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BMW 230iYears to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 35 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls on record for the BMW 230i.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints35Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls102017–2026 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

BMW 230i years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 230i median. Tap a year for its full report.

'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2026Too new–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2025Too new–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls2024Not rated–/1004 complaints · 1 recall2023Not rated–/1004 complaints · 3 recalls2022Not rated–/1004 complaints · 2 recalls2021Not rated–/1001 complaint · 2 recalls2020Not rated–/1002 complaints · 1 recall2019Not rated–/1001 complaint · 1 recall2018Not rated–/1004 complaints · 2 recalls2017Not rated–/10011 complaints · 0 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common BMW 230i problems

All model years combined: 35 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system82
Engine82
Tires50
Back over prevention40
Wheels20
Forward collision avoidance20
Lane departure20
Steering21
Latches/locks/linkages10
7 other systems71
10 recalls

BMW 230i recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

67%Electrical system: starter assembly26V-056 · 2022–2023 · Jan 30, 2026 · 87,394 vehicles71%Starter assembly: relay25V-636 · 2022 · Sep 23, 2025 · 199,674 vehiclesPark outside100%Steering23V-770 · 2024 · Nov 16, 2023 · 201 vehicles97%Electrical system: software23V-099 · 2023 · Feb 17, 2023 · 3,193 vehicles95%Air bags: side/window23V-039 · 2023 · Feb 1, 2023 · 804 vehicles96%Seat belts21V-554 · 2021 · Jul 21, 2021 · 21,537 vehicles100%Body: roof and pillars21V-342 · 2021 · May 12, 2021 · 2 vehicles99%Air bags: knee bolster19V-352 · 2019–2020 · May 9, 2019 · 5,079 vehicles98%Engine and engine cooling: engine18V-465 · 2018 · Jul 11, 2018 · 5,309 vehicles96%Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel17V-719 · 2018 · Nov 15, 2017 · 3,188 vehicles
1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the 230i

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2017–2018 · still open
    Open