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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
75,000 miles · Jun 25, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE INTERMITTENT ABS BRAKE FAILURE AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR. BMW WON'T REPAIR UNLESS I PAY FOR IT. I HAVE ALREADY HAD 1 ELECTRICAL RELATED SAFETY RECALL DUE TO BATTERY CABLE. SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THE BMW FORUM HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AS WELL, HERE IS JUST 1 EXAMPLE: HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T…

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CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE INTERMITTENT ABS BRAKE FAILURE AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR. BMW WON'T REPAIR UNLESS I PAY FOR IT. I HAVE ALREADY HAD 1 ELECTRICAL RELATED SAFETY RECALL DUE TO BATTERY CABLE. SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THE BMW FORUM HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AS WELL, HERE IS JUST 1 EXAMPLE: HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=558662 SEE BELOW TSB #SIB270212 FOR THE ABS BRAKE FAILURE: ___________________________ VEHICLE: 2007 BMW 3 SERIES ________________________________________ NATURE OF DEFECT: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BULLETIN NUMBER: SIB270212 BULLETIN DATE: DEC 2012 ________________________________________ SUMMARY: BMW: DSC WARNING LIGHT IS ON. THE WARNING LAMPS FOR DSC, ABS AND BRAKE WARNING ILLUMINATED. THERE MAY ALSO BE A WARNING IN THE CONTROL DISPLAY FOR CHASSIS CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE. ( NHTSA ITEM NUMBER - 10051459 ), *TR

NHTSA ODI #10521630

88,000 miles · Jun 12, 2013
EngineFuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed ControlCrash

MY VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: HPFP, FUEL INJECTORS, WASTEGATE. FAILURE- LONG CRANK, ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT, ENGINE SERVICE SOON LIGHT, CLICKING(RATTLING) COMING FROM BOTTOM OF CAR(WASTE GATE), CAR LOSE POWER ON FREEWAY, WHEN REV CLICKING IN THE FUEL INJECTORS. PLEASE HELP I HAVE READ MANY PE…

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MY VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: HPFP, FUEL INJECTORS, WASTEGATE. FAILURE- LONG CRANK, ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT, ENGINE SERVICE SOON LIGHT, CLICKING(RATTLING) COMING FROM BOTTOM OF CAR(WASTE GATE), CAR LOSE POWER ON FREEWAY, WHEN REV CLICKING IN THE FUEL INJECTORS. PLEASE HELP I HAVE READ MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND MANY PEOPLE WERE ISSUE A RECALL. I HAVEN'T GOT ONE AND AM 100% POSITIVE THESE THREE ITEMS NEEDS REPAIR. MY CAR IS A 2007 BMW 335I AND HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED THE RECALL FOR THOSE 3 FAILURES. 89450 MILEAGE PLEASE ISSUE ONE. THANK YOU I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AS OF 5/15/2013 FROM PRIVATE OWNER AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM TILL 6/12/2013 AND STILL EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS DAILY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10519471

85,000 miles · Jun 11, 2013
Electrical SystemStructure

DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOB OR CENTRAL LOCKING BUTTON. LOCKED DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INTERIOR OF VEHICLE, NO WAY TO UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHEN THEY ARE LOCKED. ONLY WAY TO EXIT VEHICLE IS THROUGH DRIVER'S DOOR IF MANUALLY UNLOCKED WITH KEY. PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AND GAS DOOR WILL N…

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DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOB OR CENTRAL LOCKING BUTTON. LOCKED DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INTERIOR OF VEHICLE, NO WAY TO UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHEN THEY ARE LOCKED. ONLY WAY TO EXIT VEHICLE IS THROUGH DRIVER'S DOOR IF MANUALLY UNLOCKED WITH KEY. PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AND GAS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10519401

60,000 miles · Apr 27, 2013
Wheels

YOU CAN'T HIT A POT HOLE WITHOUT BENDING A RIM MY DAUGHTER JUST BOUGHT 09 328 WITH 7800 MILES, DROVE IT 3000MILES, HAS ONE CRACKED RIM, TWO BENT RIMS AND THE SHOP SAID SHE HAS TWO DAMAGED TIRES. SHE BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES. I'M SORRY I TOLD HER TO BUY BMW. MY SON BOUGHT 08 335XI WITH 60000 MILES. DROVE IT FOR A FEW MONTHS, THE DEA…

