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Vehicle recalls

BMW 3 Series recalls

67 DVSA safety recalls name the BMW 3 Series, launched 1992 to 2026. Each covers a range of build dates, not every 3 Series. Newest first; open a recall for the defect, the fix and every model it names.

Recall data updated

Recalls67
Latest launch2026
Earliest launch1992
Earliest and latest build dates named1987 to 2025
Is a specific 3 Series affected? A recall lists models and build dates, not individual vehicles, so these pages cannot tell you whether one car is included. Enter the registration on the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK, or give the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the manufacturer or one of its dealers. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof that any recall work was done.

All BMW 3 Series recalls

Newest first. Vehicle numbers are DVSA figures for this model, for the whole recall, or the figure DVSA repeats on each model line.
RecallLaunchedBuiltVehicles
Replace the Engine Starter Motor (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2026/0542 Mar 202618 Sep 2020 to 29 Apr 202524,004
Replace the Driver’s Airbag - Takata PSDI-5 (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING, 3 SERIES COUPE) R/2025/32712 Jan 20262 Jan 2006 to 2 Oct 2013177,298
Takata Driver and/or Passenger Airbag Recall (Global VINs) (DVSA lists 3 SERIES COUPE, 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES CONVERTIBLE) R/2025/34918 Dec 202530 Oct 1997 to 8 Nov 201743,344
Replace the Engine Starter Motor (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON PHEV, 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2025/40527 Oct 202526 Oct 2015 to 21 Jun 202136,549
Replace the Front Passenger Airbag Takata PSPI R/2025/3236 Oct 20253 May 1999 to 24 Aug 2006102,611
Check Driver’s Airbag for Conversion Takata SDI & PSDI-5 (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING, 3 SERIES GT) R/2024/40321 Oct 202415 Oct 2004 to 8 Nov 2017218,198
Replace the Passenger Airbag (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON) R/2024/42824 Sep 202416 Jul 2024 to 22 Jul 202416
Replace VANOS bolts N51 N52 N55 (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING, 3 SERIES COUPE) R/2024/1911 May 202423 Oct 2009 to 8 Jun 201119
Replacing the Driver’s Airbag PSDI-5 (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2024/13218 Mar 20247 Dec 2004 to 30 Dec 20057,682
On affected vehicles cylinder head cover may not be sufficiently shaped in a specific area hairline (DVSA lists 330e) R/2024/0025 Jan 202411 Oct 20232
On affected vehicles ingress of transmission fluid may occur to the integrated transmission control (DVSA lists 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2023/35420 Dec 202324 Jan 202326 per line
On certain vehicles the Body Domain Controller (BDC) control unit may have an incorrect setting applied to it. (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON) R/2023/07120 Mar 20234 Jul 2022 to 22 Oct 2022538 per line
A possible degradation of the propellant tablets could lead to an over-aggressive combustion (DVSA lists 3 SERIES GT, 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2023/01624 Jan 202313 Jun 2012 to 30 Jun 201792,048
It is possible that a damaged seat belt may have been installed into the vehicle during production. (DVSA lists 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2022/3239 Nov 202212 Sep 20227 per line
Manufacturing defect with winding of cell-internal films for high voltage battery (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON) R/2022/29717 Oct 202211 Jan 20211
In rare cases the starter motor can inadvertently be activated permanently presenting a risk (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON) R/2022/26112 Sep 202215 Sep 2015 to 31 Jul 201825,982 (whole recall)
Undetected EGR System leaks may cause thermal activity in the intake manifold (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES GRAN TOURISMO, 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2022/25522 Aug 20223 Dec 2014 to 12 Jul 2021322,745 (whole recall)
The exhaust gas recirculation cooler may leak over time and cause thermal incident (DVSA lists 3 SERIES TOURING, 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES GT) R/2022/2061 Aug 20229 Dec 2011 to 21 Nov 2019319,399 (whole recall)
The micro gas generator within the front seatbelt's retractor may have been damaged (DVSA lists 3 SERIES TOURING) R/2022/08930 Mar 202226 Jan 20222,018 (whole recall)
Excessive increase of cooling system temperature could lead to a bursting of the heater matrix radiator R/2021/43013 Dec 20211 Mar 1987 to 1 May 199266
The tandam vacuum/oil pump may fail (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON) R/2021/2889 Aug 202113 Apr 20191
Some vehicles may be susceptible to damage to the anti-corrosion coating of the lower steering shaft R/2021/26813 Jul 20211 Aug 1990 to 24 Aug 2000277,987
The exhaust gas recirculation module could leak over time (DVSA lists 3 SERIES SALOON, 3 SERIES TOURING, 3 SERIES GT) R/2021/21314 Jun 202110 Mar 2017 to 1 Oct 201818,330 (whole recall)
The screw connection of the front seat belt buckle assembly to the seat frame may not be tightened properly R/2021/16817 May 20214 Sep 2020 to 11 Mar 202160 per line
