NHTSA Safety Recalls
BMW 3 Series Recalls by Year
NHTSA's files hold 7 recall campaigns for the BMW 3 Series, across 7 model years from 2000 to 2010. The 2006 has the most (4); the fewest among years with a recall is 2001 (1).
- Model years
- 7
- Recall campaigns
- 7
- Most recalls
- 2006
- Owner complaints
- 800
2000–2010, with a recall
4 recalls
all model years, NHTSA
Owners have filed 800 complaints with NHTSA about the BMW 3 Series across 14 model years; the most, 202, concern the 2006.
Owners marked a crash on 27 of the BMW 3 Series complaints (3%) and a fire on 18.
Across all BMW 3 Series model years, owners name the air bags most often (at least 249 complaints), then the electrical system (142).
NHTSA received the most complaints about the BMW 3 Series in 2014: 96, across all model years.
The component recalled most often on the BMW 3 Series is engine and engine cooling: cooling system: fan, in 5 model-year listings.
The newest BMW 3 Series recall, 23V707000, was reported on October 20, 2023 and concerns the engine and engine cooling: engine.
NHTSA's recall file lists no recall for the 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 BMW 3 Series, model years owners have filed complaints about.
BMW 3 Series years to avoid
Too few BMW 3 Series model years have a complete complaint window to rank them: 4 of the 5 needed.
The ranking uses owner complaints in each model year's first years on the road, adjusted for NHTSA's complaint volume for that model year. It is not adjusted for sales and is not a reliability rating. Method
Recalls and complaints by model year
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | First years | vs median year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0 | 21 | 17 | not ranked |
| 2012 | 0 | 7 | 3 | not ranked |
| 2011 | 0 | 1 | 0 | not ranked |
| 2010 | 3 | 30 | 8 | not ranked |
| 2009 | 2 | 53 | 13 | not ranked |
| 2008 | 3 | 68 | 15 | not ranked |
| 2007 | 2 | 115 | 6 | not ranked |
| 2006 | 4 | 202 | 31 | not ranked |
| 2005 | 0 | 25 | 0 | not ranked |
| 2004 | 0 | 77 | 1 | not ranked |
| 2003 | 0 | 51 | 2 | not ranked |
| 2002 | 0 | 26 | 5 | not ranked |
| 2001 | 1 | 36 | 3 | not ranked |
| 2000 | 1 | 88 | 1 | not ranked |
First years: complaints received from the year before the model year to three years after it.BMW 3 Series years without a link have no recall page on this site.
What gets recalled most on the BMW 3 Series
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN5
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)5
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE2
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
- SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM1
BMW 3 Series model-year listings per recall component; one campaign can cover several years.
Every BMW 3 Series recall campaign (7)
| Campaign | Component | Years | Risk named | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23V707000October 20, 2023 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2010 | crash | 157,796 |
| 22V119000March 2, 2022 | engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (pcv) | 2006–2010 | fire | 917,106 |
| 21V401000May 27, 2021 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2000–2001 | injury and death | 4,511 |
| 09V257000July 8, 2009 | air bags: frontal | 2008 | injury | 2,350 |
| 08V384000August 5, 2008 | air bags: frontal | 2006 | — | 200,000 |
| 06V400000October 18, 2006 | suspension: front: control arm | 2006 | crash | 25 |
| 12E029000 | engine and engine cooling: cooling system: fan | 2006–2010 | fire | — |
Vehicles: NHTSA's count of potentially affected vehicles in the whole campaign, not only the BMW 3 Series. Each campaign page has the defect, risk and fix in NHTSA's words.
Newest record on this page: August 22, 2024. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted