Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 41,082 complaints for BMW
Incident date: Nov 26, 2022
On vacation road trip driving for about 3 hours. Instrument cluster completely shuts off and goes to black. Screen, vehit speed and rpm and all adas systems stop working. Sometimes turning the car off and on will address the issue other times it will constantly restart the instrument cluster when driving.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2022
On vacation road trip driving for about 3 hours. Instrument cluster completely shuts off and goes to black. Screen, vehit speed and rpm and all adas systems stop working. Sometimes turning the car off and on will address the issue other times it will constantly restart the instrument cluster when driving.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2022
I have been waiting for any update from BMW about this issue,and I have not heard one word from them since April or 2022. Nothing has been up dated on their web site, no mailings etc. How long can this go on?? Thank You.
Incident date: May 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2007 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not ex... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
Around 3:30 pm driving south on I 25, 10 miles north of Trinidad, CO, the panorama sunroof blew out with a loud bang. I pulled over had a quick look, drove to Trinidad and vacuumed up the broken glass from inside the car and broke out small remaining pieces. I was driving around 77 mph the inside sun roof cover was open and the air vents were off.
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
Around 3:30 pm driving south on I 25, 10 miles north of Trinidad, CO, the panorama sunroof blew out with a loud bang. I pulled over had a quick look, drove to Trinidad and vacuumed up the broken glass from inside the car and broke out small remaining pieces. I was driving around 77 mph the inside sun roof cover was open and the air vents were off.
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
This car has a heater problem with the PCV that causes the car to not run in cold weather. The PCV fails intermittently and the car will not idle or run in cold weather. BMW issued this recall in March but it is not November and they have offered no fix for this. It is a safety issue and it's also affecting how the car runs. How could we be 8 months into this without a fix?
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
This car has a heater problem with the PCV that causes the car to not run in cold weather. The PCV fails intermittently and the car will not idle or run in cold weather. BMW issued this recall in March but it is not November and they have offered no fix for this. It is a safety issue and it's also affecting how the car runs. How could we be 8 months into this without a fix?
Incident date: Nov 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2023 BMW X7. The contact stated that after placing the vehicle in reverse with the back-up assist feature activated, the vehicle struck the other vehicle behind. The contact stated that the automatic brake assist feature failed to operate as designed, causing the vehicle to strike the rear tire of the other vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact depressed t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 135I. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the passenger occupancy sensor mat to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V428000 (Air Bags) howev... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 135I. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the passenger occupancy sensor mat to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V428000 (Air Bags) howev... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 128I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confir... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. Additionally, the contact had experienced a failure of the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2022
I received notification that my passenger restraint system has a malfunction. The car threw up a code, I received a phone call and text message from the dealer. I thought this was important so I took the car to the dealer. They said the detection mat needs replace and the cost would be $1811.00. The dealer asked me if something spilled on it? The answer was no. I believe this is a safety defect an... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2022
I received notification that my passenger restraint system has a malfunction. The car threw up a code, I received a phone call and text message from the dealer. I thought this was important so I took the car to the dealer. They said the detection mat needs replace and the cost would be $1811.00. The dealer asked me if something spilled on it? The answer was no. I believe this is a safety defect an... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted about the failure and informed him that they would call him once parts were available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2022
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rear parking assist function malfunctioned. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The car was expected to reverse park itself. Instead it never stopped going backwards an crashed into the wall at the end of the parking area. It was not able to recognize the presence of a wall... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 19, 2022
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rear parking assist function malfunctioned. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The car was expected to reverse park itself. Instead it never stopped going backwards an crashed into the wall at the end of the parking area. It was not able to recognize the presence of a wall... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
During normal street and highway driving operation, the whole console and digital warning systems shutdown causing safety issues while driving.
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
During normal street and highway driving operation, the whole console and digital warning systems shutdown causing safety issues while driving.
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
During normal street and highway driving operation, the whole console and digital warning systems shutdown causing safety issues while driving.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2022
When starting a cold engine, a “plume of blue smoke” can be seen emitting from the exhaust tailpipe for approximately 10-20 seconds. There is no engine malfunction light illuminated (no” turbocharger boost faults are stored) and no drivability issues are detected.
Incident date: Nov 18, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted and stated that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufac... Read more
Incident date: Nov 13, 2022
when cold car will hesitate to start.
Incident date: Aug 6, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the odor of burning oil or plastic started entering the vehicle through the vents. The contact stated engine overheating warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the road and turned the vehicle off. The contact made several attempts to drive the vehicle back to his residence; however, he eventually ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 18, 2022
Sunroof exploded, just driving down the road, and BOOM! Most of the glass exploded outward, but it was definitely a hazard. The sunroof cover was open about 8-10 inches to let light in, but the glass sunroof was closed.
