# 2020 BMW X7 — SEATS
> NHTSA complaint `2155269` · 2025-12-08 · BMW of North America, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 2
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** Yes
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** BMW
- **Model:** X7
- **Year:** 2020
- **Manufacturer:** BMW of North America, LLC
- **Component:** SEATS
## Narrative
• Third-row seat in my 2020 BMW X7 failed during normal operation and trapped my [XXX]  daughter between the seatbacks. • She sustained injuries to her legs (documented in photos). I injured my arm while trying to free her. • Approximately 10 people witnessed the incident. • Seat would not move or release electronically or manually—no functional emergency release. • Multiple BMW system warnings occurred before the incident, including:  – “Third row seat risk of injury”  – “Right/left rear seat unlocked”  – “Right/left rear seat back unlocked” • BMW’s inspection found the passenger-side third-row seat motor housing broken. • There was no misuse and the failure occurred during normal operation  • BMW refuses to repair the defect under warranty and attempted to return the vehicle unrepaired. • BMW suggested an “outside influence,” but evidence does not support this. • This defect creates a serious entrapment and injury hazard with no reliable manual release. • Requesting NHTSA investigation into BMW X7 third-row seat motors, locking mechanisms, and lack of emergency release due to risk of occupant injury or inability to evacuate a trapped passenger.  There is an open and unresolved case with the manufacturer. Please help us and others that may be in danger. We still don’t have our vehicle back after 6 weeks and they state they will not fix it and return it to us broken, unsafe, and not usable.   Here is the contact at BMW  
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*