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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

Equipment complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2011
Equipment

THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM ON MY 2011 BMW 335I WILL TELL YOU TO TURN THE WRONG WAY, AND THEN TELL YOU TO MAKE A U-TURN. I HAVE BEEN TURNING ONTO THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE HIGHWAY AND IT WILL SAY TO MAKE A U-TURN. YOU CANNOT TRUST WHERE YOU WILL END UP IF YOU FOLLOW THE SYSTEM. IT COULD LEAD YOU TO A LOCATION THAT IS NOT SAFE. I NOTI…

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THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM ON MY 2011 BMW 335I WILL TELL YOU TO TURN THE WRONG WAY, AND THEN TELL YOU TO MAKE A U-TURN. I HAVE BEEN TURNING ONTO THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE HIGHWAY AND IT WILL SAY TO MAKE A U-TURN. YOU CANNOT TRUST WHERE YOU WILL END UP IF YOU FOLLOW THE SYSTEM. IT COULD LEAD YOU TO A LOCATION THAT IS NOT SAFE. I NOTIFIED MY DEALER WHO THEN TESTED OTHER 2011'S WITH THE SAME RESULT AND TESTED 2010'S WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. THE DEALER AND I HAVE NOTIFIED BMW NA, YET NOW ALMOST 5 MONTHS LATER THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. WHEN I TALKED TO THE SUPPLIER OF THE MAPS, THEY INDICATED THEY ALSO HAD RECEIVED MANY CALLS ON THE 2011 MODEL. THE NEXT SCREEN DOES NOT LET ME SELECT THE BMW 3 SERIES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10373797

25 miles · Aug 5, 2010
EquipmentVisibility

THE RADIO DISPLAY IN THE CAR HAS ITS POLARIZING FILTER OFF-SET SO THAT WHEN WEARING POLARIZED GLASSES YOU CANNOT SEE THE DISPLAY. WHEN REQUIRED TO WEAR PRESCRIPTION GLASSES THIS IS A DISTRACTION AND A SAFETY HAZARD AS YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE GLASSES TO SEE THE RADIO DISPLAY. THIS IS EXPERIENCED IN THE 335I, WHICH DOES NOT APP…

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THE RADIO DISPLAY IN THE CAR HAS ITS POLARIZING FILTER OFF-SET SO THAT WHEN WEARING POLARIZED GLASSES YOU CANNOT SEE THE DISPLAY. WHEN REQUIRED TO WEAR PRESCRIPTION GLASSES THIS IS A DISTRACTION AND A SAFETY HAZARD AS YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE GLASSES TO SEE THE RADIO DISPLAY. THIS IS EXPERIENCED IN THE 335I, WHICH DOES NOT APPEAR IN YOUR PULL DOWN LIST ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM HAS ITS POLARIZED FILTER CORRECTLY POSITIONED. ONLY OCCURS IN THE CAR WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THE 'I'DRIVE OPTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10347499

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.