Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2010 BMW 1 Series with NHTSA between 2010 and 2017.
The largest single group is the airbags.
Across this model's run it ranks 4 of 4 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 20
Against the median year of the BMW 1 Series. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 57
33% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2010 BMW 1 Series
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Airbags
440.0%
Median failure at 93,000 miles
Seats
110.0%
Median failure at 93,000 miles
Fuel & Propulsion
110.0%
Median failure at 40,000 miles
Lights
110.0%
Median failure at 10,000 miles
Acceleration & Cruise Control
110.0%
Median failure at 40,000 miles
Electrical System
110.0%
Engine & Cooling
110.0%
Median failure at 1,530 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
1,000 – 9,999 miles
116.7%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
116.7%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
233.3%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
233.3%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Sep 2010peak 2Dec 2017
Recalls on the 2010 BMW 1 Series
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 2024544587,250 units in Canada
Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "NONE" when it should read as "NONE / AUCUN". Canadian regulations require the information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: This error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. The company has corrected the tire and loading information label for all new vehicles.
Recall 202356821,475 units in Canada
Engine
Issue: On certain vehicles, the variable camshaft timing (VANOS) adjustment unit housing bolts could loosen or break. As a result, the camshaft could become incorrectly adjusted and cause the engine to enter a reduced power mode (limp mode) or to stall while driving. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the VANOS bolts.
Recall 202209598,111 units in Canada
Engine
Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with an N52 or N52K 6-cylinder engine, a manufacturing problem could cause the PCV valve heater (blow-by heater) to short circuit and overheat. Note: This replaces Transport Canada recalls 2017-470 and 2019-170. Only vehicles equipped with an N52 or N52K engine require this repair. Safety Risk: An overheated engine PCV valve heater could create the risk of a fire, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to install a wire harness repair kit. BMW recommends that you should park your vehicle outdoors until the recall repairs have been completed.
Recall 20193848,457 units in Canada
Electrical
Issue: On certain vehicles, the connector for the blower motor regulator may corrode. If this happens, the wiring could overheat and melt. Potential warnings include a blower motor that does not work, a burning smell, or smoke in the cabin. Safety Risk: Wiring that overheats could create a risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to replace the blower regulator wiring harness. Other components will be inspected for damage, and replaced as necessary.
Recall 201747079,616 units in Canada
Engine
On certain vehicles equipped with the N52 6-cylinder engine, an electrical short could occur in the PCV valve heater due to manufacturing irregularities. If this occurs, the surrounding plastics could overheat, melt and potentially cause a fire, which could increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the PCV valve heater.
Recall 2016142104,151 units in Canada
Airbag
On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inflator to rupture, which could allow fragments to be propelled toward vehicle occupants, increasing the risk of injury. This could also damage the airbag module, which could prevent proper deployment. Failure of the airbag to fully deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant. Correction: Dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator or air bag module, depending on the vehicle model.
Recall 201417021,811 units in Canada
Engine
On certain vehicles, housing bolts for the variable camshaft timing system could break, allowing camshaft timing to deviate. If this occurs, the engine would revert to "limp home mode", limiting available engine power. In rare instances the engine could stall, increasing the risk of a collision causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace housing bolts that break and perform associated repairs for 10 years/unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date. Note: This applies only to vehicles not covered by recall 2014-127.
Recall 201412720,022 units in Canada
Engine
On certain vehicles, housing bolts for the variable camshaft timing system could break, allowing camshaft timing to deviate. If this occurs, the engine would revert to "limp home mode", limiting available engine power. This could increase the risk of a collision causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace affected bolts.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 93,000 milesMount Prospect, IL
SEATS
FAILED PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. DOES NOT DETECT PASSENGER. "AIRBAG OFF" IS ILLUMINATED WHEN PASSENGER IS PRESENT.
NHTSA complaint #11052350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 93,000 milesMount Prospect, IL
AIR BAGS
FAILED PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. DOES NOT DETECT PASSENGER. "AIRBAG OFF" IS ILLUMINATED WHEN PASSENGER IS PRESENT.
NHTSA complaint #11052350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Issaquah, WA
AIR BAGS
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW ADVISING THAT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND TO CONTACT MY LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED. I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT DUE TO LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF PARTS, I COULD NOT HAVE THEM INSTALLED UNTIL MARCH 2018.
