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2011 BMW 1 Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

21 reports with mileage · 12 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

15 reports
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140,000 miles · May 1, 2019
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

I JUST HAD THE BOLTS ON BOTH THE (INTAKE AND EXHAUST REPLACED) THIS IS LISTED IN THE UNSPECIFIED RECALL AND NO ONE NOTIFIED ME ON THIS RECALL I DRIVE THE 2011 128I SERIES COUPE AND THIS COST ME OUT OF POCKET $1,800 DOLLARS TO REPLACE, WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHY I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCID…

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I JUST HAD THE BOLTS ON BOTH THE (INTAKE AND EXHAUST REPLACED) THIS IS LISTED IN THE UNSPECIFIED RECALL AND NO ONE NOTIFIED ME ON THIS RECALL I DRIVE THE 2011 128I SERIES COUPE AND THIS COST ME OUT OF POCKET $1,800 DOLLARS TO REPLACE, WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHY I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND ALSO I HAVE 2 OTHER RECALL ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING TO MY CAR THE AIR BAG THE SIGNAL KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF AND ALSO THE PCV VALVE OFF AND ON I SMELL SOMETHING BURNING I DO HOPE SOMEONE CAN CONTACT ME SO I CAN GET THESE RECALLS FIX NOW I AM REALLY SCARED THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. I HAVE MY RECEIPT OF ME GETTING THE BOLTS ISSUE FIXED AND REQUESTING A REFUND

NHTSA ODI #11204967

10,000 miles · Apr 22, 2018
Air BagsEngineService Brakes

ASD

NHTSA ODI #11089274

72,000 miles · Nov 9, 2017
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ODI #11044869

Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2017
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL BRAMAN BMW KEEP SAYING THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 2 YEARS, AND EVERY TIME I CALLED THEY GIVE ME THE SAME "SCRIPTED ANSWER". I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 2 YEARS TO GET THIS PART REPLACED AND THEY JUST KEEP GETTING MY NAME ON A WAITING LIST, THAT IS NOT REAL. I GOT A LETTER FROM BMW SAYING THE P…

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TAKATA RECALL BRAMAN BMW KEEP SAYING THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 2 YEARS, AND EVERY TIME I CALLED THEY GIVE ME THE SAME "SCRIPTED ANSWER". I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 2 YEARS TO GET THIS PART REPLACED AND THEY JUST KEEP GETTING MY NAME ON A WAITING LIST, THAT IS NOT REAL. I GOT A LETTER FROM BMW SAYING THE PART IS AVAILABLE AND THEY KEEP SAYING TO ME THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11035852

Mileage unknown · Aug 21, 2017
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL - I HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY BMW REGARDING THIS RECALL. I HAVE NO IDEA IF MY AIRBAGS ARE FAULTY OR NOT. I HAVE CALLED MY DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A LETTER IF/WHEN THEY WERE ABLE TO REPAIR THE AIRBAGS. HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM THEM.

NHTSA ODI #11018738

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2017
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL. I FEEL THAT 15 MONTHS IS WAY TO LONG TO WAIT TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAIM OR KILL MY WIFE WHO DRIVES THIS CAR. I KEEP ASKING THE BMW DEALERSHIP AND ALL THEY DO IS SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS.

NHTSA ODI #10993200

Mileage unknown · Dec 27, 2016
Air Bags

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR NEARLY TEN MONTHS TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR MY CAR'S RECALLED DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG MODULE (RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-071). OVER THE PAST TEN MONTHS, I'VE CALLED BMW SEVERAL TIMES TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN IT EXPECTS TO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT PARTS. EACH TIME, I'VE BEEN …

