BMW 1 SERIES · model year

2011 BMW 1 SERIES

44 NHTSA complaints, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011BMW1 SERIES carries 44 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 4 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 2011 1 SERIES is air bags with 15 filings, followed by electrical system (7) and engine (4). 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. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2011 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.

44
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

44 filings

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

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS15
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
ENGINE4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
POWER TRAIN1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recalls (3)

23V70700020/10/2023

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that s

12E02900010/08/2012

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-20

10V25400010/06/2010

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 1-SERIES VEHICLES. IN A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY, DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PRE-TENSIONER AND LOAD-LIMITER OCCURS.

Recent Complaints

20190501AIR BAGS

I JUST HAD THE BOLTS ON BOTH THE (INTAKE AND EXHAUST REPLACED) THIS IS LISTED IN THE UNSPECIFIED RECALL AND NO ONE NOTIFIED ME ON THIS RECALL I DRIVE THE 2011 128I SERIES COUPE AND THIS COST ME OUT OF POCKET $1,800 DOLLARS TO REPLACE, WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHY I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND ALSO I HAVE 2 OTHER RECALL ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING TO MY CAR THE AIR BAG THE SIGNAL KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF AND ALSO THE PCV VALVE OFF AND ON I SMELL SOMETHING BURNING I DO HOPE SOMEONE CAN CONTACT ME SO I CAN GET THESE RECALLS FIX NOW I AM REALLY SCARED THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. I HAVE MY RECEIPT OF ME GETTING THE BOLTS ISSUE FIXED AND REQUESTING A REFUND

Mileage: 140,000

20190501UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I JUST HAD THE BOLTS ON BOTH THE (INTAKE AND EXHAUST REPLACED) THIS IS LISTED IN THE UNSPECIFIED RECALL AND NO ONE NOTIFIED ME ON THIS RECALL I DRIVE THE 2011 128I SERIES COUPE AND THIS COST ME OUT OF POCKET $1,800 DOLLARS TO REPLACE, WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHY I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND ALSO I HAVE 2 OTHER RECALL ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING TO MY CAR THE AIR BAG THE SIGNAL KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF AND ALSO THE PCV VALVE OFF AND ON I SMELL SOMETHING BURNING I DO HOPE SOMEONE CAN CONTACT ME SO I CAN GET THESE RECALLS FIX NOW I AM REALLY SCARED THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. I HAVE MY RECEIPT OF ME GETTING THE BOLTS ISSUE FIXED AND REQUESTING A REFUND

Mileage: 140,000

20190401ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I BRING IN TO LONGBEACH BMW DEALERS AND THEY MASS UP THE CAR AND THEY WANTED 10,000 DALLORS TO FIXED IT AND I ONLY BRING TO IN FOR RECALLS I DON'T LET ME PICK UP THE CAR

Mileage: 55

20190401FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I BRING IN TO LONGBEACH BMW DEALERS AND THEY MASS UP THE CAR AND THEY WANTED 10,000 DALLORS TO FIXED IT AND I ONLY BRING TO IN FOR RECALLS I DON'T LET ME PICK UP THE CAR

Mileage: 55

20181214FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE CAR WAS MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH AC RUNNING. SMOKE PLUMED FROM VENTS AND UNDER FRONT PASSENGER FOOTWELL. ELECTRICAL FIRE STEMMING FROM BLOWER MOTOR FINAL STAGE UNIT AND WIRING HARNESS.

Mileage: 92,000

20181214FireENGINE

THE CAR WAS MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH AC RUNNING. SMOKE PLUMED FROM VENTS AND UNDER FRONT PASSENGER FOOTWELL. ELECTRICAL FIRE STEMMING FROM BLOWER MOTOR FINAL STAGE UNIT AND WIRING HARNESS.

Mileage: 92,000

20181214FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE CAR WAS MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH AC RUNNING. SMOKE PLUMED FROM VENTS AND UNDER FRONT PASSENGER FOOTWELL. ELECTRICAL FIRE STEMMING FROM BLOWER MOTOR FINAL STAGE UNIT AND WIRING HARNESS.

Mileage: 92,000

20181121ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR HARNESS BEGAN TO SMOKE HEAVILY. THE A/C STOPPED WORKING. I PULLED OVER AND DISCONNECTED THE WIRING HARNESS AND PULLED THE FUSE. THE WIRES MELTED, THE CONNECTOR MELTED, AND THE RESISTOR IS BROKEN. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I SEE THAT BMW HAS RECALLED OTHER CARS FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE, BUT NOT THE 1 SERIES.