NHTSA complaint #11035125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oakland Park, FL
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL
NHTSA complaint #10939068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Canal Fulton, OH
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL
NHTSA complaint #10917243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,000 milesNEW Albany, OH
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER CAR ON THE FREE WAY AT NIGHT BY HER SELF AND IT WENT FROM 65 MILES TO HOUR TO 25 MILES AN HOUR AND THEN IT STOPPED. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY HOME AND MY WIFE WAS VERY SCARED. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MAG BMW IN DUBLIN OHIO. ONCE THERE I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD A GAS LEAK IN THE INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK THAT IS CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE POWER AND THAT IS WHY IT STOPPED. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE PERSON THAT IT WOULD COST ME $3000 TO GET IT REPAIRED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BMW DOES NOT USE THAT FUEL TANK ANYMORE SO I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP ALSO. I ASKED IF YOU NO LONGER USE THE FUEL TANK IT MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT AND THEN BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. I WAS TOLD THAT WAS NOT THE CASE AND THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS COULD HAVE TURNED OUT VERY BAD IF MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC GOING 65 MILES PER HOUR AND THEN JUST STARTS TO SLOW DOWN WITH NO NOTICE OR NO ISSUE. THE CAR IS STILL IN MY GARAGE WITH NO WORK BEEN DONE JUST INCASE SOME ONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE CAR. I DID HAVE TO PAY $400 DOLLARS TO BE TOLD ABOUT THE GAS TANK PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT.
NHTSA complaint #10785902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,000 milesNEW Albany, OH
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER CAR ON THE FREE WAY AT NIGHT BY HER SELF AND IT WENT FROM 65 MILES TO HOUR TO 25 MILES AN HOUR AND THEN IT STOPPED. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY HOME AND MY WIFE WAS VERY SCARED. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MAG BMW IN DUBLIN OHIO. ONCE THERE I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD A GAS LEAK IN THE INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK THAT IS CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE POWER AND THAT IS WHY IT STOPPED. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE PERSON THAT IT WOULD COST ME $3000 TO GET IT REPAIRED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BMW DOES NOT USE THAT FUEL TANK ANYMORE SO I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP ALSO. I ASKED IF YOU NO LONGER USE THE FUEL TANK IT MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT AND THEN BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. I WAS TOLD THAT WAS NOT THE CASE AND THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS COULD HAVE TURNED OUT VERY BAD IF MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC GOING 65 MILES PER HOUR AND THEN JUST STARTS TO SLOW DOWN WITH NO NOTICE OR NO ISSUE. THE CAR IS STILL IN MY GARAGE WITH NO WORK BEEN DONE JUST INCASE SOME ONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE CAR. I DID HAVE TO PAY $400 DOLLARS TO BE TOLD ABOUT THE GAS TANK PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT.
NHTSA complaint #10785902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Phoenixville, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
RADIO NOT ALWAYS GOING ON WHEN TURNED ON OR TURNING OFF BY ITSELF OR CHANGING STATIONS. ONGOING PROBLEM. BROUGHT TO DEALER WHO HAD ME WAIT FOR OVER 5 HRS. FOR THE "CONTROLLER" TO BE CHANGED. PROBLEM CONTINUED ALONG WITH ONE OCCASION OF LOUD BUZZING COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. BROUGHT TO ATTENTION OF DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHEN IN FOR SERVICING BUT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. DISCOVERED ONLY TOO LATE THAT I WAS BEYOND THE TIME OF FILING A COMPLAINT UNDER THE LEMON LAW. BROUGHT VEHICLE IT TO DEALER FOR APPRAISAL AND POSSIBLE "BUY BACK" BUT WAS OFFERED ONLY ABOUT HALF ITS VALUE. NOW I AM ENCOUNTERING PROBLEM OF "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT GOING ON AND REMAINING ON (OVER SEVERAL THOUSAND MI.), PAID TO HAVE CHECKED BUT RECEIVED CODE ONLY. TIRED OF GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES WITH THIS CAR AND COMPANY SO AM NOW CONSIDERING TRADING WITH ANOTHER COMPANY.
NHTSA complaint #10650047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,000 milesMiami, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE TAIL LIGHTS AND 3RD BRAKE LIGHT FAIL. THERE IS NO INDICATOR ON DASH THAT NOTIFIES OF SUCH FAILURE, CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #10430050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,530 milesWalnut Creek, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CAR SUDDENLY STALLED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY. NO WARNING , ENGINE JUST QUIT.
NHTSA complaint #10356287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.