Total Complaints
7 filings
BMW 1 SERIES · model year
2006 BMW 1 SERIES
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2006BMW1 SERIES carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 1 SERIES is steering with 2 filings, followed by power train (1) and unknown or other (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2006 1 SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20170406AIR BAGS
NTSB: 2006-2015 BMW DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXISTS IN CERTAIN MODEL YEARS. *BF THE CONTACT HAS COMPLAINED DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. *AS
20160727VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 1 SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLASHED AND THE DOOR CHIME ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME, LOOKED IN THE TRUNK, AND NOTICED THAT THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FILLED WITH WATER. THE SUN ROOF LEAKED WATER ONTO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
Mileage: 200,000
20160727ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 1 SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLASHED AND THE DOOR CHIME ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME, LOOKED IN THE TRUNK, AND NOTICED THAT THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FILLED WITH WATER. THE SUN ROOF LEAKED WATER ONTO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
Mileage: 200,000
20131015UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AUTO LOCKS FAIL. SEVERE DANGER. LOCKED INSIDE OF CAR. *TR
Mileage: 75,000
20120213STEERING
THE RED FAILURE SYMBOL HAS LIT UP ON MY CAR WITH A STEERING WHEEL AND A LOCK. APPARENTLY THIS SYMBOL MEANS THERE'S AN ELECTRONIC ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL, THAT IT SHOULD BE LOCKED UP AND THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT START. BUT MY CAR STARTS ANYWAY. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. I ASKED WHAT WOULD MAKE THIS PART BE DEFECTIVE, AND THEY SAID WITH TIME AND USE. BUT THE CAR ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT! THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM LIES EITHER WITH THE SENSOR ON THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN (FAULTY SENSOR), OR IN THE SOFTWARE ITSELF. EITHER WAY, CONSIDERING HOW OFTEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN BMWS WITH LOW MILEAGE, SUCH A PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAID OUT OF POCKET BY THE CUSTOMER. *TR
Mileage: 30,000
20110904STEERING
A RELATIVE OF MINE OWNS A 2006, BMW, X5, 3.0I. I WAS THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD ABOUT, WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE, A CATASTROPHIC MECHANICAL FAILURE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY RELATIVE ENTERED THE VEHICLE, STARTED IT, TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT THE TIRES DID NOT TURN. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A BMW DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR (THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY). THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED MY RELATIVE THAT A "BOLT" HAD BROKEN IN THE STEERING MECHANISM; THIS PREVENTED THE WHEELS FROM TURNING. MY RELATIVE TOLD ME THAT THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT NEVER PRODUCED ANY PAPERWORK DOCUMENTING THE VEHICLE REPAIR. THIS PEEKED MY CURIOSITY, SINCE I AM A FEDERAL AGENT. SHOULD THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO YOUR AGENCY? IF MY RELATIVE HAD BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE, IT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY CAUSED A CAR ACCIDENT AND SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
20110904POWER TRAIN
A RELATIVE OF MINE OWNS A 2006, BMW, X5, 3.0I. I WAS THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD ABOUT, WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE, A CATASTROPHIC MECHANICAL FAILURE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY RELATIVE ENTERED THE VEHICLE, STARTED IT, TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT THE TIRES DID NOT TURN. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A BMW DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR (THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY). THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED MY RELATIVE THAT A "BOLT" HAD BROKEN IN THE STEERING MECHANISM; THIS PREVENTED THE WHEELS FROM TURNING. MY RELATIVE TOLD ME THAT THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT NEVER PRODUCED ANY PAPERWORK DOCUMENTING THE VEHICLE REPAIR. THIS PEEKED MY CURIOSITY, SINCE I AM A FEDERAL AGENT. SHOULD THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO YOUR AGENCY? IF MY RELATIVE HAD BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE, IT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY CAUSED A CAR ACCIDENT AND SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
Compare 2006BMW1 SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2006 BMW 1 SERIES have?▼
The 2006 BMW 1 SERIES has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 BMW 1 SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2006 BMW 1 SERIES is STEERING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2006 BMW 1 SERIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.