NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 BMW X1. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
About 24 months back the sunroof curtain of my BMW X1 started having problems when I retract or operate it. It used to make stretching noises when I tried to open my sunroof and after a few times I heard a crackling noise and before I can stop it the curtain tore. Initially it was a small tear, so it did not bother much but over time the curtain completely left the guide/rail on one side and started sagging. Given it is a sunroof the curtain is as long as the vehicle and so now it is sagging to a point that it obstructs driver's visibly in back mirror. BMW won't do anything about it saying it is out of warranty and ultimately to avoid accidents I had to remove the curtain completely. I also tried getting it fixed, but the issue is not just the curtain but the rails of the curtain which is a non-replaceable part :( I would have to replace full sunshade assembly which is upwards of $1600. Also, it seems to be a common problem with these vehicles. Here are more examples of it: [XXX] . Please help me and other drivers be safe on the road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Error message "Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult service center" on my 2016 BMW X1. Seems common enough for a recall - I am quoted $2,700 fix by the dealer and the problem seems to be a small spring in the gear selector box!?
The vehicle features a panoramic sunroof with a retractable sunroof shade. The sunroof shade is attached to the sides of the vehicle ceiling with glue that fails over time and causes the sunshade to partially or completely detach from the ceiling of the vehicle, causing a dangerous obstruction to visibility.
The rear defroster burst into flames. Melting the paneling and wiring
Getting transmission error: secure vehicle when stopped. This will not turn off.
When parked, the transmission warning light is on saying "Secure vehicle with parking break when stopped. Consult service center" This appears to be a very common issue in X1, but the BMW dealership does not recognize the common safety issue as a recall.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X1. The contact stated while shifting into park (P), the contact became aware of a message to “Secure Vehicle with Parking Brake" displayed. The contact stated that she manually set the parking brake. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter assembly needed to be replaced. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the code for the failure was: 420106 (Selector lever locked in park). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Error code - Transmission: Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult Service Center. I believe this should be a recall taken care of by BMW as it is extremely common among 2016 BMW X1 models.
The sunroof screen that covers the panoramic sunroof has become detached from the retractable component. Because of this, the screen has begun to sag, which is now partially obstructing visibility through the rearview mirror. This obstruction is a life threatening situation because of lowered visibility. (According to online forums dedicated to this manufacturer's vehicles, this is a common issue for this make and model. Unfortunately, the manufacturer considers the sunroof shade a "cosmetic" component, and it is not covered by warranties or service plans.)
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X1. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was a “Secure vehicle against Rolling” message displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 44,000.
Hello, the purpose of me writing to you today is to submit a request about my 2016 BMW X1. I researched the problem and it seem to be a normal problem or recall on these particular vehicles. My X1 currently has an error message stating " secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult service center. My BMW was completely fine until now. Since this is a common issue with this particular model that it should be covered under BMW. I am not the only one going through this unexpected problem and I also read that 2016 BMW X1 has these issues. I would appreciate it if this issue could be covered. Thank you!!!
The sunroof shade is a common failure point on these cars that’s not being addressed. A quick internet search provides hundreds of reports of the same with the 2016+ vehicles. While it may seem harmless, my 3 year old constantly had the sun beating on the top of his head, especially in the hot summer sun. I had to pay somebody to install 5% tint on the glass because the sun was enough to give his skin a light sunburn. BMW wants $2500 to fix what’s obviously a defect.
When parking or starting the car a warning message is issued indicate that I should secure the vehicle against rolling and the transmission is flagged as the problem. I did some research online and found out this is a very common problem with the BMW X1. A small spring breaks in the shifter linkage. https://f48.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1840937. BMW is charging upwards of $3000 to make the repair even though it is a known common defect in the car. This should be covered by a safety recall.
I parked my car in the garage and secured everything and when I turned the ignition off and cluster message appeared "secure vehicle against rolling". The car is parked on a level surface and parking brake engaged.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X1. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, a secure vehicle brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the shift lock solenoid needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
untimely failure of the shade blind can leave it sagging/hanging and blocking the view of the driver while operating the vehicle. This is a major hazard
I took my car to the dealer after I started to get an error message saying that I needed to put the parking brake on to prevent rolling. It was very stressful driving the car while this error message was in place. When I took it took the dealer, I was charged $200 for a diagnostic and was told there's nothing operationally wrong with the car but the sensor can't tell that the car is in park and is giving me this error message. I was quoted over $2,500 to fix this--replacing the entire gear shift assembly apparently because there is a broken spring somewhere in the system. This absolutely should be a recall issue. It's ridiculous that owners should be required to spend so much money to get this fixed just to get peace of mind and feel assured that the vehicle we're driving is safe. I have gotten all required and suggested maintenance religiously and promptly, but this one is a tough pill to swallow. BMW should do the right thing and recall vehicles to correct this. If they're not willing to do this voluntarily, they should be forced to do so. Thank you very much for looking into this. My car is available for inspection and I'm happy to provide photos or anything else you may need.
