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2011 BMW 325iProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2011 BMW 325i, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-513 the manufacturer reports only 19% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 19%Owner complaints11 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage30kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 3, 2024. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 BMW 325i has problems

1 complaint 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
Air bags11

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

3 recalls

2011 BMW 325i 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.

19%repaired · 2026 Q2

Air bags: frontal

Recall 24V-513 · Jul 3, 2024 · 394,029 vehicles · 76,064 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

77%repaired · 2021 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 20V-017 · Jan 15, 2020 · 59,965 vehicles · 46,423 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

50%repaired · 2019 Q3

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 17V-676 · Oct 25, 2017 · 702,965 vehicles · 351,986 repaired

Risk. Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.

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

2011 vs. every other 325i 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 325i median. How we score

'92'93'94'95'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What 325i owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 325I. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER HEAD AND BOTH ARMS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS PROVIDED TO BOTH OCCUPANTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL…
Complaint 11073857 · Feb 20, 2018 · 30,142 miles

Own a 2011 325i?

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