fix. How do we resolve so that we may ship our car?

- Apo, AP, USA

Burning smell, inside and out side

- Boones Mill, VA, USA

This morning around 10am central time while I am driving the vehicle straight on a city street at about 10mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated by itself. I immediately hit the brake hardest trying to stop it. Thanks god, it stopped. Fortunately, nothing closer in front of my vehicle, no one got hurt. But I like to report it and want to know if this is a known issue.

- Chicago, IL, USA