BMW recall over rear seat belt defect affects 2026 X1, X2, 2 Series and MINI Countryman

BMW has announced a recall of select 2026 model-year vehicles, including the BMW X1, X2, 2 Series Gran Coupe, and MINI Countryman. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that a defect in the rear seat belts could raise the risk of injury in a crash. In cars where the back seat sees daily use, that’s a crucial safety layer.

The issue traces to damage affecting the locking pawls inside pretensioner mechanisms supplied by Autoliv. During maintenance on a production line, some pawls may have developed microcracks, which can reduce a belt’s ability to lock under hard braking or during an impact. It’s a sharp reminder of how tiny flaws in safety hardware can have outsized consequences.

Owners will be offered a free replacement of the rear and right-side seat belts. Notification letters are scheduled to begin on December 12, 2025, so it’s worth keeping an eye out as that date approaches.

The affected models are built at BMW’s plants in Leipzig and Regensburg. These facilities handle the brand’s compact portfolio, from the 2 Series Gran Coupe to the X1 and X2 crossovers, as well as the MINI Countryman.

For context, the 2026 BMW X1 and X2 use 2.0-liter turbocharged engines rated at 241–312 hp, while the electric Countryman carries a 64.6-kWh battery with an estimated range of up to 341 km. The spread of powertrains underscores how diverse the lineup is, even when the recall targets a common safety component.