What BMW 230I owners have reported to NHTSA, the service bulletins the manufacturer sent dealers, and any federal defect investigations, by model year. See BMW 230I safety recalls or check your VIN.
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA, by the model year of the vehicle. A high count can also mean a popular year, so compare it with how many were sold.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injured | Deaths | TSBs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 44 |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 168 |
| 2017 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 248 |
The vehicle systems named most often in BMW 230I complaints (one complaint can name several).
In the owners’ own words, as filed with NHTSA. Unverified reports; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
I am leasing my BMW and it has taken an unreasonable amount of time for BMW to provide a remedy to fix my car. The lease expires on November 3, 2026, and I want to sell it back to BMW but the BMW dealership in Wesley Chapel is saying that I can purchase the vehicle but it cannot buy the car back from me because of the recall. As such, at the end of the lease I am going to be forced to buy the car and hope for the recall to be fixed or give the BMW back to the BMW dealership and lose the equity that I have in the car. This situation is unfair to me and not my fault. BMW has an obligation to fix this recall in a reasonable time and it has failed to do so. And my issue is nothing compared …
The tires which are 245/40/19 on a 2025 BMW 230I are wearing so bad.They are chopped on the front very bad and the ends on the right side of vehicle which does have suspension issues but the tires are horrible
Steering at low speeds went out ,lights came on and a whine started in steering.BMW Holman in Nj says its fine that its making noises and whines.The headlight is filling with water and BMW says its normal to have water in your HID headlights.Ca and that shs electrical system has battery drains,starter trouble and system shows multiple fault codes.Holman Bmw in Mount Laurel Nj again says its supposed to have faylut codes.Service Manager confirmed modules are not connecteting.He said he cant sent the report.The car also just starts to take the steering from you,its detecting things that arnt there. Car is dangerous
The contact owns a 2024 BMW 230I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
2022 BMW 230i Coupe (VIN: [XXX]) is under an active, high-priority safety recall for an Engine Starter Fire Risk (Recall 26V-438) with a strict "Park Outside" mandate. The manufacturer currently lists the status as "Remedy Not Available" because redesigned replacement parts do not exist yet. Due to the explicit warning that the vehicle can catch fire spontaneously while parked, I feel completely unsafe operating it or keeping it near my home. BMW Customer Relations refuse to provide a safe interim loaner vehicle, rental coverage, or transport/storage for the vehicle off my property. IG Burton states they do not have the parts to fix it yet. BMW Customer Relations states that it is my issue.…
My 2025 Bmw 230i xdrixe has multiple infotainment issues from rear view camera,voice commands not working screen will go blank.Iil measurement will stop. working.Rear suspension is very bouncy and creeks like crazy Bmw has Tsb about this but Holman bmw will not repair it
The contact owns a 2022 BMW 230I. The contact stated that while his son was attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact's son attempted to start the vehicle again, and the check engine warning light was blinking. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the vehicle was diagnosed with a misfire and crankshaft failure. The contact was informed that the valve cover, fuel tank, and spark plugs need to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact demanded a second opinion. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact reac…
On [XXX], I was driving down the road and a indicator light went off, indicating a malfunction. When I pulled over to the side, I shut the car off. I noticed something around the drivers side front end of the car. When I exited the vehicle, I seen fire (flame) coming from the front drivers side. It was located right in front of the tire. I called 911, Police and EMT was the first responders. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a total loss. The car fire resulted in the car being placed in a junk yard. My insurance wouldnât cover the damage, they suspected wear and tear, and denied the coverage. I had the car on loan for 2 and half years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE…
Repair instructions and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about known issues. A TSB is not a recall, and the repair is usually free only while the car is under warranty; ask your dealer for the bulletin number.
The seat module for the driverâs seat maycontain an incomplete solder connection. Ifthis connection breaks over time, the seat canonly be adjusted using the controls along theside of the seat cushion.
Potential customer complaints with no fault codes stored / No MIL displayed. 1. âRough idle after idling for a longer period of timeâ 2. âVehicle feels like it is misfiring at idleâ The automatic Start/Stop function is deactivated. The vehicle is stopped and the engine runs at idle speed. After prolonged idle operation (approximately 30 to 50 seconds), a slight jolt or slight change in idlespeed may be noticeable. There are no relevant errors in the DME fault code memory. No mixture control error, no misfiring, no error relating to a relevant component of the drive system. Motor vehicl
After programming the vehicle via ISTA/RSUto I-level â¦26-03-5xx, customer may reportsome of the interior ambient lighting strips(arrows) may begin to fail sporadically after adeep sleep cycle. This concern is temporary and the interiorambient lighting will be restored on its ownafter the vehicle is locked/unlocked or colorselection setting is changed.
Customers may hear a noise from underneath the vehicle, or feel something rubbing being transmitted intothe body of the vehicle while driving. Customers may find water inside the vehicle on the front carpet.
Delivery Stop - Front Seat Module
Fastening Elements Return
The Central Information Display (CID) side of the Multifunction Display (MFD) may flicker intermittently. Theflickering manifests itself in three phases: The image is distorted The central information display turns black (black screen) The image is OK again The complete flickering episode with all the above-mentioned three phases only lasts about half a second intotal each time.
Mirror Glass Return
Activation of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant voice is not possible via the Multifunction Steering Wheel (MFL) button and/or via the Central Information Display (CID). Intelligent voice control via the wake-up word âHey BMWâ is possible.
Once the Telematics Module (TCB2) enters sleep mode, a BMW Data Services trigger for Remote Services(remote engine start, lock/unlock/climate conditioning) will not be able to reactivate the TCB2. Due to this issue, Remote Services will not function in the vehicle when parked and locked.
Due to an implementation error in various OBD diagnostics in the vehicle's control units, in very rare cases itmay happen that stored fault memory codes (DTCs) and the MIL (warning light) are not automaticallydeleted even though the underlying malfunction has already been rectified. This does not comply with the statutory OBD specifications.
The front interior reading light(s) (arrows) willrandomly turn ON and OFF while driving. The reading lights are normally activated bytouching the small icons
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opens these when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Many end in a recall.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 20
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation public data (complaints, manufacturer communications, investigations), model years 2010 and later. Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA.
In complaints filed with NHTSA for model years 2017–2026, owners most often name: electrical system, engine, tires. 35 complaints are on record.
No. A complaint is an unverified report from an owner. A technical service bulletin (TSB) is the manufacturer telling dealers how to fix a known issue; it is not a safety recall and is usually covered only under warranty. A recall is a formal safety action, and its repair is free.
File a vehicle safety complaint at NHTSA.gov. NHTSA reads every report, and patterns of complaints are what open defect investigations and, eventually, recalls.