IsItAGoodCar
Reliability Guide

Common Problems with the
2024 BMW X3 (G45)

First UK year of the G45 X3, launched in 2024. Every model has xDrive four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic: 20 xDrive mild-hybrid petrol, 20d xDrive mild-hybrid diesel rated for 2,500kg braked towing, 30e xDrive plug-in hybrid with 299hp, and the 398hp M50. Trims are xLine, M Sport and M Performance.

What changed for 2024

  • •Replaces the 2017-2024 G01 with a larger cabin, bigger boot and the new curved-display dashboard with far fewer buttons
  • •Plug-in hybrid range roughly doubled versus the predecessor, and diesel retained only because of UK towing demand
  • •Adaptive damping standard on M50 and optional on lesser models, which reviewers rate as a big comfort gain

Common MOT watch-outs

  • !Parking sensors, camera and radar systems need recalibration after any bumper work, and a failed assist system is an MOT-relevant defect
  • !LED headlight and brake light faults, plus number plate light damage from kerbing or minor hits
  • !Part-worn or mismatched tyres, and brake discs approaching the wear limit on heavy xDrive cars
3
Known Issues
1
Serious
2
Moderate
0
Minor

All Known Issues

RSW22 starter motor recall on 48V mild-hybrid petrol engines

SeriousEngine

Recall R/2026/054, live from 2 March 2026, replaces the engine starter motor on 1,540 X3s of the current body. BMW's own wording explains the fault: abrasion inside the magnet switch of the reinforced-water-tightness (RWR) starter lets conductive deposits build up, raising contact resistance, causing repeat cranking and potentially a short circuit with a thermal event while driving. Across the whole action 51,053 UK vehicles are involved, spanning 2 Series, 3 Series, 3 Series Touring and eight further models. Until the starter is swapped, BMW tells owners not to leave the engine running unattended.

Est. Repair Cost: £0 under recall; £450-£900 for a starter motor once out of action
Warning Signs:

Engine cranks twice or repeatedly after a normal stop-start, Burning or hot-electrical smell from the engine bay after starting, No-crank condition or a warning for the starting system on the cluster, A starter-related recall shown as open when the registration is checked

What to Inspect:
  • Check the DVSA recall record for R/2026/054 (campaign 0012650600 family) by registration and VIN, and refuse to complete until it is closed
  • Start the car from cold several times and listen for a second crank or a groaning starter
  • Ask whether the replacement starter is the different-design supplier part, not a like-for-like swap of the recalled unit
  • Inspect around the starter area for heat discolouration or melted loom insulation
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated
Official Recalls & Reference Documents:

Steering gear software and rear brake hose recalls on early G45 cars

ModerateSteering

Two more actions hit the first X3s: R/2025/535 (from 9 December 2025) programs the steering gear control units on 5,313 UK cars built between 26 August 2024 and 9 October 2025 because the software that compares the two torque sensor signals may not detect a sensor failure correctly, and R/2025/135 replaces rear brake hoses that may not have been crimped properly on cars built in February 2025. R/2025/186 also reworks the positive battery cable onto the starter generator on 81 cars. Individually small, together they explain why Parkers flags several official safety recalls on this generation and why a VIN check is essential on any nearly-new example.

Est. Repair Cost: £0 under recall; £600-£1,200 for steering rack or hose work privately
Warning Signs:

Steering that feels suddenly heavier or more artificial on one side of a journey, A check control or steering-system message on the central display after a cold start, Soft or spongy rear braking feel, or brake fluid damp on the rear hose clips, Warning lights for the stability control system with no obvious cause

What to Inspect:
  • Confirm R/2025/535, R/2025/135 and R/2025/186 are all marked complete for the VIN before buying an early car
  • On the test drive, note any change in steering weight or a rattle from the steering column over UK speed cushions
  • Have the rear brake hoses and crimps inspected on a ramp, looking for weeping fluid or swaged-fitting damage
  • Ask for the software version printout from the dealer diagnostic report, not just a verbal assurance
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated
Official Recalls & Reference Documents:

Electrical gremlins, interior trim rattle and suspension noise complaints

ModerateElectrics & Electronics

Parkers reports that owner forums for this generation flag complaints about interior quality and curious suspension noises alongside the recalls, and carwow's reliability guidance for the nameplate is blunt that the most common problems relate to the electrics, with gearbox faults the expensive tail risk. On a car where almost every function runs through the curved display and a controller with no rotary dial, that translates into dropped phone pairing, blank camera feeds, sensor faults and trim buzzes rather than spanner work - annoying, hard to prove at a viewing, and the main reason used values depend on software updates being current.

Est. Repair Cost: £150-£900 for module replacement or calibration
Warning Signs:

Infotainment screen freezing, rebooting or dropping a paired phone mid-journey, Reversing camera or 360-degree view blank or slow to appear, Rattle or buzz from the dashboard, B-pillar or boot trim over broken UK roads, Thud or clonk from the front suspension over speed cushions and drain covers

What to Inspect:
  • Pair your own phone and test navigation, camera and voice control for a full ten minutes on the viewing
  • Drive over speed cushions with the radio off and listen for trim rattles and suspension clunks
  • Ask whether any noise or screen complaint has been logged with a dealer, and check for repeat visits in the history
  • Have the suspension arms, ball joints and anti-roll bar links checked at high mileage on ex-fleet examples
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

Buying Tips for 2024 BMW X3 (G45)

  • Test every driver assistance function on the viewing: lane keep, emergency braking warnings, reversing camera and parking sensors
  • Ask for the VIN-based recall printout rather than trusting a service book that shows only oil services
2025–2026
Check a 2024 BMW X3 (G45) by Registration