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 18, 2022
Sunroof exploded, just driving down the road, and BOOM! Most of the glass exploded outward, but it was definitely a hazard. The sunroof cover was open about 8-10 inches to let light in, but the glass sunroof was closed.
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 18, 2022
Sunroof exploded, just driving down the road, and BOOM! Most of the glass exploded outward, but it was definitely a hazard. The sunroof cover was open about 8-10 inches to let light in, but the glass sunroof was closed.
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 325I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he smelled a burning odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he was unable to duplicate th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle was emitting an abnormal oil burning odor. The manufacturer was not ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2022
The LED chips that control the running lamps in the rear and prone to fail based on my personal experience and reading forums; I've replaced 3 so far. However, BMW has yet to acknowledge the issue and will only sell you an entire brake lamp for $400+. You can find the chip that needs replacing on Amazon for ~$15 with a Lifetime Warranty through the Amazon retailer. During normal operation, these L... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experien... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2022
Blower motor doesn’t work and BMW Has discontinued the part. So I have to form or heat or ac flow in my car
Incident date: Nov 15, 2022
No past issues with brakes. No warning lights. Went to brake and pedal went to the floor. Christmas tree of lights go off about brake/abs/traction control issue. Press pedal agian, same thing. Press again, and finally get brakes. I was going about 35mph. Luckily I didn't coast through a busy intersection, but if this happened somewhere else, I or others could be dead. I had room to maneuver and... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2022
Timing chain issue that is common with the BMW n20 engines. The chain is starting to loosen and have some slack. Afraid it could brake and jump teeth as it does it so many online horror stories wrecking the car's engine after it breaks and gets sucked into it. I believe a recall should hopefully happen. A sorts of class action lawsuits and settlements but no recall yet.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2022
Timing chain issue that is common with the BMW n20 engines. The chain is starting to loosen and have some slack. Afraid it could brake and jump teeth as it does it so many online horror stories wrecking the car's engine after it breaks and gets sucked into it. I believe a recall should hopefully happen. A sorts of class action lawsuits and settlements but no recall yet.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2022
Forward sensors did not activate braking system, vehicle subsequently jumped the curb and struck concrete piling, embedding it into the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. I sent an email to the company and the incident was reported to the police. The vehicle was determined to be a total loss by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance company after being inspected by the collision company. As my wife... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 18, 2022
Forward sensors did not activate braking system, vehicle subsequently jumped the curb and struck concrete piling, embedding it into the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. I sent an email to the company and the incident was reported to the police. The vehicle was determined to be a total loss by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance company after being inspected by the collision company. As my wife... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 18, 2022
Forward sensors did not activate braking system, vehicle subsequently jumped the curb and struck concrete piling, embedding it into the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. I sent an email to the company and the incident was reported to the police. The vehicle was determined to be a total loss by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance company after being inspected by the collision company. As my wife... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool co... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool co... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact continued driving to her nearby residence. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly and she could smell a strong burning odor inside the vehicle while driving.... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2022
Recall was issued March 2022. The remedy is still not available.
Incident date: Nov 13, 2022
The "Secure from Rolling" alert pops up on screen and car is prevented from moving. Engine must be shut off and ignition turned back on to work. Gears/spring probably need replaced per error message.
Incident date: Nov 13, 2022
The "Secure from Rolling" alert pops up on screen and car is prevented from moving. Engine must be shut off and ignition turned back on to work. Gears/spring probably need replaced per error message.
Incident date: Nov 13, 2022
The "Secure from Rolling" alert pops up on screen and car is prevented from moving. Engine must be shut off and ignition turned back on to work. Gears/spring probably need replaced per error message.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2022
The car is experiencing rough idles and an imbalance in the overall performance. The PCV valve is not allowing enough air to return to the combustion chamber, creating a rough idle as the levels are imbalanced. It’s also causing a lean air to fuel mixture, oil leaks and increased fuel consumption. The PCV valve hoses became blocked by built-up moisture causing high pressure to be built up in th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2022
The car is experiencing rough idles and an imbalance in the overall performance. The PCV valve is not allowing enough air to return to the combustion chamber, creating a rough idle as the levels are imbalanced. It’s also causing a lean air to fuel mixture, oil leaks and increased fuel consumption. The PCV valve hoses became blocked by built-up moisture causing high pressure to be built up in th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2022
I have referred to the owner's manual of my vehicle and it does not show me nor indicate how to get access to the trunk from the inside of the vehicle in an emergency situation. I've looked for a seat release latch handle and there is not one. I've researched and contacted BMW experts and they state normally it should have one, other times it may not... I've pulled the middle seat armrest down ... Read more