Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 40,555 complaints for BMW
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
Passenger Restraint System Malfunction. This is what randomly and constantly pops up. The fasten seat alert goes off the whole time I’m riding, although no one is in the passenger seat. I took it to the BMW service center twice and each time they keep my vehicles for hours, just to say they couldn’t duplicate the issue.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
Passenger Restraint System Malfunction. This is what randomly and constantly pops up. The fasten seat alert goes off the whole time I’m riding, although no one is in the passenger seat. I took it to the BMW service center twice and each time they keep my vehicles for hours, just to say they couldn’t duplicate the issue.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
Passenger Restraint System Malfunction. This is what randomly and constantly pops up. The fasten seat alert goes off the whole time I’m riding, although no one is in the passenger seat. I took it to the BMW service center twice and each time they keep my vehicles for hours, just to say they couldn’t duplicate the issue.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2021
Lower tailgate failed and caused me to dump a load of groceries on a busy highway. Vehicle was inspected and it was determined that a spindle connected to a motor had failed. The tailgate must be opened and closed manually now. There were no messages of failure or warning that the rear tailgate was unlocked when this grocery incident occurred. I am a member of a Facebook forum related to this ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2021
The front headlight wiring harness is flaking off and could cause a short and lose your lights at night and cause a accident. there has been no recall and it's happening to all of the bmw cars that had this environmentally friendly insulation. It is a hazard because you can lose both headlights without notice and have a accident. It has been going on for years according to several mechanics I've s... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2021
I was in a front end crash at approximately 30 to 35 miles per hour and airbags did not deploy nor did the seatbelt lock. My chest hit the steering wheel and I was transported by EMS to hospital. Nothing was broken. I had a bruise upper right chest but my pain is in my sternum which is not visibly bruised but is very sore and my activity and mobility is impaired. My radiator was busted and car was... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 6, 2021
I was in a front end crash at approximately 30 to 35 miles per hour and airbags did not deploy nor did the seatbelt lock. My chest hit the steering wheel and I was transported by EMS to hospital. Nothing was broken. I had a bruise upper right chest but my pain is in my sternum which is not visibly bruised but is very sore and my activity and mobility is impaired. My radiator was busted and car was... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 6, 2021
The Vano Housing System bolts all broke off and fell into the engine causing sudden failure and stopping of the vehicle causing it to need to be towed. Upon some researched I learned that in 2014 BMW of North America issued a recall for 2010-2011 BMW 3 series (N55 Engine) Models for this exact defect except apparently my VIN was not included. However, clearly my vehicle should have been included b... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2021
The sunroof shade in my vehicle had been sagging on the passenger side and when I retracted it, it bunched up and is now off track and stuck in position. I currently have my vehicle at a BMW service center for them to take a look at it. In terms of safety, I am unsure that it is a safety concern but it sure is an inconvenience.
Incident date: Aug 8, 2021
The sunroof shade in my vehicle had been sagging on the passenger side and when I retracted it, it bunched up and is now off track and stuck in position. I currently have my vehicle at a BMW service center for them to take a look at it. In terms of safety, I am unsure that it is a safety concern but it sure is an inconvenience.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2019
Passenger seat throwing a code that says "passenger restraint system malfunction"
Incident date: Aug 12, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 535D. The contact stated while driving 25 mph, the vehicle stalled with the power train failure message displayed. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V586000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic with needing the high-pressure fuel pump replaced. T... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2021
When the outside temperatures are warmer (mid 80's and above) the steering wheel will stick in the center position and require it to be jerked a bit to keep control. This occurs at all speeds, but does not seem to be the case when stopped. since it requires the steering wheel to be jerked to correct, it can cause the car to swerve. I have had the car for several years began noticing the issue onc... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2020
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328XI. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, an odor appeared from the exhaust pipe and under the hood where the engine was located. The contact mentioned that every year the oil was changed at an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the valve gasket failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 27, 2021
I do not know What component or system failed or malfunctioned, the car is available for inspection upon request. The car started and moved forward with no driver or passenger inside and stopped because it hit my garage door from which it was parked 3 feet from before it moved forward driverless. A car which moves by itself is unsafe because it can hit a person or object. to date, 8/11/2021 the pr... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2021