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YOU CAN'T HIT A POT HOLE WITHOUT BENDING A RIM MY DAUGHTER JUST BOUGHT 09 328 WITH 7800 MILES, DROVE IT 3000MILES, HAS ONE CRACKED RIM, TWO BENT RIMS AND THE SHOP SAID SHE HAS TWO DAMAGED TIRES. SHE BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES. I'M SORRY I TOLD HER TO BUY BMW. MY SON BOUGHT 08 335XI WITH 60000 MILES. DROVE IT FOR A FEW MONTHS, THE DEALER SAID IT NEEDED 3 RIMS STRAIGHTEN. ALSO BECAUSE IT HAD A MIS THE DEALER GAVE HIM AN ESTIMATE FOR $18,000.00 TO FIX THE RIMS, THE TWO LEAKS AND THE TRANSMISSION. HE GOT RID OF IT AS FAST AS HE COULD AND TOOK A BEATING. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 56YRS WITHOUT A BENT RIM UNTIL I BOUGHT THE 07 BMW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10509780

60,000 miles · Mar 16, 2013
Equipment

A/C STOPPED WORKING WITH THE CAR'S ODOMETER AT 65K MILES (CAR IS 6YRS OLD). DEALER DIAGNOSED AS EVAPORATOR FAILURE WITH ESTIMATED REPAIR COST OF $4500. ON THE WEB, OTHERS ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM EVEN AT 50K MILES, WHILE OLDER GENERATIONS OF THE SAME CAR FROM THE SAME MAKER NEVER HAD SUCH ISSUE. THIS IS CLEARLY AN…

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A/C STOPPED WORKING WITH THE CAR'S ODOMETER AT 65K MILES (CAR IS 6YRS OLD). DEALER DIAGNOSED AS EVAPORATOR FAILURE WITH ESTIMATED REPAIR COST OF $4500. ON THE WEB, OTHERS ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM EVEN AT 50K MILES, WHILE OLDER GENERATIONS OF THE SAME CAR FROM THE SAME MAKER NEVER HAD SUCH ISSUE. THIS IS CLEARLY AN IMPURITY CASE AND THE PART SHOULD BE RECALLED, AS EVAPORATOR SHOULDN'T FAIL AT SUCH AGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503277

Mileage unknown · Feb 20, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineCrash

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT CENTER LANE OF INTERSTATE 384 IN MANCHESTER CT. THE CAR STALLED AND SHE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY 3 OTHER VEHICLES. SHE SUFFERED BACK AND NECK INJURIES. THIS IS RELATED TO THE RECENT RECALL OF BMWS FOR A FAULTY BATTERY CABLE. BMW WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. WE TRADED THE CA…

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT CENTER LANE OF INTERSTATE 384 IN MANCHESTER CT. THE CAR STALLED AND SHE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY 3 OTHER VEHICLES. SHE SUFFERED BACK AND NECK INJURIES. THIS IS RELATED TO THE RECENT RECALL OF BMWS FOR A FAULTY BATTERY CABLE. BMW WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. WE TRADED THE CAR IN BECAUSE WE DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SAFE OR RELIABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10499434

21,000 miles · Jan 8, 2013
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK; FROM THE EXTERIOR, ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE OPENED WITH THE KEY. FROM THE INTERIOR, ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE OPENED; NONE OF THE OTHER 3 DOORS CAN BE OPENED MANUALLY OR BY USING THE UNLOCK BUTTONS EITHER ON THE DASH OR ON THE KEY. I THINK THAT THIS CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION-IF THIS…

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THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK; FROM THE EXTERIOR, ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE OPENED WITH THE KEY. FROM THE INTERIOR, ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE OPENED; NONE OF THE OTHER 3 DOORS CAN BE OPENED MANUALLY OR BY USING THE UNLOCK BUTTONS EITHER ON THE DASH OR ON THE KEY. I THINK THAT THIS CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION-IF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OCCUPIED, PASSENGERS WOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO EXIT THROUGH THE WINDOWS OR THROUGH THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THIS COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE IN SOME ACCIDENT SITUATIONS. I SPOKE TO BMW NORTH AMERICA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THAT THEY "PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS" TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10491872

50,000 miles · Jan 6, 2013
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

MY WIFE WAS DEPARTING A TRAFFIC CIRCLE ON BASE HERE IN GERMANY. SHE ACCELERATED TO 35 MPH AND EXPERIENCED STALLED ACCELERATION AS SHE WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE MAIN ROAD. MY WIFE WAS STEPPING ON THE GAS AND THE CAR APPEARED NOT TO BE RUNNING. SHE ATTEMPTED TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS IT ROLLED TO A STOP. S…

