What BMW 3 Series owners have reported to NHTSA, the service bulletins the manufacturer sent dealers, and any federal defect investigations, by model year. See BMW 3 Series 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| 2013 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2010 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 119 |
The vehicle systems named most often in BMW 3 Series complaints (one complaint can name several).
In the owners’ own words, as filed with NHTSA. Unverified reports; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED. THIS MAKES IT SO THAT THE DOORS DO NOT OPEN WHEN YOU ARE INSIDE THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTING TO GET OUT BY PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT ALLOWING ME TO GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE. IF THIS ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED BY PAYING THE $1500 TO FIX THE ISSUE THE DOORS WILL STOP OPENING COMPLETELY MAKING THIS EVEN MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE OVER TIME. THIS ISSUE ONLY GETS WORSE AND IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE CAR. THIS DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR SHOULD BE RECALLED ON ALL VEHICLES BMW MAKES THAT ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOWN LONG-STANDING ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND HAS YET TO BE RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY ISSUE. B…
DRIVER AND PASSENGER TRAPPED IN CAR AFTER PARKING AT AS GAS PUMP. DOORS WOULD UNLOCK BUT NOT OPEN RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL OF KILLING ITS PASSENGERS IN A CRASH. THERE IS A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT.
FOUND A BROKEN BOLT OF THE INTAKE CYLINDER HEAD, WAS BROKE WITHOUT ANY REASON. I NOT THE ONLY ONE, FOUND THIS VIDEO. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=A7HIZIB96PQ THERE ARE 3 MORE BOLTS INSIDE THE CYLINDER HEAD THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE ON THE ENGINE IF BROKEN.
TAKATA RECALL - I THINK AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON ALL THE TIME. BMW SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL AFFECTING THIS. BOTH STATIONARY AND MOVING.
IN NOVEMBER 2017, BMW SENT ME LETTERS REGARDING POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARDS DUE TO DEFECTS OF THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING AND THE PCV VALVE HEATER (RECALL NUMBERS 17V-676 AND 17V-683). NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AND NO REPAIR OFFERED TO CORRECT POSSIBLE DEFECTS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEM RELATED TO THESE PARTS. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THESE ISSUES, BMW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL AND REPAIR AFFECTED CARS PROMPTLY.
TWO WHEEL RIMS CRACKED, ONLY 38,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. RIMS WON'T WITHSTAND NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY WILL CRACK AND CAUSING LOOSING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING.
WHEN I TRY TO OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BY PULLING THE HANDLE IT DOES NOT UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY. THE ONLY WAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IS THROUGH ANOTHER DOOR OR BY USING THE CENTRAL LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON. MY FEAR IS THAT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR ACCIDENT IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS COMPROMISED I COULD POSSIBLY BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP BUT THEY CLAIM THAT THE PROBLEM BEING MECHANICAL IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. ON THE BMW INTERNET FORUMS THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSTS ACROSS VEHICLE MODELS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME FAULTY "DOOR ACTUATOR" AND BMW'S UNWILLINGNESS TO REPAIR IT FREE OF CHARGE. I WAS QUOTED OVER $950 TO REPLACE THE PART. THIS IS…
TAKATA RECALL I HAVE CONTACTED COGGIN BMW FT. PIERCE FL. SEVERAL TIMES TO GET MY AIRBAG FIXED. OVER A YEAR NOW AND STILL THEY CLAIM THAT THE PARTS HAVE NOT COME IN YET. IS THIS TRUE AND WHAT CAN I DO TO GET THIS RECALL TAKEN CARE OF.
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.
Gasket Return
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 186,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 240,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
Screw Cap Return
Socket Housing Return
Only fuel nozzles with the recommended âspecifiedâ diameter for diesel engine passenger vehicles can beinserted into the filler neck. Most fuel stations have their diesel fuel pumps fitted with this recommendeddiameter fuel nozzle. However, if the vehicleâs filler-neck misfuelling protection system has been disabled, or the incorrectdiameter fuel nozzle has been installed on the diesel fuel pump, the vehicleâs diesel fuel system can becontaminated by filling the diesel engine vehicle with gasoline. If the diesel fuel system has been contaminated with gasoline, follow the repair guideli
There is a jerking or shuddering during either or both of the following: Cornering or accelerating from low speeds Driving with low to medium loads There are no warning lights or Check Control messages.
A rattling/ droning noise is heard in the vehicle interior when the air conditioning (AC) is activated. Vibrationsare felt in the driverâs footwell.
The Central information Display (CID) screen goes black and the Headunit (HU-H3) resets sporadically.After a short period of time, the function of the CID and HU-H3 is available again. Additionally, fault code B7F8F9 â âHU-H: Resetâ will be stored in the HU-H3. The issue may occur multiple times while driving longer distances. CAUSE Unfavorable
Hot-Film Air Mass Meter Return
In vehicles that are not mapped to a BMW ID, the manual time setting option is not selectable (greyed-out)in the System Settings menu. Time cannot be manually set in the vehicle.
Radio R/C with FEM Return
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
In a letter dated September 26, 2013, BMW Group submitted a safety recall notice to NHTSA identifying a defect condition in the vacuum pump oil supply that may result in loss of power assist braking in 76,191 model year (MY) 2012 through 2014 BMW 3-Series, 5-Series, X1 SAV, X3 SAV, and Z4 vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder engines (NHTSA Recall 13V-454).According to BMW, movement of the seal disk within the camshaft may result in blocking of the oil supply to the vacuum pump, resulting in imprope
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 2010–2023, owners most often name: engine, air bags, electrical system. 59 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.