Driving my vehicle and on my screen popped up driver seat restraint malfunction, also rear seat restraint malfunction please go to closest dealership. I bring my vehicle to BMW dealership in my town and rep calls me and advise that the cup holders sit above the srs wiring and that liquid gets thru the cup holders and dripped on to the wires causing them to no longer work. This is a design flaw i h... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2021
in 2020 the engine started malfunctioning at 76,000 miles. I took it into the BMW dealership to get it inspected and they stated that it was a valve issue and charged replacement. After replacement, the engine lit would come on and I called the representative. He stated that it would need time to reset so I continued driving it. Eventually the light did not come on for some time. A year later in ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2021
in 2020 the engine started malfunctioning at 76,000 miles. I took it into the BMW dealership to get it inspected and they stated that it was a valve issue and charged replacement. After replacement, the engine lit would come on and I called the representative. He stated that it would need time to reset so I continued driving it. Eventually the light did not come on for some time. A year later in ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2021
I was driving just my 3rd day of having my car and i come outside and its wrecked someone hit the driver side front panel and bumper
Crash
Incident date: Aug 8, 2021
I was driving just my 3rd day of having my car and i come outside and its wrecked someone hit the driver side front panel and bumper
Crash
Incident date: Aug 8, 2021
I was driving just my 3rd day of having my car and i come outside and its wrecked someone hit the driver side front panel and bumper
Crash
Incident date: Aug 7, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 BMW R1200 RT. The contact stated while riding approximately 50 mph, the motorcycle went into a limp mode which resulted in the motorcycle losing power. The motorcycle required a restart to regain functionality. The contact stated that the check engine warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure.... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 BMW R1200 RT. The contact stated while riding approximately 50 mph, the motorcycle went into a limp mode which resulted in the motorcycle losing power. The motorcycle required a restart to regain functionality. The contact stated that the check engine warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure.... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 BMW R 1200 RT Motorcycle. The contact stated that fuel was leaking from motorcycle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V471000 (Fuel System. Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who stated that parts were not yet available. The contact sta... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2021
I received error code P052B and the car had a high pitched whistle and was way down on power. I had it towed to the nearest dealer for service. After speaking with the technician, they told me they'd gone through with a boroscope and saw nothing out of the ordinary and recommended a new valve cover since the PCV was bad. I opted to order replacement spark plugs, coils, an eccentric valve sensor, ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2021
BMW. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE BRAKE SENSOR. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT WARNING SYSTEM HAD A SHORT.
Incident date: Aug 10, 2020
The contact owns a 2005 BMW X3. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact read the owner’s manual and saw that the failure indicated that the driver’s side seat belt receiver was faulty. The dealer was made aware of the failure and ordered the driver’s side seat belt receiver replacement part. The dealer originally informed the cont... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2021
Front passenger door would not unlock or open from inside or outside. Per dealer and report this appears to be failure of the passenger door actuator/solenoid. Door panel will require removal to confirm. There was no immediate safety issue, however with 3 small children, there is a reluctance to drive this car with the potential for doors locking and no way to extricate them should the problem... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2020
Failed fuel pump. Car became very jumpy and could no longer drive it. Thick black smoke.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2020
The shade that covers the sunroof ripped and was hanging down covering the rear window. This happened while I was driving, so I looked in the rearview mirror and all of a sudden couldn't see anything. BMW says that this is not covered by warranty because it is cosmetic, but it seems like a safety issue to me. I know I am not the only one who has had this issue, which is why I am reporting it. T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2020
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 750Li. The contact sated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer performed a diagnostic that located failure code: 930910. The driver’s air bag valve resistance was too high, and the air bag module had an internal shortage. The contact was informed that the air bag needed to be replac... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2021
Over the 2 years of ownership I had about 5 incident where I lost control of my 2019 BMW X5 40i. The specific trim was XLine with standard brake option. It occurred rather randomly so I was not able to identify the pattern to reproduce. Right after the ignition to leave a parking space (and while still holding the brake since starting the car) the car would push my foot up and I would lose contro... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2021
My car is experiencing electrical failures explained in this recall: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 13V044000 There is a complete loss of power to the vehicle, I need to manually open the trunk, wiggle the positive terminal of the battery to get the power back. This seems to be known issue as identified in the NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 13V044000 When reported to the dealer, they declined to fix the issue as part of ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2021
