BMW 230I · model year

2020 BMW 230I

1 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020BMW230I carries 1 consumer safety complaint 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 2020 230I is visibility/wiper with 1 filings. 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2020 230I. 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.

1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

1 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
VISIBILITY/WIPER1

Recalls (1)

19V35200009/05/2019

AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2 Competition Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, and 2019 330i xDrive Sportswagon vehicles. The driver and passenger knee air bag assemblies may have been improperly folded and asse

Recent Complaints

20201221VISIBILITY/WIPER

I PURCHASED A NEW 2020 BMW 230I IN MAY 2020. ITS FIRST AND ONLY SERVICING WAS ON 12/9/20 FOR A 10,000 MILE OIL CHANGE AND "MULTI-POINT INSPECTION," IN WHICH ONE OF THE INSPECTION ITEMS WAS "INSPECT SUNROOF OPERATION AND CHECK FOR LEAKS." 12/11/20 I WAS DRIVING TO MY OFFICE NORTHBOUND ON ESTRELLA BLVD WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 8:53 AM, I HEARD WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS AN EXPLOSION. MY INITIAL REACTION WAS THAT PERHAPS A TIRE BLEW OUT. AS I THEN LOOKED AROUND AT THE WINDOWS AND THE DASHBOARD, I HEARD SOMETHING SCRAPING AGAINST THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. I SLIGHTLY OPENED THE INTERIOR SUNROOF HATCH AND SAW THE SUNROOF GLASS WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED AND THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE VISIBLE. I CLOSED THE INTERIOR SUNROOF HATCH AND THEN HEARD GLASS BLOWING OFF OF THE SUNROOF TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE CAR. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME AS I WAS CONCERNED THE BLOWING GLASS WOULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE. I PULLED TO A SIDE ROAD AS SOON AS SAFE TO DO SO AND MESSAGED MY WIFE ABOUT THE INC

Mileage: 10,000

Compare 2020BMW230I to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 BMW 230I have?
The 2020 BMW 230I has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 BMW 230I?
Yes, the 2020 BMW 230I has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 BMW 230I?
The most-complained component for the 2020 BMW 230I is VISIBILITY/WIPER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2020 BMW 230I 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.