BMW — what breaks, engine by engine
41 models · 4,317 complaints
What BMW complaints are about
Share of component mentions across every BMW in the database, with the all-vehicle average below it. Shares can be compared — raw complaint counts between brands cannot, because counts track sales volume.
Transmission & drivetrain complaints run well below their all-vehicle share (0.7×).
Brakes complaints run 1.3× their all-vehicle share across BMW models.
How often BMW complaints involve a fire, crash or injury
Share of this brand's complaints; the vertical mark is the all-vehicle average. Complaints are owner-reported and skew toward alarming problems — and toward vehicles under active recall attention, which can inflate a brand mid-campaign.
all vehicles — Fire 1.1% · Crash 4.4% · Injury 2.6%
Recalls where NHTSA said stop driving or park outside
The severest recall class, across all BMW models we cover. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer, whatever the car's age.
- BMW i4 — Electrical System › Propulsion System › Traction Battery (stop driving, 2022–2022) 22V541000
- BMW iX — Electrical System › Propulsion System › Traction Battery (stop driving, 2022–2023) 22V541000
- BMW X3 — Suspension › Front (stop driving, 2020–2020) 19V678000
- BMW X4 — Suspension › Front (stop driving, 2020–2020) 19V678000
- BMW 430i — Electrical System › Starter Assembly › Relay (park outside, 2021–2022) 25V636000
- BMW X3 — Electrical System › Starter Assembly › Relay (park outside, 2020–2022) 25V636000
- BMW X4 — Electrical System › Starter Assembly › Relay (park outside, 2020–2022) 25V636000
- BMW Z4 — Electrical System › Starter Assembly › Relay (park outside, 2019–2022) 25V636000