The gear selector spring is defective. An error message comes up on the screen each time the car is turned on with an error related to the transmission. I have had BMW inspect the vehicle and determine there is a sensor issue broken, but the vehicle works. The gear selector spring causes this error and the error pops up and overrides safety features such as the camera when backing up.
"Secure vehicle against rolling" light came on after parking. Will not turn off despite engaged parking brake.
Unknown, design fault! I’m having an issue with the warning light saying Secure Vehicle from Rolling every time I turn on/off my car. My main menu or radio doesn’t appear until I confirm notice about the parking brake. There were no warnings before this it just toned and has been consistent every time. The dealer says it may be a small spring in the gear box, while the gears are working good.
The BMW's display showed "Secure Vehicle Against Rolling". We took the car to the BMW dealership and they repaired the issue with a complete gear selector display assembly. We are concerned that this is a safety issue and we understand this may be a common problem with BMW. The vehicle in question had only 22,669 miles on the odometer when repaired.
The sunroof cover fell on my daughter while driving. It is made out of black material. We went straight to the dealership, they said that the blade was blade was broken. Thankfully she was on a familiar road near our house and was able to pull over. However, if this had happened on a interstate, it would result in a serious accident. I strongly believe it’s a defected product and should be recalled. We have been bringing the car to a dealership every 10k miles for full inspection, so this kind of dangerous situation does not occur, but it did.
Sagging sunroof liner , and potentially drop off anytime and block driver’s view .
The panoramic sunroof screen has separated where glued to retractable component, causing it to sag such that visibility through rearview mirror is partially obstructed, which I anticipate will get worse if not repaired. It is available for inspection and I have scheduled a service appointment with the dealer. My understanding is that this is common for this make/model based on online forums dedicated to the manufacturer's vehicles. My understanding is that the manufacturer considers the sunroof shade a "cosmetic" component excluded from warranties and service plans.
At 44,000 miles, I began getting the error code "secure vehicle against rolling" every time I started the engine. Took car in to local dealership who advised I needed to have the gear shift assembly replaced as the car could roll even when placed in park. Out of fear that the car could roll and cause damage to myself or others, I requested they order the part immediately. After doing some research online, I learned that this has been a problem with certain BMW's and mini coopers since at least 2014. I do not understand why BMW has not resolved this issue and issued a recall or at least agreed to cover the cost of repair once the problem is detected. I contacted BMW corporate who replied no recall had been issued and they would not cover the cost of 2090.36 I paid for the repair.
The vehicle features a panoramic sunroof with a retractable sunroof shade. The sunroof shade is attached to the sides of the vehicle ceiling with glue that fails over time and causes the sunshade to partially or completely detach from the ceiling of the vehicle, causing a dangerous obstruction to visibility. From research, this is a common problem that BMW has not remedied for many years.
2016 BMW X1 - 16,500 miles. When the car is in idle and the wheel is turned left or right it makes a groaning sound. The dealer says the strut mounts failed, and they need to take out the spring shocks, replace the mounts, and realign the vehicle. The vehicle is out of warranty (warranty was 4 yrs or 50,000 miles). When I look on BMW forums I see numerous other X1 owners had this issue at low mileages such as 300, 5000, 7000, 18000, 25000, etc miles. And that on 11/1/16 BMW knew of this defective part, that affected vehicles produced from 7/1/15 to 9/29/16, and issued TSB: SI B31 05 16. However, BMW did not notify owners of the defective part so it could be repaired while the car was under warranty.
2016 BMW x1 has a key component (SHIFTER LINKAGE SPRING) and system failure per my local BMW dealer in Atlanta, Georgia -- it states: "Secure vehicle against rolling" when placing the vehicle in park -- even though the Parking Brake shows being engaged. The dealership agreed it is a common linkage spring issue that creates this safety issue however, they want to charge my family for a gear selector replacement. Everything still shifts completely fine in the car, the parking brake supposedly engages, and the car shifts into park fine however, know one at a dealership is able to validate that parking brake actually is engaged? That said, I live in a house that is on a hill and I park on the street each night....how in the world is this not addressed as a safety issue?
Transmission: Secure vehicle from rolling I just began getting this warning chime without an error code. However, when I search online there are hundreds of BMW X1 owners (2016) reporting the same issue. In addition, owners of Mini Coopers (Minis) which are built on the same chasis, with the same components as the BMW X1 also report this same issue. NTSA should issue a recall if this issue is as serious as BMW service says it is - that the car may not stay in PARK after the gear shift is put into park. However, BMW only covers this clearly design defect for up to 50,000 miles warranty. This should be a safety recall before someone's car that is not securely in PARK because of the defect accidentally rolls into a person or pedestrian.
I saw there was a recall for the sunroof for my type of vehicle, sunroof components do not open when I press to open it. Cloth of sunroof got stuck and is now broken.
Selector lever failed causing a warning message to appear on the screen. Dealership is reviewing the damage and the cost is not under the warranty.
The panoramic sunroof shade blind has become detached due to failing adhesive. The consequence of this failure renders the vehicle difficult to drive and impacts safety of occupants and non occupants. To illustrate this issue, it is easier to quote the incident. On driving the vehicle the sunroof shade became unattached from its rail (right side). A natural thing to do is attempt to open the shade and close again in the hope that it re-attaches itself. This only made the situation worse. The loose shade impedes the drivers view out the right side of the vehicle. Driving the vehicle, it is crucial that this view should be clear and unobstructed (especially when lane changing on a freeway!). A corollary to the above issue is that the sagging loose blind is a distraction to the driver of the vehicle. The drivers attention needs to be 100% dedicated to the operation of the vehicle and the safety of others. This flapping distraction reduces this significantly.
My BMW 2016 is displaying a message “Secure Vehicle against rolling”. It just started one day last week. We brought it to our mechanic who said it was a known issue with this make and model car and there are other complaints on other forums and here as well. This is an extreme safety issue - the vehicle could roll and injure or kill someone. This car has less that 40000 miles on it and should be recalled by the manufacturer.
Panoramic roof shade blind has detached (failed) from its frame and fallen sagging in my sight and blocking the view of the driver while operating the vehicle. Many reports of the same problem of owner community on the internet.
The sunroof shadescreen failed to close: it is a safety issue because it is impossible to close the shade anymore and the sun is hitting your head and eyes all the time: when I first noticed it I was driving and a sound came from the sun roof and if I looked it would have been a crash. Taking to the dealership iwould cost 2000 dollars to replace. It is a manufacturer defect that that something that is used so infrequently fails so easily. To be honest we have probably used it only a couple dozen times since we have the car and I can’t believe it would fail so easily. I also read on forums that this happened to a lot of other car owners who are complaining about the same issue so it is something that the manufacturer should cover:
My BMW X1 started to display a message on the screen that says "Secure vehicle against rolling". I had it looked at and the diagnoses came back that there is a faulty spring inside the shifter that needs to be replaced. After some research, I have found this is happening to MANY BMW's. At this point, it does not seem like it is effecting the functioning of my shifter but I am not sure what the long term repercussions are. This message has been displayed every time I turn the car on for the past year. I was quoted over $2000 for BMW to repair this issue. I refuse to spend the money on an issue that should be a recall if it effects a large number of BMW's.
I am seeing this error while getting in the parked vehicle -'Secure Vehicle against rolling' in the odometer display and in the dashboard display - 'Secure Vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult service center' .
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X1. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the airbag was faulty and the airbag module might be damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.
there's an error appearing in the main screen stating "Secure Vehicle Against Rolling"
Common issue with 2016 BMW message populates secure vehicle with parking break when stationary. Have the problem checked my service center. This messages populates every time the vehicle starts and when vehicle turns off. Common issue with vehicle and this hasn’t been recalled.
My BMW 2016 is displaying a message “Secure Vehicle against rolling”. This message is coming up only today (03/11/2022). I tried to search in the web forums and could see many many users reported same issue. I am worried about the safety of myself and family driving the vehicle with this message. I am planning to take it to the dealer for consultation. I feel this is a manufacturing issue and needs safety recall and warranty replacement by the manufacturer.
Alert to ‘secure vehicle from rolling’ when put vehicle into park
transmission error - faulty gear selector
“Secure vehicle against rolling” is the code, it comes on everytime I enter the vehicle or exit the vehicle when it is off, I dot not want my vehicle to roll and hit somebody or something all because a faulty spring within the gear shifter mechanism fails. This happens I’m all associated drivetrains whether it be the BMW X1 or mini coopers. This should be a recall and repaired by dealerships immediately.
Sunshade panel is not retracting properly and this situation creates a sagging panel that impedes visibility when driving (looking to the rear view mirror)
I have read from hundreds of other people having the same problem. One side of the moonroof shade has come loose just from simply leaving it open.
The retractable sunshade has fallen from the track obstructing the rear view visibility. The glue that was used is faulty according to several repairmen and no one will work on the part. After reviewing several online forums, this looks to be a common problem for the 2016 BMW X1. This should be a recall and covered by BMW because it cannot be remedied and obstructs the drivers view and ability to safely drive.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X1. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in PARK, the "Secure Vehicle with Parking Brake" warning message was displayed. The vehicle was diagnosed by the contact's friend, an independent mechanic, with gear selector failure. The gear selector needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
Vehicle reports to the driver, erroneously, that the vehicle is not in park and is in danger of rolling, when it is in fact in park. Many drivers are reporting this problem which stems from a defective part deep in the shifter assembly.
We have a warning that says "Secure Vehicle Against Rolling when stopped. Consult service center." I learned online that this warning is common and that it occurs due to the malfunction of an $8 spring but BMW charges $3,000 to $4,000 to replace it. BMW should issue a recall if this is a common safety issue.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026