BMW · NHTSA safety record

2019 BMW 330I

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2019 BMW 330I have filed 40 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2019 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 8 of them (20%). The typical failure was reported at 13,000 miles, the median across the 15 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 9 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (9)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY

25V636000 · September 23, 2025

Park outside until repaired

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 BMW 330i, 2019-2022 BMW Z4, 2020-2022 BMW 530i, X3, X4, Toyota Supra, 2021-2022 BMW 430i, 430i Convertible, and 2022 BMW 230i vehicles. The engine starter relay may corrode, causing the relay to overheat and short circuit.
The risk: A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 14, 2025.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 199,674 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS

23V584000 · August 16, 2023

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2022 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, 2022 430i Coupe, 2021-2022 430i, M440i Convertible, and 2020-2022 228i xDrive Gran Coupe vehicles. The receiver audio module control unit software may fail to properly generate audible seat belt warnings to the driver to fasten their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: An audible chime that does not properly alert the driver to fasten their seat belt increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will update the receiver audio module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 12, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 144 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS

23V211000 · March 29, 2023

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, 2020-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, 2021 X3 xDrive30e, X4 xDrive30i, and X4M vehicles. The seat frame may not have been welded properly to the seat rails.
The risk: An improperly welded seat frame may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the seat frame and back rest, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 51 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

21V096000 · February 19, 2021

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 13,858 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

20V355000 · June 15, 2020

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 Z4 sDrive30i, 2019-2020 330i xDrive, M340i and M340i xDrive, 2020 X3M and X4M, and Toyota Supra vehicles. In certain driving conditions, such as high temperatures and rough road surfaces, a steering gear tie rod may become damaged, possibly resulting in a fractured tie rod.
The risk: A damaged or fractured tie rod may affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: BMW and Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear tie rods, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 2,779 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER

19V912000 · December 20, 2019

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 330i and 330i xDrive vehicles. The outboard rear seat belt pretensioners may not lock as intended during a crash.
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat belt pretensioners fail to lock, there is an increased risk of injury.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear seat belts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 10, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 135 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

19V732000 · October 15, 2019

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 330i, 330i xDrive, and 2019 Z4 vehicles. The needle roller bearings of the counterbalance shafts may have been improperly installed, potentially causing the counterbalance shaft to loosen.
The risk: If the counterbalance shaft loosens, severe engine damage could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 217 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

19V684000 · September 27, 2019

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 257,473 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER

19V352000 · May 9, 2019

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2 Competition Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, and 2019 330i xDrive Sportswagon vehicles. The driver and passenger knee air bag assemblies may have been improperly folded and assembled.
The risk: An improperly folded and assembled air bag may not deploy as intended, increasing risk of injury.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the knee air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began July 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 5,079 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 40.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9 23%

ENGINE 8 20%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 18%

POWER TRAIN 5 13%

AIR BAGS 4 10%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 8%

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 5%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 5%

LANE DEPARTURE 2 5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 5%

WHEELS 2 5%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 13.

2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS Filed December 30, 2025

1 injured · crash · towed · 51,443 miles

The contact owns a 2019 BMW 330i. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH on a three-lane highway, traveling in the exit lane, and using the hands-free calling system to speak with his wife, the vehicle crashed into an unknown metal object in the roadway, which tore the undercarriage. The driver-side air bag exploded without warning, resulting in him sustaining a concussion, and the vehicle came to a stop. The emergency call system failed to activate. His wife was able to contact 911, who was delayed in locating the incident site. The fire department, ambulance, and police department were on the scene. The contact was treated at the scene by the ambulance. The contact went to a

NHTSA complaint 11707834, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed May 12, 2020

1 injured · crash · 7,800 miles

BMW ADVERTISES AS A SAFETY FEATURE AN EMERGENCY BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM THAT "WARNS ABOUT THE RISK OF COLLISION AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, BRINGS THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE IT RESULTS IN A CRASH WITH AN OBSTRUCTION, A PERSON OR ANOTHER VEHICLE" ( MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH AND THERE WAS ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT. SHE WAS DISTRACTED BY A CRYING BABY AND TOOK HER EYES OFF THE ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH THE FRONT CAR. THE BMW SYSTEM FAILED TO TAKE ACTION TO BRAKE TO MINIMIZE OR AVOID THE COLLISION. THIS WAS CONFIRMED WHEN BMW QUERIED THE SYSTEM, THAT NO BRAKING ASSIST WAS APPLIED IN THE INCIDENT. THIS "SAFETY" FEATURE WAS ADVERTISED BY BMW AND WE PAID A PREMIUM FOR THIS FEATURE AND IN

NHTSA complaint 11324323, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed July 21, 2022

fire · towed · 4,500 miles

The contact owned a 2019 BMW 330i. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, smoke was seen coming from under the hood of the vehicle. After stopping and exiting the vehicle, flames were then present coming from under the hood and the fire department was called to the scene. The flames were extinguished. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. A fire report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,500.

NHTSA complaint 11475151. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed December 9, 2025

fire · towed · 57,000 miles

The contact owned a 2019 BMW 330I. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on the driveway, the vehicle caught fire. The contact called the fire department, and the fire was extinguished. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The contact stated that recently he had received a recall notice from the manufacturer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System). The contact related the fire to the description of the recall of the fire risk when parked. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

NHTSA complaint 11703907. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed July 23, 2026

fire · towed · 110,000 miles

The contact owned a 2019 BMW 330I. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked at the residence in the driveway, there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from outside the residence. The contact checked and became aware that the vehicle was on fire. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time. The contact stated that the residential camera showed that the fire had started by the front driver's side tire. The Fire Department arrived at the residence and extinguished the fire. The residence and the vehicle were consumed by the fire. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. No injuries were sustained. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a

NHTSA complaint 11752479, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS Filed July 10, 2026

KAFAS Mid Camera has software malfunction, internal fault, system does not operate as designed. Takes down all driver assistance features. Module unable to accept new coding/programming. BMW service information - B66 20 19

NHTSA complaint 11749521. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed May 12, 2026

Please update recall repair status to repaired for this VIN (dealer repair invoice attached)

NHTSA complaint 11737293. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed March 24, 2026

81,652 miles

The contact owns a 2019 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving up to a red light, the vehicle became inoperable. The "Call Roadside Assistance", "Starter System Failure" and "Engine Could Not Start" messages were displayed. The vehicle was able to restart; however, upon arriving to the

NHTSA complaint 11726631, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed February 25, 2026

fire

Description of the Problem: •Component/system that failed: The engine starter, which is subject to an open recall issued September 23, 2025. The starter was not replaced during a service visit. The vehicle no longer exists due to the fire, but the VIN and service records are available for inspection. •Safety risk: The starter malfunction caused the vehicle to catch fire while parked, creating a serious safety risk to myself, my child, and others nearby. •Problem reproduction/confirmation: The fire and defect were confirmed by BMW’s inspection as originating from the starter irregularity tied to the recall. •Inspections: The vehicle was inspected by BMW North America’s engineering team after

NHTSA complaint 11720473, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed February 24, 2026

Vehicle shudders under acceleration no warning lights or errors . Changed transfer case oil and same problem continues. No recall from manufacturer for issu

NHTSA complaint 11720158. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the BMW 330I

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2021	29	7	—
2020	51	11	—
2018	32	1	—
2017	41	0	—

Other 2019 BMW models

X5 180 X3 166 X7 47 430I 21 530I 15 R 1250 GS 15 I3 13 530E 11

Every BMW on this site — 249 vehicles, 484 recall campaigns and 2 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst