Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2017 BMW 230I
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Tires
428.6%
Other & Unspecified
214.3%
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 400 mi
Airbags
214.3%
Engine & Cooling
214.3%
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 75,000 mi
Wheels
17.1%
Median failure at 8,000 miles
Brakes
17.1%
Electrical System
17.1%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Transmission & Drivetrain
17.1%
Median failure at 38,474 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
125.0%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
125.0%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
125.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
125.0%
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.
Mar 2017peak 4Aug 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2017 BMW 230I
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.C...
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Graham, KYFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On [XXX], I was driving down the road and a indicator light went off, indicating a malfunction. When I pulled over to the side, I shut the car off. I noticed something around the drivers side front end of the car. When I exited the vehicle, I seen fire (flame) coming from the front drivers side. It was located right in front of the tire. I called 911, Police and EMT was the first responders. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a total loss. The car fire resulted in the car being placed in a junk yard. My insurance wouldn’t cover the damage, they suspected wear and tear, and denied the coverage. I had the car on loan for 2 and half years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Graham, KYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On [XXX], I was driving down the road and a indicator light went off, indicating a malfunction. When I pulled over to the side, I shut the car off. I noticed something around the drivers side front end of the car. When I exited the vehicle, I seen fire (flame) coming from the front drivers side. It was located right in front of the tire. I called 911, Police and EMT was the first responders. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a total loss. The car fire resulted in the car being placed in a junk yard. My insurance wouldn’t cover the damage, they suspected wear and tear, and denied the coverage. I had the car on loan for 2 and half years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Graham, KYFire
ENGINE
On [XXX], I was driving down the road and a indicator light went off, indicating a malfunction. When I pulled over to the side, I shut the car off. I noticed something around the drivers side front end of the car. When I exited the vehicle, I seen fire (flame) coming from the front drivers side. It was located right in front of the tire. I called 911, Police and EMT was the first responders. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a total loss. The car fire resulted in the car being placed in a junk yard. My insurance wouldn’t cover the damage, they suspected wear and tear, and denied the coverage. I had the car on loan for 2 and half years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Graham, KYFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On [XXX], I was driving down the road and a indicator light went off, indicating a malfunction. When I pulled over to the side, I shut the car off. I noticed something around the drivers side front end of the car. When I exited the vehicle, I seen fire (flame) coming from the front drivers side. It was located right in front of the tire. I called 911, Police and EMT was the first responders. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a total loss. The car fire resulted in the car being placed in a junk yard. My insurance wouldn’t cover the damage, they suspected wear and tear, and denied the coverage. I had the car on loan for 2 and half years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Graham, KYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On [XXX], I was driving down the road and a indicator light went off, indicating a malfunction. When I pulled over to the side, I shut the car off. I noticed something around the drivers side front end of the car. When I exited the vehicle, I seen fire (flame) coming from the front drivers side. It was located right in front of the tire. I called 911, Police and EMT was the first responders. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a total loss. The car fire resulted in the car being placed in a junk yard. My insurance wouldn’t cover the damage, they suspected wear and tear, and denied the coverage. I had the car on loan for 2 and half years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Graham, KYFire
ENGINE
On [XXX], I was driving down the road and a indicator light went off, indicating a malfunction. When I pulled over to the side, I shut the car off. I noticed something around the drivers side front end of the car. When I exited the vehicle, I seen fire (flame) coming from the front drivers side. It was located right in front of the tire. I called 911, Police and EMT was the first responders. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a total loss. The car fire resulted in the car being placed in a junk yard. My insurance wouldn’t cover the damage, they suspected wear and tear, and denied the coverage. I had the car on loan for 2 and half years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chandler, AZ
TIRES
On 4/17/2025, we purchased 4 BRIDGESTONE tires at Discount Tire Company. The front two tires are model 225 /40 R18 88Y SL BSW BM RF and the rear two tires are model 245 /35 R18 92Y XL BSW BM RF. On 9/3/2025, we had to replace a front tire, due to a hole in the tire from pothole damage going about 40 mph. I can't say the exact safety risk this posed, but a tire getting a hole in it at 40 miles per hour can't be a good thing? These are run-flat tires so they still work but not at high speeds.
NHTSA complaint #11715059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chandler, AZ
TIRES
On 4/17/2025, we purchased 4 BRIDGESTONE tires at Discount Tire Company. The front two tires are model 225 /40 R18 88Y SL BSW BM RF and the rear two tires are model 245 /35 R18 92Y XL BSW BM RF. On or before 10/21/2025, we noticed two bulges in the rear tire and had to have it replaced. Not sure of the cause. This was the second Bridgestone Potenza tire since April 2025 that had to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11715064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chandler, AZ
TIRES
On 4/17/2025, we purchased 4 BRIDGESTONE tires at Discount Tire Company. The front two tires are model 225 /40 R18 88Y SL BSW BM RF and the rear two tires are model 245 /35 R18 92Y XL BSW BM RF. On 9/3/2025, we had to replace a front tire (225 /40 R18 88Y SL BSW BM RF), due to a hole caused by pothole damage going about 40 mph. On 10/21/2025, we had to replace a rear tire (245 /35 R18 92Y XL BSW BM RF) due to a bulge in the tire. Not sure of the cause. On 1/31/2025, the rear tire pressure went down while on the freeway, going about 60 mph. Upon stopping, the tire had a hole in the side near the tire rim.
NHTSA complaint #11715070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chandler, AZ
TIRES
On 4/17/2025, we purchased 4 BRIDGESTONE tires at Discount Tire Company. The front two tires are model 225 /40 R18 88Y SL BSW BM RF and the rear two tires are model 245 /35 R18 92Y XL BSW BM RF. On 9/3/2025, we had to replace a front tire (225 /40 R18 88Y SL BSW BM RF), due to a hole caused by pothole damage going about 40 mph. On 10/21/2025, we had to replace a rear tire (245 /35 R18 92Y XL BSW BM RF) due to two bulges in the tire. Not sure of the cause. On 1/31/2026, the rear tire pressure went down while on the freeway, going about 60 mph. Upon stopping, the rear driver side tire had a hole in the side near the tire rim. Also on 1/31/2026, while checking the tires after getting the tire pressure warning, the front tire had a bulge in it.
NHTSA complaint #11715073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Diego, CA
AIR BAGS
BMW Passenger Restraint sensor failure due to a faulty sensor mat, so the passenger seatbelt will not lock or tighten when braking or in the event of an accident. Took it to the dealer and no evidence of a spill or user error that can tamper with the mat, the sensor simply died after minimal use of the passenger seat. This part should be recalled & BMW should have to cover the cost of this safety hazard caused by faulty parts. BMW only covers the sensor mat for 2 years even after replacement, which is unacceptable for a component that is vital to passenger safety.
NHTSA complaint #11564841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Diego, CA
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
BMW Passenger Restraint sensor failure due to a faulty sensor mat, so the passenger seatbelt will not lock or tighten when braking or in the event of an accident. Took it to the dealer and no evidence of a spill or user error that can tamper with the mat, the sensor simply died after minimal use of the passenger seat. This part should be recalled & BMW should have to cover the cost of this safety hazard caused by faulty parts. BMW only covers the sensor mat for 2 years even after replacement, which is unacceptable for a component that is vital to passenger safety.
NHTSA complaint #11564841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 75,000 milesCoronado, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 BMW 230I. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and the vehicle was restarted and the coolant level dropped dramatically. The vehicle was driven to the residence and coolant was added. The contact stated that when the vehicle was restarted, he observed a gushing sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact also stated that he observed condensation underneath the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the oil filler housing, coolant system, and some pieces of the drive block needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
NHTSA complaint #11562347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sewell, NJ
PARKING BRAKE
No emergency lights detecting any problems but the ebreak does not Work
NHTSA complaint #11446994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 38,474 milesOrlando, FL
POWER TRAIN
BACK IN 12/2020, MY LOW COOLANT WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, AS OF YESTERDAY 02/2021, IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME, THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. THE SAME DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS THE COOLANT HOSE LEAKING. I SEE ONLINE THAT BMW HAS THIS ISSUE WITH 2018 MODES.
NHTSA complaint #11396544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,000 milesOssining, NY
WHEELS
IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS I HAD TO REPLACE 4 RUN FLAT TIRES AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1300. THE TIRE WERE COMING OFF THE CAR, THERE WERE BUBBLES IN THE TIRE. BMW SAID "THAT HAPPENS WITH 2-SERIES CARS." THEY SAID THE LOW PROFILE CAUSES THIS WHEN YOU HIT POTHOLES. I DIDN'T HIT ANY POTHOLES. THE CAR THUMPS WHENEVER IT HITS EVEN THE SMALLEST OF BUMPS. I LIVE IN THE BURBS WHERE THE ROADS ARE RELATIVELY SMOOTH. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE WITH THE MANY CARS I LEASED BEFORE. BMW OF MT. KISCO WAS TOTALLING UNCARING AND DID NOT OFFER ANY SOLUTIONS DESPITE THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS, NOT TO MENTION THE COST. I WANT TO GET OUT OF THE LEASE AFTER 1 YEAR OF THE 3 YEARS BUT THEY WOULDN'T EVEN RETURN MY CALL.
NHTSA complaint #11131665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 400 milesMiami, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE ORDERED MY CAR WITH HELP BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA (BMW NA) REPRESENTATIVES BY CALLING 800-831- 1117, TO WHOM I EXPRESSED THAT I WANT TO HAVE 3 SAFETY OPTIONS, NAMELY: 1) BLIND SPOT DETECTION, 2) AUTOMATED BRAKING AND 3) FRONT CAMERA. HOWEVER, ONCE I RECEIVED THE CAR, NONE OF THE DESIRED OPTIONS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED ON THE CAR. NOTE THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES ADVISED ME THAT THE AUTOMATED BRAKING IS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT THAT THERE IS FRONT COLLISION WARNING, WHICH PRIMES THE BRAKES, AD WHICH I ACCEPTED. ALL OF WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN DRIVER ASSISTANCE PLUS PACKAGE, WHICH CAME WITH NAVIGATION AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL OPTIONS BUNDLED, AND WHICH I HAVE PURCHASED. HOWEVER, WHEN I RECEIVED THE CAR, NONE OF THE DESIRED OPTIONS WERE INCLUDED ON THE CAR. I HAVE CALLED BMW NA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I WILL HAVE TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE DEALER. WHEN I HAVE CALLED THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME THAT NONE OF THESE OPTIONS WERE AVAILABLE ON MY CAR, AND THAT THEY COULD NOT BEEN ORDERED. PROVIDED THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO ME WITHOUT THE OPTIONS FOR WHICH I HAVE SPECIFICALLY ASKED AND WHICH WERE SUPPOSEDLY INCLUDED, NAMELY DRIVER ASSISTANCE PLUS, AND PROVIDED THAT THE BMW NA REPRESENTATIVES MISGUIDED ME BY TELLING ME TO BUY THIS OPTION, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ENOUGH TO OPEN THE CASE. IN ADDITION, NOTE THAT BMW OF LINCOLN, NE, IN WHICH I HAVE PURCHASED THE LEASE OF MY CAR, HAS STOPPED CALLING ME BACK, EVEN AFTER I HAVE CALLED BMW NA NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE REQUESTED THE DEALERSHIP TO CALL ME, IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10966573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.