Mileage: 90,000

20180718FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. IT BEGINS WITH THE CAR TAKING MUCH LONGER TO CRANK AND START. THEN IT COMPLETELY FAILS POTENTIALLY WHILE DRIVING, CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE, OR WILL NO LONGER START. THE HPFP IS EASILY REPLACED WITH JUST 3 BOLTS HOLDING IT TO THE SIDE OF THE MOTOR. ANY COMPETENT SHOP CAN REPLACE IT IN A COUPLE HOURS AT THE MOST. THE PROBLEM IS EXACERBATED AND MADE EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING BY THE SERVICE CENTERS REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM. INSTEAD THEY FEIGN IGNORANCE WHILE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE ARE REPLACED AFTER HAVING REPLACED NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS. THESE OTHER DISTRACTIONS ARE ALL MORE TIME CONSUMING TO REPLACE AND THE ROOT DEFECTIVE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS THE LAST THING TO BE ADDRESSED WHEN IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST AND QUICKEST. EVERY TIME ONCE THIS HAS BEEN REPLACED, IT HAS BEEN FIXED RIGHT AWAY. IT IS OFTEN THAT IT WILL LAST FOR A FEW MONTHS OR FEW THOUSAND MILES BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. BMW NEEDS TO PROPERLY

Mileage: 79,000

20180422AIR BAGS

ASD

Mileage: 10,000

20180422SERVICE BRAKES

ASD

Mileage: 10,000

20180422ENGINE

ASD

Mileage: 10,000

20171109AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL

Mileage: 72,000

20171023AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL BRAMAN BMW KEEP SAYING THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 2 YEARS, AND EVERY TIME I CALLED THEY GIVE ME THE SAME "SCRIPTED ANSWER". I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 2 YEARS TO GET THIS PART REPLACED AND THEY JUST KEEP GETTING MY NAME ON A WAITING LIST, THAT IS NOT REAL. I GOT A LETTER FROM BMW SAYING THE PART IS AVAILABLE AND THEY KEEP SAYING TO ME THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE.

20170821AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL - I HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY BMW REGARDING THIS RECALL. I HAVE NO IDEA IF MY AIRBAGS ARE FAULTY OR NOT. I HAVE CALLED MY DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A LETTER IF/WHEN THEY WERE ABLE TO REPAIR THE AIRBAGS. HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM THEM.

20170605AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. I FEEL THAT 15 MONTHS IS WAY TO LONG TO WAIT TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAIM OR KILL MY WIFE WHO DRIVES THIS CAR. I KEEP ASKING THE BMW DEALERSHIP AND ALL THEY DO IS SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS.

20161227AIR BAGS

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR NEARLY TEN MONTHS TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR MY CAR'S RECALLED DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG MODULE (RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-071). OVER THE PAST TEN MONTHS, I'VE CALLED BMW SEVERAL TIMES TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN IT EXPECTS TO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT PARTS. EACH TIME, I'VE BEEN TOLD TO SIMPLY WAIT! APPARENTLY, BMW EXPECTS ME TO WAIT LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO EXPLODE IN MY FACE AND EITHER KILL ME OR CAUSE SEVERE BODILY INJURY! DURING MY MOST RECENT CALL WITH BMW, ON DEC. 27TH, 2016, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WILL BE AT LEAST ANOTHER SIX MONTHS BEFORE BMW EXPECTS TO RECEIVE PARTS. THAT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE; THEREFORE, I AM SUBMITTING AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT TO NHSTA ABOUT BMW'S LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS TO REMEDY THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVER AIRBAG MODULE SITUATION.

20161115AIR BAGS

MY CAR HAD A PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION THAT RENDERED THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INOPERATIVE.

Mileage: 58,000

20161005AIR BAGS

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW IN MARCH 2016, WARNING OF A DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIRBAG. MY BMW CENTER HAS NOT REMEDIED THE DEFECT AS OF YET, OCT, 2016, UNREASONABLE. I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS BMW, WILL NOT CARRY PASSENGERS AND PUT THEM IN DANGER. I DO NOT HAVE AN ALTERNATE VEHICLE TO DRIVE TO WORK. AS ALWAYS, I AM AN ATTENTATIVE, DEFENSIVE DRIVER. I CANNOT CONTROL THE OTHER CRAZY, STUPID, CARELESS, WRECKLESS DRIVERS OUT THERE. IN JULY 2013, MY 2009 AUDI A4 WAS T-BONED, TOTALED, I SUFFERED A SEVERELY BROKEN COLLAR BONE, ALL WHILE I WAS SITTING STATIONARY, AT A RED LIGHT. "AT FAULT" DRIVER MAKING A LEFT TURN, GIANT SUV DRIVER WHO HIT HIM AND TOTALED MY CAR, DEFINITELY SPEEDING AND PROBABLY TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED - THANKFULLY NO METAL DAGGERS SHOT OUT !!!! PLEASE GET ON BMW ABOUT THIS! BEFORE SOMEONE SUFFERS "SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH" !!!!!!! THANK YOU *TR

20161003AIR BAGS

RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-071: DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE, THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOT RESOLVED BY BMW. AIRBAG COULD SHOOT METAL FRAGMENTS INTO DRIVER AND PASSENGER, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, IN THE CASE OF INFLATION. NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING MYSELF OR PASSENGERS IN THIS BWM. RECALL RECEIVED IN MARCH 2016, STILL NO PARTS, NOT REPLACED, STILL FORCED TO DRIVE IN A DANGEROUS CAR.

Compare 2011BMW1 SERIES to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 BMW 1 SERIES have?
The 2011 BMW 1 SERIES has 44 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2011 BMW 1 SERIES?
Yes, the 2011 BMW 1 SERIES has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 BMW 1 SERIES?
The most-complained component for the 2011 BMW 1 SERIES is AIR BAGS with 15 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ENGINE.
Is the 2011 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.