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I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR NEARLY TEN MONTHS TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR MY CAR'S RECALLED DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG MODULE (RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-071). OVER THE PAST TEN MONTHS, I'VE CALLED BMW SEVERAL TIMES TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN IT EXPECTS TO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT PARTS. EACH TIME, I'VE BEEN TOLD TO SIMPLY WAIT! APPARENTLY, BMW EXPECTS ME TO WAIT LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO EXPLODE IN MY FACE AND EITHER KILL ME OR CAUSE SEVERE BODILY INJURY! DURING MY MOST RECENT CALL WITH BMW, ON DEC. 27TH, 2016, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WILL BE AT LEAST ANOTHER SIX MONTHS BEFORE BMW EXPECTS TO RECEIVE PARTS. THAT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE; THEREFORE, I AM SUBMITTING AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT TO NHSTA ABOUT BMW'S LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS TO REMEDY THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVER AIRBAG MODULE SITUATION.

NHTSA ODI #10937668

58,000 miles · Nov 15, 2016
Air Bags

MY CAR HAD A PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION THAT RENDERED THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA ODI #10926239

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2016
Air Bags

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW IN MARCH 2016, WARNING OF A DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIRBAG. MY BMW CENTER HAS NOT REMEDIED THE DEFECT AS OF YET, OCT, 2016, UNREASONABLE. I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS BMW, WILL NOT CARRY PASSENGERS AND PUT THEM IN DANGER. I DO NOT HAVE AN ALTERNATE VEHICLE TO DRIVE T…

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I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW IN MARCH 2016, WARNING OF A DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIRBAG. MY BMW CENTER HAS NOT REMEDIED THE DEFECT AS OF YET, OCT, 2016, UNREASONABLE. I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS BMW, WILL NOT CARRY PASSENGERS AND PUT THEM IN DANGER. I DO NOT HAVE AN ALTERNATE VEHICLE TO DRIVE TO WORK. AS ALWAYS, I AM AN ATTENTATIVE, DEFENSIVE DRIVER. I CANNOT CONTROL THE OTHER CRAZY, STUPID, CARELESS, WRECKLESS DRIVERS OUT THERE. IN JULY 2013, MY 2009 AUDI A4 WAS T-BONED, TOTALED, I SUFFERED A SEVERELY BROKEN COLLAR BONE, ALL WHILE I WAS SITTING STATIONARY, AT A RED LIGHT. "AT FAULT" DRIVER MAKING A LEFT TURN, GIANT SUV DRIVER WHO HIT HIM AND TOTALED MY CAR, DEFINITELY SPEEDING AND PROBABLY TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED - THANKFULLY NO METAL DAGGERS SHOT OUT !!!! PLEASE GET ON BMW ABOUT THIS! BEFORE SOMEONE SUFFERS "SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH" !!!!!!! THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10914128

Mileage unknown · Oct 3, 2016
Air Bags

RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-071: DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE, THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOT RESOLVED BY BMW. AIRBAG COULD SHOOT METAL FRAGMENTS INTO DRIVER AND PASSENGER, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, IN THE CASE OF INFLATION. NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING MYSELF OR PASSENGERS IN THIS BWM. RECALL RECEIVED IN MARCH 2016…

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RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-071: DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE, THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOT RESOLVED BY BMW. AIRBAG COULD SHOOT METAL FRAGMENTS INTO DRIVER AND PASSENGER, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, IN THE CASE OF INFLATION. NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING MYSELF OR PASSENGERS IN THIS BWM. RECALL RECEIVED IN MARCH 2016, STILL NO PARTS, NOT REPLACED, STILL FORCED TO DRIVE IN A DANGEROUS CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10911379

Official recalls

2

23V707000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Oct 20, 2023

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

10V254000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor

Jun 10, 2010

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 1-SERIES VEHICLES. IN A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY, DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PRE-TENSIONER AND LOAD-LIMITER OCCURS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE INSULATION AROUND THE PRE-TENSIONER COULD IGNITE.

Remedy: VEHICLES PRODUCED UP THROUGH DECEMBER 2009 WILL RECEIVE NEW FRONT SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR UNITS AND A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS, WHILE VEHICLES PRODUCED BETWEEN JANUARY 2010 AND MAY 2010 WILL RECEIVE A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.