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MY WIFE WAS DEPARTING A TRAFFIC CIRCLE ON BASE HERE IN GERMANY. SHE ACCELERATED TO 35 MPH AND EXPERIENCED STALLED ACCELERATION AS SHE WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE MAIN ROAD. MY WIFE WAS STEPPING ON THE GAS AND THE CAR APPEARED NOT TO BE RUNNING. SHE ATTEMPTED TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS IT ROLLED TO A STOP. SHE WAS STUCK IN THE RIGHT HAND TURN LANE ON A TWO LANE ROAD AND WAITED FOR SECURITY FORCES PATROLMAN THAT STOPPED AND HELPED PUSH THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10491571

48,000 miles · Dec 12, 2012
Visibility/wiper

THE BMW 3 SERIES (MINE INCLUDED) IDENTIFIED BY CHASSIS DESIGNATIONS E90, E91, E92, AND E93 (ALL US MODELS) HAVE A KNOWN DEFECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC EXTERIOR MIRROR MOVEMENT WHEN UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE DOORS USING THE KEY FOB. THE MIRROR MOVEMENT OCCURS REGARDLESS OF WHICH KEY FOB IS PRESENTED TO UNLOCK DOORS. A SINGLE KEYFOB U…

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THE BMW 3 SERIES (MINE INCLUDED) IDENTIFIED BY CHASSIS DESIGNATIONS E90, E91, E92, AND E93 (ALL US MODELS) HAVE A KNOWN DEFECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC EXTERIOR MIRROR MOVEMENT WHEN UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE DOORS USING THE KEY FOB. THE MIRROR MOVEMENT OCCURS REGARDLESS OF WHICH KEY FOB IS PRESENTED TO UNLOCK DOORS. A SINGLE KEYFOB UNLOCK PROCESS CAN TRIGGER INNUMERABLE EXTERIOR MIRROR POSITIONS. THE UNSUSPECTING DRIVER WHO DOES NOT CHECK BOTH HIS/HER DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE MIRRORS PRIOR TO DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL BE REQUIRED TO SET THE PROPER MIRROR POSITIONS WHILE DRIVING OR LEAVE THEM MALADJUSTED UNTIL THE NEXT STOP, IMPAIRING THEIR ABILITY TO SEE VEHICLES ADJACENT OR ONCOMING VEHICLES FROM THE REAR, INCLUDING EMERGENCY VEHICLES. BMW HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS DEFECT. HOWEVER, ONLY CARS WITH EXISTING MANUFACTURER WARRANTIES ARE REPAIRED IF THIS ISSUE OCCURS. REF BMW SI B51 36 08 THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN LINKED TO CORROSION OF MIRROR MOTOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS. IT IS ALSO PLAUSIBLE THAT ALL ELECTRICAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE EXTERIOR MIRRORS WOULD BE RENDERED AN IMPOSSIBILITY IF THE PROBLEM ESCALATES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10488120

35,000 miles · Oct 9, 2012
Latches/locks/linkages

DOOR LOCKED IN POSITION, UNABLE TO GET OUT OF CAR. NO MANUAL WAY TO GET OUT OF CAR. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. FINALLY ABLE TO UNLOCK USING KEY. WHEN SPEAKING TO BMW SERVICE CENTER (WALTERS OF RIVERSIDE) ABOUT ISSUE, THEY SAID IF KEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN IGNITION THE CAR WOULD HAVE UNLOCKED. NOW EPISODE HAPPENED AGAIN, BUT UNABLE TO …

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DOOR LOCKED IN POSITION, UNABLE TO GET OUT OF CAR. NO MANUAL WAY TO GET OUT OF CAR. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. FINALLY ABLE TO UNLOCK USING KEY. WHEN SPEAKING TO BMW SERVICE CENTER (WALTERS OF RIVERSIDE) ABOUT ISSUE, THEY SAID IF KEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN IGNITION THE CAR WOULD HAVE UNLOCKED. NOW EPISODE HAPPENED AGAIN, BUT UNABLE TO GET OUT OF CAR. KEY DOES NOT WORK EVEN IF IN IGNITION. LUCKILY, THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS UNLOCK AND I WAS ABLE TO CRAWL OUT. NOW DOORS ARE LOCK SO I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. I AM UNABLE TO GET INTO THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10479502

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.