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2007 BMW 3 Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 3 Series years

Owner complaints for the 2007 BMW 3 Series are substantially higher than the model-year median of 23.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

92 reports with mileage · 23 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports4 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

115 reports
46,234 miles · Oct 14, 2014
Electrical System

APPARENTLY, THE ELECTRONIC KEY IS DEFECTIVE, LEADING TO AN ENGINE SHUTDOWN. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO STEER OFF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT POWER AND RESTART THE ENGINE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START. I NOTIFIED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AFTER THE INCIDENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THESE KEYS HAVE A NON-REPLACEA…

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APPARENTLY, THE ELECTRONIC KEY IS DEFECTIVE, LEADING TO AN ENGINE SHUTDOWN. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO STEER OFF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT POWER AND RESTART THE ENGINE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START. I NOTIFIED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AFTER THE INCIDENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THESE KEYS HAVE A NON-REPLACEABLE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY, THAT MAY "WEAR OUT", AND THEREFORE NOT HOLD A CHARGE! THEY INFORMED ME THAT AS MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A REPLACEMENT KEY UNLESS I PURCHASED A NEW ONE ($250), I POINTED OUT THAT NOWHERE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IS IT STATED THAT KEYS NEED REPLACEMENT, NOR THE HAZARD OF DRIVING WITH A "WORN OUT" KEY. THE REPRESENTATIVE ([XXX], EMP.#[XXX]) STATED "THERE IS NOTHING BMW CAN DO IN THIS CASE." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644711

105,000 miles · Sep 16, 2014
Air BagsSeat Belts

THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL LISTING MY VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I HAVE CONTACTED BMWUSA AND A LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP WITH BOTH CLAIMING MY VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL, YEAR AND VEHICLE PRODUCTION DATE IS SPECIFICALLY LI…

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THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL LISTING MY VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I HAVE CONTACTED BMWUSA AND A LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP WITH BOTH CLAIMING MY VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL, YEAR AND VEHICLE PRODUCTION DATE IS SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN THE RECALL NOTICE LISTED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS LISTED OR WHY BMW IS NOT ASSISTING FURTHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10633712

69,285 miles · Aug 28, 2014
Fuel/propulsion SystemCrash

MY CAR HAD ALL 6 FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED AT 35,XXX MILES BACK IN FEB OF 2010. NOW AT 69,285 MILES ALL SIX HAVE FAILED AGAIN. THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING SOMEONE TO REAR END ME ON AN ON RAMP. FAILING INJECTORS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS ENGINE. THESE INJECTORS HAVE A 120,000 MILE SERVICE INTERVAL BUT THEY F…

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MY CAR HAD ALL 6 FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED AT 35,XXX MILES BACK IN FEB OF 2010. NOW AT 69,285 MILES ALL SIX HAVE FAILED AGAIN. THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING SOMEONE TO REAR END ME ON AN ON RAMP. FAILING INJECTORS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS ENGINE. THESE INJECTORS HAVE A 120,000 MILE SERVICE INTERVAL BUT THEY FAILED FOR ME AT NEARLY EXACTLY 35,000 TWICE. HOPEFULLY ENOUGH PEOPLE WILL MAKE THIS AN ISSUE TO HAVE THIS BECOME A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10629250

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2014
Air BagsSeat Belts

FAULT CODE "PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" APPEARS ON THE VEHICLE. NO ACCIDENT THE CODE IS FAULTY. CODE COULD AFFECT THE PASSENGER IF VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN COLLISION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10628984

103,000 miles · Jul 27, 2014
EngineStructure

ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS: WAS DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY AND WENT OVER SOME TRAIN TRACKS. THEY WERE BUMPY BUT NOT JARRING OR EXCESSIVE. RIGHT AFTER THAT A STRONG VIBRATION STARTED GOING THROUGH THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR HOME AND FOUND THE FOUR BOLTS HOLDING THE MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET TO THE ENGINE BLOCK HAD ALL SHEARED OR FALLEN OUT. T…

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ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS: WAS DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY AND WENT OVER SOME TRAIN TRACKS. THEY WERE BUMPY BUT NOT JARRING OR EXCESSIVE. RIGHT AFTER THAT A STRONG VIBRATION STARTED GOING THROUGH THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR HOME AND FOUND THE FOUR BOLTS HOLDING THE MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET TO THE ENGINE BLOCK HAD ALL SHEARED OR FALLEN OUT. THE ENGINE IS NOW SITTING AT AN ANGLE. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10616665

144,500 miles · Jul 25, 2014
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK HAS CEASED TO OPERATE ON MY 2007 BMW 328I. IT DOES NOT UNLOCK WITH EITHER THE KEY FOB OR THE MAIN UNLOCK SWITCH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF THERE WERE ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY INVOLVING THIS DOOR NEEDING TO BE OPENED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10616429

78,000 miles · Jul 8, 2014
Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

THE CAR JUST STALLS OUT. SOMETIMES, WHEN I STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THEN START TO GO, THE CAR HESITATE TO GO. IT STALLS IN TRAFFIC. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR DIAGNOSTIC TEST EQUIPMENT. I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE HIT BY OTHER CARS BECAUSE OF IT. SINCE THE DEALER CAN'T SEEM…

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THE CAR JUST STALLS OUT. SOMETIMES, WHEN I STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THEN START TO GO, THE CAR HESITATE TO GO. IT STALLS IN TRAFFIC. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR DIAGNOSTIC TEST EQUIPMENT. I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE HIT BY OTHER CARS BECAUSE OF IT. SINCE THE DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE IT OUT, I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING IT ON-LINE AND LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10609099

87,000 miles · May 15, 2014
Engine

I WAS DRIVING ON THE PALMETTO EXPRESS WAY AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STALL I WAS DOING ABOUT 50 MILES/HOUR,ANTIFREEZE WAS COMING OUT OF THE OVERKILL TANK,THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPEN AND ALWAYS ON THE HIGHWAY,WHICH IS VERY DANGER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10588532

91,500 miles · Apr 30, 2014
Air BagsSeat Belts

PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION, AIRBAGS DISABLED. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MAT FAILURE. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10585706

103,243 miles · Apr 25, 2014
Air Bags

AFTER CLEANING MY CAR I TRIED TO START IT, WHEN SUDDENLY A WARNING LIGHT POPPED UP INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION. THE WARNING, FURTHER INDICATED THAT ALL SEAT BELT BE WORN IMMEDIATELY WHEN DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP ONLY TO FIND OUT AFTER PAYING FOR DIAGNOSIS FEE, THAT THERE WAS AN IN…

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AFTER CLEANING MY CAR I TRIED TO START IT, WHEN SUDDENLY A WARNING LIGHT POPPED UP INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION. THE WARNING, FURTHER INDICATED THAT ALL SEAT BELT BE WORN IMMEDIATELY WHEN DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP ONLY TO FIND OUT AFTER PAYING FOR DIAGNOSIS FEE, THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE ROLLOVER PROTECTION CONTROLLER THEREBY AFFECTING THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS IN CASE OF A CRASH.THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THIS SAFETY FEATURE FOR CONVERTIBLES WASN'T UNDER DEALERSHIP WARRANTY. THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS SUCH, I WOULD THINK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10585001

Official recalls

1

22V119000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:crankcase (pcv)

Mar 2, 2022

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.

Remedy: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.