AI Damage2018 BMW X6: common problems
Owners of the 2018 BMW X6 filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. The maker issued 58 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 58
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 25% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 25% of all complaints
- Steering: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Suspension: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Tires: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- 4.4 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
Drive: AWD, RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Lane departure | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Communication | 0 | 0 | 3 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
During operation in DRIVE, the vehicle would shift to PARK, without the control lever being operated. This occurred intermittently, but with greater frequency over time. The safety concern is that it occurred while in traffic and even occurred on an Interstate highway, while at momentary stop.
Due to the failure, a friction fire ignited inside the wheel well which caused two rows of the tread to separate from the tire. The contact's wife pulled off to the shoulder and pressed the emergency button for immediate assistance. The authorities were dispatched to the scene. There was no injury reported.
Multiple issues with the front system and causes instability, issues with the suspension and the early warning system. Never was fixed properly from bmw tenafly
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,741 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 17% least complained about).
On average one model year of the X6 has 5 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- N63TU1 CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT SVC CAMPAIGN
OIL CONSUMPTION DIAGNOSIS/REPAIR
- For this vehicle, the engine coolant thermostat limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship…
For this vehicle, the engine coolant thermostat limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles, as determined from the original in-service date.
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few…
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…
- This bulletin outlines known areas of possible water entry, operational noise, or wind noise for the…
This bulletin outlines known areas of possible water entry, operational noise, or wind noise for the vehicles listed above. It serves only as a diagnostic resource in troubleshooting complaints from the roof area. This…
- At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e
when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the…
- When using the Key Reader to retrieve CBS information from the customer key, no current vehicle data is…
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.
- Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle
Depending on the vehicleâÂÂs equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation (folding the mirrors/blinking confirmation) is noticeable. Additionally, the red anti-theft alarm LED in the interior mirror…
- Second seat row blocking access to third seat row, program seat modules
Visible stitching on first row sport seat. Third seat row backrest Bowden cable routing and length change.
- Various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (ADCAM system) can lead to customer complaints
- This situation can result in two customer complaints
1. Wind noise 2. Excess water entry
- A groaning noise is present from the door frame of any door, most commonly when driving over rough roadsor…
A groaning noise is present from the door frame of any door, most commonly when driving over rough roadsor during body flex. This situation may be worse in vehicles which are regularly waxed in the area of the door…
NHTSA lists 58 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 BMW X6?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, service brakes, suspension. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 BMW X6?
NHTSA lists 58 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2018 BMW X6 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2018 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.