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2001 BMW 3 SeriesProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 36 owner complaints about the 2001 BMW 3 Series, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 21V-401 the manufacturer reports only 42% of affected cars repaired.

67
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years51% below the 3 Series median · #8 of 12 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 42%Owner complaints361 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage96kExterior lighting, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 27, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 BMW 3 Series has problems

36 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
Exterior lighting80
Air bags81
Electrical system60
Fuel system, gasoline40
Wheels30
Power train30
Suspension30
Electronic stability control (ESC)20
Tires20
6 other systems90

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2001 BMW 3 Series recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

42%repaired · 2023 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 21V-401 · May 27, 2021 · 4,511 vehicles · 1,882 repaired

Risk. The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.

Best & worst years

2001 vs. every other 3 Series year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 3 Series median. How we score

'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'23
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2001 BMW 3 Series, and the recalls they led to.

  1. INADVERTENT SIDE-IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYMEEA02012 · closed Jun 24, 2003
    Led to recall 02V-223
  2. INADVERTENT SIDE-IMPACT AIR BAGPE02011 · closed Jul 15, 2002
    No recall
In owners' words

What 3 Series owners report

Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE REAR PARKING LIGHT WENT OUT IN MY CAR, SO I PURCHASED MORE BULBS, BUT THE BULB NEVER WORKED. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY BMW DEALERSHIP FOR THE TAKATA RECALL, THEY CHECKED THE LIGHT TOO AND SAID THAT A PART IN THE HOUSING HAD BURNED ALL THE WAY DOWN. I RECENTLY CHECKED ON RECALLS, AND FOUND THAT THERE…
Complaint 10795195 · Nov 20, 2015
A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR CARS PRODUCED FROM 9/1/01 TO 02/01/05. [RECALL CAMPAIGN 11V-438: REPAIR GROUND CABLE FOR REAR LIGHT LAMPS (SIDE PANEL)]....UPDATED 09/22/15 *BF I HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ALTHOUGH MY CAR WAS PRODUCED APPROXIMATELY 14 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE VEHICLES…
Complaint 10726590 · Jun 22, 2015 · 94,000 miles
MY BMW IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES THAT THE 2002 BMW 3 SERIES HAS A RECALL ON. THE REAR TAILLIGHTS ARE BURNING THE NEUTRAL WIRE AND CONNECTOR OFF IN THE LAMP ASSEMBLIES. CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO BECOME IN OPERABLE. *JS
Complaint 10579629 · Apr 14, 2014 · 92,000 miles

Own a 2001 3 Series?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.