BMW 330CI · model year

2006 BMW 330CI

35 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006BMW330CI carries 35 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 3 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 330CI is air bags with 25 filings, followed by exterior lighting (2) and structure:body:door (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. This model year has 2 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 2006 330CI. 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.

35
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

35 filings

Crashes Reported

1 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 BAGS25
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
STEERING1
SUSPENSION1
ENGINE1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recalls (2)

15V31800028/05/2015

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons,

20V01800015/01/2020

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PS

Recent Complaints

20210719UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2006 BMW 330CI CENTER CONSOLE EXPLOSION POSSIBLY DUE TO DEFECTIVE PLASTIC MATERIAL NEAR GEAR SHIFTER. -Bubble on the console was produced by heat in the car that resulted in it bursting and the spattering of a black petroleum substance that could have distracted the driver or injured a passenger and/or driver. -The possibility of a reoccurrence does exit due to the ongoing heat wave in Minnesota. -The front car seats and console had nothing laying on top of them at the time of occurrence. -Car was inspected by local BMW dealer in Wayzata, Minnesota. -Car was also inspected by a collision repair center, referred by BMW dealer. -BMW corporate is aware of the issue and pictures were provided. -BMW corporate has denied assistance due to the age of the car per Logan @ BMW corporate on 07/19/2021. -I was told there had not been a recall or any other report of a similar incident from BMW.

20190127CrashAIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL AIRBAGS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, ON NOVEMBER 10, 2018, I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 BMW 330CI CONVERTIBLE, AND WHEN UPON ENTERING AT 40 MILES PER HOUR AN ENTRANCE RAMP FROM TOMBALL PARKWAY ONTO BELTWAY 8, I SUDDENLY NOTICED A METAL POLE THAT WAS RESTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID IT, I BRAKED AND WHEN THE CAR BECAME STATIONARY, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER TAKATA RECALL AIRBAGS DID 'NOT' FULLY INFLATE WHICH SEEMED TO FUNCTION WITH A 'SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.' MOREOVER, I STRONGLY BELIEVE RECALL 15V318000 AND RECALL 14V348000 THAT WERE INSTALLED AT MOMENTUM BMW ON MARCH 9, 2018 WHICH REPLACED MY TAKATA RECALL AIRBAGS WITH ANOTHER SET OF TAKATA RECALL AIRBAGS CONTAINED A 'SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.' AS A CONSEQUENCE, I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND EYE-RELATED BODILY INJURIES FROM THE CRASH. IN ADDITION, ON DECEMBER 10, 2108, BMW OF NORTH AMERICA SENT AN ENGINEER TO HOUSTON, TEXAS TO INSPECT MY VEHICLE, BUT THE COMPANY WILL 'NOT' PROVIDE ME THE DATA ANALYSIS OF I

Mileage: 162,000

20181114AIR BAGS

IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, ON NOVEMBER 10, 2018, AT NIGHT I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 BMW 330CI CONVERTIBLE, AND WHEN UPON ENTERING AN ENTRANCE RAMP FROM TOMBALL PARKWAY ONTO BELTWAY 8, I SUDDENLY NOTICED A METAL POLE THAT WAS RESTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID IT I BRAKED AND WHEN THE CAR BECAME STATIONARY, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING WITH MY FRONT BUMPER. MOREOVER, I STRONGLY BELIEVE RECALL 15V318000 AND RECALL 14V348000 THAT WERE INSTALLED AT MOMENTUM BMW ON MARCH 9, 2018 WERE DEFECTIVE MODULES OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE PROPELLANT IN THE AIRBAG INFLATOR BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE MY CAR WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP. IN ADDITION, I ALSO SUSPECT THAT THE DELAYED DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION OF THE OCCUPANT-DETECTION SENSORS IN MY SPORT SEATS. IT BEGS AN ANSWER TO THE FOLLOWING: WHY DID THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM ACTIVATE WITHOUT ANY FRONTAL IMPACT TO MY CAR? SEE ALSO ODI

