The new BMW iX3 has arrived to much applause. It’s bigger, better, and finally delivers the sort of range that usually has European carmakers nervously glancing eastward at the Chinese competition. In short, BMW appears to have built an electric SUV people actually want.
Unfortunately, it has also managed to build one that, in a handful of cases, might try to electrocute them.
The first recall concerns 145 iX3s produced between late November 2025 and February 2026. BMW discovered that a potentially faulty onboard charger could leave parts of the car’s body carrying an electrical charge while plugged in.
In other words, owners could wander over to admire their shiny new EV and receive an unexpected demonstration of why electricity is generally kept inside wires.
No injuries have been reported, but BMW will replace the chargers regardless. Better to swap a few components than turn charging stops into a low-budget science experiment.
Then, just as the paperwork for that recall was being printed, another issue emerged.
This one involves the side airbags. On 4,843 vehicles built between December 2025 and May 2026, the airbags may not have been bolted in correctly.
That’s not ideal because airbags are one of those things you only really notice when they don’t work. BMW says the faulty installation could either affect deployment in a crash or allow the gas generator to move around in ways that occupants would strongly prefer it didn’t. Dealers will inspect the mounting hardware and tighten, adjust or replace components as necessary.
The good news is that nobody has been hurt and no crashes have been linked to either fault. The less-good news is that the iX3 has managed to rack up two recalls before many owners have even had time to figure out all the menu settings.
Still, in the grand tradition of modern motoring, the car remains impressive: huge range, cutting-edge tech, strong reviews and, for a very small number of buyers, the possibility of either receiving a mild electric buzz or discovering that an airbag was assembled with all the precision of a Friday-afternoon flat-pack wardrobe.
Welcome to the future. It’s very clever, very fast, and occasionally needs the bolts checking.
