2001 BMW 3 Series problems and complaints
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 3 Series. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (8), Exterior Lighting (8), Electrical System (6).
Key takeaways
- 36 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 1 involve a crash, 0 a fire, 0 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 8 | 22% |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 22% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 17% |
| Fuel System | 4 | 11% |
| Gasoline | 4 | 11% |
| Suspension | 3 | 8% |
| Wheels | 3 | 8% |
| Power Train | 3 | 8% |
| Tires | 2 | 6% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 6% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 | 6% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Tires - filed 2018-10-17
COMPLETE DISINTEGRATION OF OF A HANOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. TIRE DID NOT HIT ANY OBSTACLES, NOR WAS THE TIRE. UNDER OR OVER INFLATED. DRIVEN 17,000 MILES BEFORE FAILURE
Steering,electronic Stability Control (esc) - filed 2018-08-26
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE CAR JERKED AND STUTTERED ALMOST AS IF IT WAS BRAKING ON ITS OWN OR LOCKING UP. THIS OCCURRED TWICE TODAY AND IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AS IT WAS UNEXPECTED AND COULD HAVE LED TO A LOSS OF CONTROL, WHI...
Electrical System - filed 2017-12-15
OUR 2001 E46 HAS ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS WHICH ARE FAILING. MY WIFE HAS FOUND HERSELF LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR, UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE LOCKS FREEZE, AND CANNOT BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED, TRAPPING THE OCCUPANT IN THE CAR. THERE IS NO MECHANICAL OVERRIDE TO THE SYSTEM. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TR...
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More for the 2001 BMW 3 Series
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.