Mileage: 172,200

20180202ENGINE

THIS ISSUE IS WITH THE PISTON RINGS OF THE BMW M54 ENGINE. IT BURNS OIL AT A CRAZY RATE AND ONLY NOW ARE PEOPLE FINALLY FIGURING OUT THAT THIS IS THE ISSUE. BMW LISTS SEVERAL OTHER FIXES FOR THE OIL BURNING ISSUE, BUT NONE OF THEM SOLVE THE PROBLEM CAUSING THE OWNER TO SEEK REPAIRS THAT DON'T SOLVE THE ISSUE. BMW STATES THAT IT IS "NORMAL" FOR THE M54 ENGINE TO BURN UP TO 1 QUART OF OIL FOR EVERY 1000 MILES. THIS ENGINE IS IN MANY DIFFERENT BMW MODELS AND MANY OWNERS ARE EFFECTED. MY CAR NOW BURNS ABOUT 1 QUART FOR EVERY 500 MILES I DRIVE.

Mileage: 120,000

20180110EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS FAILING WHILE DRIVING. BMW USED POOR INSULATION INSIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES THAT DEGRADE OVERTIME AND FAIL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD.

Mileage: 123,000

20170815AIR BAGS

METAL FRAGMENTS FROM AIRBAG

Mileage: 98,000

20170225EXTERIOR LIGHTING

PASSENGER-SIDE REAR TAILLIGHT/BRAKE LIGHT ERROR, RESULTING IN DASH LIGHT AND LED TAILLIGHT NOT OPERATING AS INTENDED.

20160922AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20160922AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20160802AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. CONCERNING NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 15V318. VEHICLE BMW 330CI 2006 DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG. ON JUNE 17, 2015 I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP, JACKIE COOPER BMW IN EDMOND, OK, PHONE NUMBER (405) 755-3600 AND THEY REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG PURSUANT TO BMW RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V-428. HOWEVER, AT THAT TIME THEY SAID "WE DON'T HAVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AIR BAG. AS OF AUGUST 2, 2016, THIS DEALERSHIP (A BMW DEALERSHIP) IS STILL TELLING ME "WE DON'T HAVE THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG AND DON'T KNOW WHEN WE CAN GET IT. SORRY." THEY ARE OFFERING NO FURTHER EXPLANATION OR REFERRAL TO ANOTHER SOURCE TO GET THIS AIR BAG REPLACED. I HAVE UPLOADED A COPY OF MY REGISTRATION.

Mileage: 128,700

20160726AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 09/22/16*LJ *CN

20160720AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THEY WOULD BE SENDING INTERIM NOTIFICATIONS NEXT MONTH REGARDING THE PARTS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 10/13/16*LJ UPDATED 03/14/17

20160517AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20160408AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V046000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20160407AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUES. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS UNAVAILABLE.

20160331AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN JUNE OF 2015. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20160321AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 04/12/16 *BF

20160219AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL I WAS TOLD BY BMW NORTH AMERICA THAT THE ONLY REMEDY FOR THE AIRBAG RECALL WAS AN INTERIM REMEDY OF REPLACING WITH THE SAME AIRBAG, BUT A NEW ONE. DOES THE NHTSA STAND BEHIND THIS INTERIM REMEDY AS A SOLUTION TO THE SAFETY HAZARD THIS AIRBAG BY TAKATA REPRESENTS? I AM NOT DRIVING THE CAR NOW OUT OF FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AND HAVE TRIED TO SELL IT BACK TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WITH NO LUCK. THEY DON'T WANT IT EITHER. DO I HAVE ANY LEGAL RECOURSE TO BE COMPENSATED FOR LOSS OF USE AND/OR INABILITY TO RESALE THE AUTO??

Mileage: 49,990

20151005AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20150803AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Compare 2006BMW330CI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 BMW 330CI have?
The 2006 BMW 330CI has 35 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 BMW 330CI?
Yes, the 2006 BMW 330CI has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 BMW 330CI?
The most-complained component for the 2006 BMW 330CI is AIR BAGS with 25 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR.
Is the 2006 BMW 330CI 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.