2002 BMW 3 Series problems and complaints
Owners have filed 443 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 BMW 3 Series. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (151), Exterior Lighting (77), Electrical System (68).
Key takeaways
- 443 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 18 involve a crash, 31 a fire, 22 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 151 | 34% |
| Exterior Lighting | 77 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 68 | 15% |
| Engine | 27 | 6% |
| Visibility | 26 | 6% |
| Power Train | 25 | 6% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 20 | 5% |
| Suspension | 19 | 4% |
| Tires | 18 | 4% |
| Steering | 17 | 4% |
| Structure | 13 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 BMW 3 Series Sedan w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2002 BMW 3 Series 4-DR. w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags,electrical System - filed 2026-08-18
The contact owns a 2002 BMW 325CI. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V318000 (Air Bags) and 13V172000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the recall repairs were completed. The vehicle was retrieved from the dealer. The contact stated that upon retrieving the vehicle from...
Air Bags - filed 2026-01-30
I brought my 325ci into BMW Buena Park to have an airbag recall completed. There were no issues prior to dropping the car off at dealership but when the car was returned the airbag system light was on and was filled with error codes. I returned the car to the dealer and they cleared the codes but on my way home the d...
Engine - filed 2025-11-17
The contact owns a 2002 BMW 325i. The contact stated that upon exiting the store, he observed fire emerging from the driver's side dashboard. The vehicle spontaneously combusted and was engulfed in flames. There was no warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The fire department was able to successfully extingu...
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More for the 2002 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.