FaultScore

Worst years for a BMW 1 Series

Owners have filed 134 complaints about the BMW 1 Series with NHTSA across model years 2000 to 2011. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

2011 BMW 1 Series

44 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly airbags.

Cleanest on record

2010 BMW 1 Series

10 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every BMW 1 Series year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2011 D 44 0 4 15,000 Airbags
2010 A 10 0 0 40,000 Airbags
2009 B 23 0 0 44,000 Airbags
2008 B 24 1 0 87,500 Airbags
2007 9 3 0 115,000 Electrical System
2006 7 0 0 62,500 Steering
2005 3 0 0 Airbags
2004 6 0 0 124,500 Engine & Cooling
2003 1 0 0 Airbags
2002 1 0 0 Lights
2001 3 0 0 Electrical System
2000 3 0 0 Airbags

What breaks on a BMW 1 Series

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 39 29.1%

Worst in 2011

Electrical System 18 13.4%

Worst in 2011

Lights 16 11.9%

Worst in 2009

Fuel & Propulsion 10 7.5%

Worst in 2011

Engine & Cooling 9 6.7%

Worst in 2011

Steering 6 4.5%

Worst in 2006

Seats 5 3.7%

Worst in 2008

Other & Unspecified 5 3.7%

Worst in 2007

Transmission & Drivetrain 4 3.0%

Worst in 2007

Acceleration & Cruise Control 4 3.0%

Worst in 2011

Brakes 3 2.2%

Worst in 2007

Body & Structure 3 2.2%

Worst in 2011

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 3 2.2%

Worst in 2011

Seat Belts 2 1.5%

Worst in 2008

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every BMW 1 Series, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Feb 2009 peak 6 May 2019

Compare the BMW 1 Series

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.