BMW recalls over 40,000 vehicles for door lock issues that could make them easier to steal
In some of the latest recalls of 2025, tens of thousands of BMW X3 SUVs may have faulty rear-seat door locks. What’s more, the NHTSA says that 100% of the recalled models may have the fault, increasing risk for rear-seat passengers and making it easier to access the rear seats.
A new BMW recall name over 40,000 SUVs for potentially faulty rear door locks and an increased “risk of safety” for occupants
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released a safety recall report for 40,736 BMW vehicles. In the report, the NHTSA details an issue with rear-door locking modules on certain BMW X3 compact crossover SUVs.
According to the report, the latest BMW recalls named X3 sDrive30i and xDrive30i models manufactured between August 11, 2021, and August 27, 2024. What’s more, the NHTSA published that up to 100% of the recalled models may exhibit faulty rear-seat door locking modules.
| BMW recall model | X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i |
| Model years | 2022-2024 |
| Number of vehicles recalled | 40,736 |
| Remedy | Replacement of rear side door locking modules |
| Issue | Faulty second-row seat doors may unlock outside their intended operation, increasing safety risks for rear-seat passengers. |
The impacted models are the X3 sDrive30i and the all-wheel drive (AWD) X3 xDrive30i from the three model year-span. However, the recall report makes no mention of the more muscular, 382-horsepower 3.0L X3 M40i.
As a remedy, BMW will replace the rear-seat side door locking modules. The repair, like other recalls, will be cost-free to owners and will be completed at the brand’s authorized dealer service centers. What’s more, faulty locks could present a security issue beyond the safety issue. After all, around 80% of stolen vehicles in the United States were unlocked at the time, per Tulane University. As such, owners should get the issue remedied quickly.
Although it already notified the dealer network, BMW plans to notify vehicle owners by April 14, 2025. However, if you suspect your BMW X3 is one of the recalled models, you can use the NHTSA’s lookup tool to verify your vehicle’s recall status. Use your vehicle’s 17-character VIN, vehicle specifics, or license plate number to use the tool.
