IllustrationWHEN TURN IN ON THE CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT WHEN ON AT THE SAME TIME
2007 BMW 3 Series
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 3 Series years
Owner complaints for the 2007 BMW 3 Series are substantially higher than the model-year median of 23.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 3 Series years →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
150–25K
1525–50K
2550–75K
2275–100K
14100–150K
1150K+
92 reports with mileage · 23 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports4 fire reports3 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
35 reportsI'VE OWNED A 2000 AND 2007 BMW 3 SERIES AND A 2010 X6 ALL WITH AIRBAG RECALLS BUT I DON'T OWN ANY OF THESE VEHICLES ANYMORE. AS A MATTER OF FACT I HIT A CURB AND MY DRIVERS AIRBAG BROKE MY FACIAL BONES WITH JUST HITTING A CURB AND WAS TOTALED OUT. WOULD I QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION THROUGH THIS LARGE RECALL? AND WHAT INFO WOULD I …
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I'VE OWNED A 2000 AND 2007 BMW 3 SERIES AND A 2010 X6 ALL WITH AIRBAG RECALLS BUT I DON'T OWN ANY OF THESE VEHICLES ANYMORE. AS A MATTER OF FACT I HIT A CURB AND MY DRIVERS AIRBAG BROKE MY FACIAL BONES WITH JUST HITTING A CURB AND WAS TOTALED OUT. WOULD I QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION THROUGH THIS LARGE RECALL? AND WHAT INFO WOULD I NEED? *TR
"TAKATA RECALL" THIS VEHICLE IS 10 YEARS OLD. WHERE IS THE NEW AIR BAG? HOW MUCH TIME IS REASONABLE?
TAKATA RECALL. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA AND NIELLO BMW (LOCAL SACRAMENTO DEALER) REFUSE TO RESPOND TO MY COMMUNICATIONS AS TO WHEN MY CAR WILL BE FIXED. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO.
THIS IS STILL NOT RESOLVE AND I AM LOOKING COOLANT AND THERE IS NOT ANSWER OTHER THAN TO REPLACE. IT COSTING ME TO MUCH TO KEEP REVIEWING THIS ISSUE , I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE FOR FREE
MANY MONTHS AGO A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 2007 BMW 3281I CARS. NOTHING HAPPENED. THIS SPRING (2016) I CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO SAID IT HAD HEARD NOTHING FROM BMW. IS NHTSA MONITORING BMW? IF NOT, WHY NOT? IT'S NOT BEYOND THE REALM FOR BOTH PARTIES TO HOPE THAT THE ISSUE WILL BE FORGOTTEN ABOUT AND IT WILL GO AWAY. MY DEALER IS …
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MANY MONTHS AGO A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 2007 BMW 3281I CARS. NOTHING HAPPENED. THIS SPRING (2016) I CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO SAID IT HAD HEARD NOTHING FROM BMW. IS NHTSA MONITORING BMW? IF NOT, WHY NOT? IT'S NOT BEYOND THE REALM FOR BOTH PARTIES TO HOPE THAT THE ISSUE WILL BE FORGOTTEN ABOUT AND IT WILL GO AWAY. MY DEALER IS BMW OF FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA. BOTH DEALER AND DISTRIBUTOR NEED TO BE TOLD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RECALL.
TAKATA RECALL: A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW WAS ISSUED IN MARCH OF 2016. AS OF OCTOBER 11TH, 2016, BMW NORTH AMERICA LLC. STILL CAN NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED TIME OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. THEY HAVE NOT REMEDIED THE SITUATION AT ALL AND WILL NOT OFFER ALTERNATIVE METHODS TO HELP CUSTOMERS WITH THE POTENTIALLY DEATH CAUSING AI…
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TAKATA RECALL: A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW WAS ISSUED IN MARCH OF 2016. AS OF OCTOBER 11TH, 2016, BMW NORTH AMERICA LLC. STILL CAN NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED TIME OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. THEY HAVE NOT REMEDIED THE SITUATION AT ALL AND WILL NOT OFFER ALTERNATIVE METHODS TO HELP CUSTOMERS WITH THE POTENTIALLY DEATH CAUSING AIRBAG EXPLOSIONS. BMW NORTH AMERICA LLC IS ACTING IN BAD FAITH, ALLOWING AND INSTRUCTING THEIR CUSTOMERS TO CONTINUE DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES WHILE BEING AWARE THAT THEY COULD CAUSE DEATH TO THE DRIVER. (SOURCE - PHONE CALL WITH RECALL CAMPAIGN ESCALATION MANAGER FOR BMW NORTH AMERICA)
TAKATA RECALL WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NEED FOR INSTALLATION OF NEW AIRBAGS IN MARCH 2016. WE WENT INTO DEALER 2X BUT NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. IT IS SIX MONTHS LATER, AND STILL WE HAVE RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION THAT REPLACEMENT FOR FAULTY AIRBAG IS AVAILABLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THE OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM …
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TAKATA RECALL WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NEED FOR INSTALLATION OF NEW AIRBAGS IN MARCH 2016. WE WENT INTO DEALER 2X BUT NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. IT IS SIX MONTHS LATER, AND STILL WE HAVE RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION THAT REPLACEMENT FOR FAULTY AIRBAG IS AVAILABLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THE OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM BMW STATED. THE DELAY IS DANGEROUS AND UNCONSCIONABLE.
I HAVE PHONED TOWSON BMW ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS AND REQUESTED THE RECALL REPAIR, BUT THEY STATE THAT I WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEM TO CALL ME ABOUT IT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND SHOULD BE FIXED ASAP!
PASSENGER SEAT DETECTION MAT NOT WORKING. SEAT HAS BEEN RELATIVELY EMPTY FPR YEARS FAULTY PRODUCT.. DANGEROUS FOR A PASSENGER WHEN I HAVE ONE. AIR BAG MAY NOT GO OFF IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FAULTY MAT DETECTION I FEEL BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. THEY SAY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED DUE TO THEY ONLY COVER CERTAIN VIN'S F…
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PASSENGER SEAT DETECTION MAT NOT WORKING. SEAT HAS BEEN RELATIVELY EMPTY FPR YEARS FAULTY PRODUCT.. DANGEROUS FOR A PASSENGER WHEN I HAVE ONE. AIR BAG MAY NOT GO OFF IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FAULTY MAT DETECTION I FEEL BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. THEY SAY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED DUE TO THEY ONLY COVER CERTAIN VIN'S FOR THAT YEAR..
Official recalls
122V119000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:crankcase (pcv)
Mar 2, 2022
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
Remedy: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.