Affected vehicles may be fitted with brake discs which are not to specification R/2021/08515 Mar 202127 Jan 2021 to 3 Feb 2021705 per line
The exhaust gas recirculation cooler could leak over time R/2021/0379 Feb 202130 Jun 2015 to 17 Sep 201863,888 (whole recall)
The battery cables on the 48v starter generator may not have been sufficiently secured during production R/2021/01525 Jan 202124 Feb 2020 to 26 Oct 2020388 per line
Remaining particles in the cells of the high voltage battery can cause a short circuit R/2020/28314 Dec 20203 Mar 2020 to 22 Sep 20202,665 (whole recall)
Remaining particles in the cells of the high voltage battery can cause a short circuit R/2020/29822 Oct 202027 Jan 2020 to 30 Sep 2020871 per line
Steering tie rod can become broken in the 'kink' groove area of the rod R/2020/21910 Aug 202022 Oct 2018 to 16 Mar 20194,542 (whole recall)
The foldable rear centre head restraint interlock was not welded according to specifications R/2019/2907 Apr 20205 Jul 2019 to 31 Jul 20191,737
Driver's front takata (nadi) airbag inflator may rupture on deployment R/2019/4039 Mar 202028 Oct 1997 to 10 Jul 200067,548
The pressing force of the bearing bushing into the crankcase may be out of specification R/2019/3689 Dec 201911 Mar 2019 to 9 Jul 201953 per line
Potential rupture of driver front air bag inflator R/2019/08622 Mar 201928 Sep 1999 to 29 Dec 20016,927
Exhaust gas recirculation module cooler could leak R/2018/3417 Dec 20189 Dec 2011 to 11 Apr 2017225,449 (whole recall)
Exhaust gas recirculation cooler could potentially leak over time R/2018/2585 Nov 201819 Mar 2015 to 22 Nov 2017153,602 (whole recall)
Software fault in crankshaft sensor R/2018/26015 Oct 201816 May 2018 to 7 Jun 20181,642 (whole recall)
Software fault with crankshaft sensor R/2018/21120 Aug 201818 May 2018 to 7 Jun 20184,025 (whole recall)
Variation to electrical resistance in the blower regulator wiring harness connector R/2018/14827 Jun 201815 Oct 2004 to 8 Jul 2011279,104 (whole recall)
Plug in contact cable may malfunction R/2018/1327 Jun 201820 Sep 2006 to 30 Jun 2011311,848 (whole recall)
Driveshaft universal joint may break R/2017/13211 Apr 201730 Dec 2010 to 29 Apr 201110,849 (whole recall)
Plug in contact cable may malfunction R/2017/11410 Apr 20171 Dec 2009 to 13 Oct 201136,410 (whole recall)
Power steering may not perform correctly R/2016/30021 Dec 201619 Sep 2011 to 8 Dec 201541 per line
Drivers airbag may deploy incorrectly R/2016/2521 Nov 20161 Mar 2002 to 31 Dec 2003218,559 (whole recall)
Possible loss of control R/2016/2244 Oct 20161 Jan 2015 to 1 Sep 201660 per line
Engine may stall R/2015/1098 Jun 20151 Sep 2013 to 30 Apr 20141,646 (whole recall)
Seat belt may malfunction R/2014/1886 Jan 20151 Sep 2014 to 31 Mar 20151,502 (whole recall)
Engine emergency mode may be activated during driving R/2014/06828 Jul 20141 Sep 2009 to 30 Nov 20112,967 (whole recall)
Passenger side airbag may fail to deploy correctly R/2013/07126 Jul 20131 May 1999 to 31 Aug 2006316,043
Loss of drive R/2013/0805 Jul 20131 Feb 2013 to 30 Jun 20134 per line
Engine may cut out R/2013/0244 Apr 2013not recorded36 per line
Rear window may detach R/2012/14911 Dec 2012not recorded17
EPS may not perform as specified R/2012/08130 Jul 20121 Feb 2007 to 31 Dec 2011701 per line
Front side airbag or seat belt tensioner may not operate correctly R/2009/06530 Jun 200923 May 2008 to 21 Jul 20081,756 per line
Door pressure sensors may delay side airbag deployment following an impact. R/2008/02614 Feb 200820 Nov 2006 to 11 Jan 20087,703
Steering lock may inadvertently engage R/2006/19922 Dec 20061 Nov 1995 to 1 Nov 19962,222
Possible loss of braking power assistance R/2006/20728 Nov 20064 Mar 2006 to 14 Mar 2006287 per line
The bearings of the fuel injection pump may fail R/2005/0228 Feb 200530 Nov 2004 to 31 Jan 2005697 per line
Possible detachment of ball bearing from front suspension strut top mounting R/2002/02522 Feb 20026 Nov 2001 to 20 Nov 20012,023 per line
Tyres may have cuts in side walls. R/2001/1469 Nov 200128 Sep 2001 to 24 Oct 2001264 per line
Lower steering shaft may fail R/2000/13526 Feb 20011 Jan 1991 to 31 Dec 1998285,722
Brake lights may fail to operate remain on or flicker R/1999/10415 Dec 199916 Sep 1999 to 28 Oct 19995,634 (whole recall)
Possible unscheduled deployment of side airbags and activation of battery isolator switch R/1999/04725 May 19991 Sep 1998 to 14 Apr 199916,646
Corrosion on lower steering shaft R/1997/00527 May 19971 Feb 1991 to 31 Dec 199480,000
Security of stub axle mountings R/1996/03723 Feb 19968 Jan 1996 to 30 Jan 19961,600
Possible damage to wheel bearings R/1995/0307 Apr 19957 Feb 1995 to 20 Mar 1995152
Possible chafing of the battery cable R/1992/01328 Feb 19921 Jan 1991 to 28 Feb 19928,700 per line

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA vehicle recall records (RecallsFile.csv), recalls launched 1992 to 2026. Recall data updated 22 September 2026.

Recall wording is DVSA's, with capitals and punctuation tidied and American spellings such as tire, center and windshield given in British English. We list a recall when its make and model match a car or van family with at least 1,000 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, and when the maker of the vehicle issued it.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. Methodology · Data sources