DASHBOARD INDICATES, "ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK ENGAGED". CAR IS CURRENTLY DRIVABLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF BMW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN UNTIL THE CAR WILL NO LONGER TURN ON. THE MALFUNCTIONING FEATURE (STEERING WHEEL LOCK) HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS, INDICATING THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZES THE MALFUNCTION. REPAIR... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, the vehicle stalled as the drivetrain malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact managed to coast the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact attempted to turn off and restart the vehicle which failed to resume normal operation. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagn... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328i. The contact stated that after driving, the vehicle failed to restart without warning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed that the camshaft housing bolts had sheared off. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repairs were not covered under the warranty. The contact stated th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328i. The contact stated that after driving, the vehicle failed to restart without warning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed that the camshaft housing bolts had sheared off. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repairs were not covered under the warranty. The contact stated th... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2020
I have contacted BMW multiple times to come out and perform all 3 recalls. They said they would call back for details specific date to send out a certified mechanic to remedy the recalls. My wife never got a call back. I live over a hundred miles from any dealer on the VA and WV state lines. I can't afford to take time off to bring the car to them.
Incident date: May 6, 2020
I have contacted BMW multiple times to come out and perform all 3 recalls. They said they would call back for details specific date to send out a certified mechanic to remedy the recalls. My wife never got a call back. I live over a hundred miles from any dealer on the VA and WV state lines. I can't afford to take time off to bring the car to them.
Incident date: May 6, 2020
I have contacted BMW multiple times to come out and perform all 3 recalls. They said they would call back for details specific date to send out a certified mechanic to remedy the recalls. My wife never got a call back. I live over a hundred miles from any dealer on the VA and WV state lines. I can't afford to take time off to bring the car to them.
Incident date: Aug 2, 2021
Passenger seat belt warning light activates even though there is no one or anything in the passenger seat.
Incident date: Aug 2, 2021
Passenger seat belt warning light activates even though there is no one or anything in the passenger seat.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2020
i was driving about 35mph and hit a pot hole in the road. that caused my passenger front, passenger side door, and passenger aide door top to deploy.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 750LI. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle there was a loud backfire and the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who stated that the engine head gasket was blown. No further information was available. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The fail... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 BMW R 1200 RT. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V471000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recal... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2021
BMW voluntarily came out with an extended warranty for faulty fuel injectors (not a recall). Warning of drive train malfunction came on, vehicle would barely run. Dealer determined that #8 fuel injector was the problem and was replaced. The fuel injection shuts down during DT malfunction so all fuel is not being burned. A short time after leaving dealership the check engine light came on (less th... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2021
In May of 2021 a service message warning appeared stating, "Transmission secure vehicle with parking break when stopped .Consult service center" The parking break was engaged when this message appeared. I took the car to BMW of Rockville Maryland where i was told the message from the parking breaking was not being registered by the transmission thus i needed a new gear shift. My car the BMW x1 on... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2021
Owned the vehicle since purchased new in July 2005. Warranty expired ~2010. Approximately 2014, symptoms started. In the heat -- 80F - 90F degree sunny day -- response of the steering wheel became notchy, as though requiring a push to get the wheel past a notch. After some time the symptom disappeared, until the (black color) car was again heated in hot sun of a 90F day. It seemed incidental.... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2021
At random the car will display “Drivetrain Malfunction” which causes the car to shift into neutral and begins to slow down until it doesn’t move anymore. There is no check engine light or any other indicator of what might be the problem. The message just pops out of no where. It’s happen in the freeway making me scare to cause an accident because it so random. I’ve had to quickly turn my... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2021
At random the car will display “Drivetrain Malfunction” which causes the car to shift into neutral and begins to slow down until it doesn’t move anymore. There is no check engine light or any other indicator of what might be the problem. The message just pops out of no where. It’s happen in the freeway making me scare to cause an accident because it so random. I’ve had to quickly turn my... Read more